The ranches of the Chico Basin in El Paso County are developing a long-term cooperative weed management effort. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Adams County will reduce the cover of common mullein, one of the property s most significant noxious weed problems. Funds will focus on areas in the Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties. The five winners of education grants are listed below. Through a variety of teaching strategies, agricultural producers and rural homeowners will meet to identify and resolve specific weed management problems.
Noxious weeds are plants that pose a serious threat to agriculture and wildlife.
In Colorado, about 70 of these plants have invaded nearly 2 million acres across the state, negatively impacting all 63 counties. The Colorado Noxious Weed Management Fund was created in 1996 by the Colorado Legislature. The grants are awarded to communities, weed control districts or other entities to stimulate and support local cooperative efforts in managing noxious weeds. A seven-member committed evaluated the applications on factors including the nature of partnerships formed, the urgency of the problem, the projected impact of the project, and the use of sensible strategies and integrated pest management.