Today's Environmental Threat of Weeds

1. Today's Environmental Threat of Weeds

2. Introduction • Our committee • Diane Mueller – CBMR Principal • Paula Steuer – Gothic Scenic Drive Project • Donna Walker – Horticultural Lecturer • Tom Walker – Horticultural Industry • Purpose • Encourage weed eradication and control • Objective tonight • Awareness and Education

3. Terminology • Weeds – Undesirable plants. • Noxious weeds – Weeds that are particularly troublesome. • Invasive plants – Plants from other places, not found here naturally.

4. Seed Distribution – Invasion • Vehicles – Cars, Bikes and Trucks. • People – Boots and Clothing. • Animals - Local

5. Soil Disturbances – Propagation • Road building without weed control • Construction without reclamation • Weed Pulling without re-seeding

6. Exponential Growth • Weeds make tens of thousands of seeds per year. • Weed seeds viable up to 40 years, creating a “seed bank”. • One Knapweed, 10 years = 36,513 acres or 5 trillion seeds.

7. Apathy – Perpetuation • Ecological risk • Decline and loss of native varieties • Decline of wildlife – • Grazers and pollinators • Loss of Shelter • Loss of Nesting • Loss of plant diversity

8. Apathy – Perpetuation • Environmental risk • Increased evaporation • Desert encroachment • Increased erosion

9. Apathy – Perpetuation • Economic risk • Loss of tourism. • CSU Extension says, “In CB the Ox-Eye daisy is crowding out the wildflowers they are famous for.” • Declining property values. • Declining grazing acres. • Increased fire danger – Brome grass. • Escalating eradication costs.

10. Governmental Action Taken • Federal Law – Subtitle E – Noxious Weed Control and Eradication. The Secretary of Agriculture is required, “to provide assistance to eligible weed management entities to control or eradicate noxious weeds on public and private lands”.

11. Government Actions Taken • Colorado State – Title 35 The Colorado Noxious Weed Law 1990. Mandates the enforcement responsibility to county and local government. • Law provides authority for assessment, notification, citation, access, remediation and the filing of tax liens on property.

12. Government Action Needed • Gunnison County – • Grossly under funded. • No weed board, one interim agent. • No intention of citing property owners or enforcing state law. Other Colorado counties are actively combating the problem. See LaPlata County (Durango), http://www.lpcweeds.org

13. Government Action Needed • Cities - Crested Butte, Almont, Crested Butte South, Mount Crested Butte and Gunnison County. • No weed boards (maybe Gunnison Co.) • No enforcement. • No programs.

14. Establish –Weed Advisory Board • Understand the Risk. • Know the Law. • Assess the problem. • Utilize Integrated Weed Management methods on city properties. • Craft Ordinances. • Educate land owners. • Enforce and monitor compliance.

15. Real Estate Law • The Colorado Real Estate Commission requires that the presence of weeds must be disclosed in writing and acknowledged by the buyer, prior to closing. This applies to commercial, residential and agricultural property.

16. More Bad Weeds Coming • Knapweed – adapting to elevations • Yellow Star Thistle – fatal to horses • Curly Dock • Perennial Sow Thistle – first seen in 06 • Absinth Wormwood - Allelopathic

17. Call to Action • Learn more… • Contact your Councilmen and Commissioners • Talk to your neighbors and friends. • Clean up your property. • Volunteer to pull weeds. • Be seed-free before entering the wilderness. • Report back country sightings to GC or BLM