Along the trails of the San Juan National Forest, hikers have to hunt to find native plants like Golden Banner, Yarrow, and Cow Parsnip hidden amidst groups of noxious weeds. To give these native plants a fighting chance, the U.S. Forest Service, in cooperation with Montezuma County and the local habitat partnership committee, will be spot spraying noxious weeds along trails in the Dolores river valley this summer. Mark Tucker, range conservationist for the Dolores Ranger District, is spearheading the weed control program. He said there is nearly a 30 percent infestation of non-native weeds in the district, and this is one way of controlling their spread. The destruction to native habitat and land caused by non-native and noxious weeds is such a threat that it has brought ranchers and conservationiststogether.
Noxious weeds undermine the integrity of the ecosystem.
Currently, county officials are trying to contain 17 noxious weeds identified by the state and county, and trying to eradicate new species coming in from Utah. Otherwise we could lose habitat in the area. To help control Canada and Musk thistle, the Forest Service is treating the weeds with blended herbicide along parts of the Priest Gulch, Bear Creek, Section House, and School House trails this summer. Canada thistle was introduced from Europe and is a perennial that spreads by seeds and its horizontal root system. The stem of the plant is hollow, and can grow up to five feet tall.