Citizens fight invasive plants

By Jim Shaklee
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers
and Tim D'Amato
Larimer County Weed District

Most people living in Larimer County have a strong appreciation for the area's natural beauty, native plant community, abundant wildlife and supporting wildlife habitat.

A major threat to these natural treasures is invasive plant species, commonly referred to as noxious weeds. Weed infestations decrease the abundance and diversity of native plant communities, and in doing so, diminish wildlife carrying capacity. Some noxious weeds also affect wildlife (as well as livestock and people) directly because of their poisonous or irritating characteristics. Invasive weeds present a threat to Colorado's environment and economy.

Many concerned citizens in Larimer County get involved in the fight against noxious weeds by participating in volunteer groups formed to address the threat. Two such groups in northern Larimer County are the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers Weed Crew and the North Fork Weed Co-op.

PWV is a local nonprofit organization created in 1996 to assist the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service in managing and protecting wilderness and backcountry areas. PWV established a weed crew in 2007 that provides invasive weed education and training and conducts weed treatments aimed at control or eradication of selected noxious weed infestations.

Crew members are concerned with 22 noxious weed species and all PWVs are trained to recognize and report five of these weeds. PWV members have patrolled 45 trails and along roadsides leading to these trails looking for and reporting weed infestations. Last summer, the weed crew also conducted weed treatment projects at 11 different locations, removing weeds from roughly 130 acres. PWV's weed treatment training and control efforts are coordinated with and reported to both the U.S. Forest Service and the Larimer County land stewardship manager.

Interested members of the public are invited to participate in PWV weed training or in one or more PWV weed pulls. PWV's annual weed crew training will be held on June 8 at the USFS office in Fort Collins (2150 Centre Ave., Building E). PWV can accommodate a limited number of private citizens at this training, so interested individuals should contact Jim Shaklee (484-8002 or email jbsgenetics@hughes.net) to sign up to participate. If there is more interest than they can accommodate at this training, they will schedule a second training session.

The North Fork Weed Co-op is an environmentally concerned group formed in 1999 to address noxious weed issues within the North Fork Poudre River watershed. The co-op's mission is to work cooperatively on a long-term basis with willing community members to steward native plant and animal communities throughout the drainage area and to coordinate management efforts across public and private lands. The co-op disseminates information on best management practices for weed management and ecological restoration through newsletters, informational literature, workshops and demonstration sites. The North Fork Weed Co-op and U.S. Forest Service sponsor a weed pull and weed awareness event in the Red Feather Lakes area each summer.

Membership of the co-op is comprised of many private landowners, and federal, state and local land management agency personnel. The group has a council that meets once a month and an education committee that stays active throughout the year. New members are always welcome. Information is available on the web site at www.northforkweedcoop.org or by calling 416-8620, extension #3.

A group similar to the North Fork Weed Co-op, the Estes Land Stewardship Area was formed in the Estes Park area in 2007. Anyone interested in contacting ELSA can do so through www.elsainfo.org or by calling 498-5768.