colorado’s noxious weed program kelly uhing state weed coordinator colorado department of...
TRANSCRIPT
Colorado’s Noxious Weed Program
Kelly Uhing
State Weed Coordinator
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Colorado Noxious Weed Act (C.R.S. 35-5.5) CO Legislature created Colorado Noxious Weed Act in
1990 Colorado Legislature and Governor delegated the
responsibility and authority to coordinate the management of invasive plant species (aquatic and terrestrial) to the Colorado Dept of Ag.
Revised in 1996 Creation of State Weed Coordinator position
Provided foundation for state weed management program Assistance to local entities to develop management plans
Provide means to address weed problems State Weed Fund
Assist public/private landowners with noxious weed mgmt.
2003 Revisions Restructured State Noxious Weed List
List A, B, and CAddition of aquatic species
Implementation of State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (CNWAC)
Rules Pertaining to the Administration and Enforcement of the Colorado Noxious Weed ActStatewide weed management plansCommissioner approved
List A… Designated by the Ag Commissioner for eradication Plants must be eliminated prior to seed development Within 1 year of detection, map of any List A species
must be provided to State Weed Coordinator Species name Location, distribution, abundance Estimated infested acreage
Species included on List A(9 out of 18 not known to exist in
CO…yet) African rue Camelthorn Common crupina Cypress spurge Dyer’s woad Giant salvinia Hydrilla Meadow knapweed Mediterranean sage
Medusahead Myrtle spurge Orange hawkweed Purple loosestrife Rush skeletonweed Sericea lespedeza Squarrose knapweed Tansy ragwort Yellow starthistle
Early Detection Rapid Response
Early Detection Reluctant Response
List B Goal is to stop continued spread Statewide distributions are subject to eradication,
containment, or suppression Within 1 year of detection, map of any List B species that
has a mgmt plan must be provided to State Weed Coordinator
39 species on List B 16 have state weed mgmt plans
List C Commissioner approves State weed mgmt plans
developed to support IWM on private and public lands Goal is to provide education, research, and biological
control resources to jurisdictions that choose to require mgmt of List C species
Duty to manage noxious weeds Ag Commissioner provides
Educational resources Financial or in-kind resources from weed fund Inventory and mapping to facilitate weed
classification Local governing bodies
Initiate and maintain communication with L/O’s Provide technical assistance for eradication A’s/B Project oversight and enforcement
Enforcement of CO Weed Act
Local govt has authority to: Inspect property for List A’s/eradicable B’s Send formal notice
5 days for landowner to comply with terms of notice Mgmt of weeds Submit acceptable mgmt plan
If no compliance with terms County can perform eradication measures
Assess eradication costs up to 100% on property Funds collected go into that weed program
Tax Lien on property
Local govt failure to comply
CDA will then assume eradication duties Agriculture Commission will charge
Administrative costs L/O research and contacts Eradication efforts – contractor
Civil penalties $1,000./violation $2,000. for repeat violations
Early Detection Rapid Response Program EDRR Specialist responsible for
provide alert lists, identification resources, and reporting protocols for targeted plant pest species
build detection networks provide information and planning assistance to
rapidly respond to and successfully manage detected species.
Info requested Weed Spotter Form w/pictures Voucher specimen Collection form
Provide a uniform methodology for categorizing non-native invasive plants
Plant’s overall rating based on 20 criteria Ecological Impacts Invasive Potential Ecological Distribution Agricultural Impacts
PAF committee Form can be accessed at CDA website
www.colorado.gov/ag/csd
Plant Assessment FormFor use with “Criteria for Categorizing Invasive Non-Native Plants that Threaten Colorado’s
Wildlands, Economy, and Ecology”By the Colorado Noxious Weed Advisory Committee
CO Noxious Weed Fund
HR 1399- Directs interest revenue from the Unclaimed Property Fund to agriculture-related needs Noxious Weed Fund grant program
$150K for 2009 $300K for 2010
Approval of two FTE’s – hiring freeze List A/EDRR Specialist List B/Mapping Specialist
Additional funding sources
State and Private Forestry grants $258K funded 41 projects
Leafy spurge control Rio Blanco Cnty Pulling for Colorado Mediterranean sage eradication projects – Bldr Cnty
Funding secure through 2010 Redesign
Nationally competitive basis All taxa Transferred to CSFS
Funding cont. High Plains Invasives project - GLCI
$58K awarded to 14 projects Weld/Logan/Morgan – diffuse knapweed Spanish Peaks/Purgatoire River – Russian knapweed
and spotted knapweed Baca County Conservation District – Dalmatian toadflax Double El Conservation District – leafy spurge Huerfano County – leafy spurge Crowley County – Russian knapweed Yuma County – spotted and diffuse knapweed
Funding cont.
CO Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Tamarisk/Russian-olive control cost-share grant
$1M from Severance Tax ($60M Projects Bill) $200K/project cap $100K for research/administrative costs RFP’s mid-December 08 Submission deadline – late January 09 Approval by State Weed Coordinator prior to submission Projects awarded by Feb 09 Reimbursed fall 09
Funding cont. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
-CO Invasive Plant Program (NRCS) $1M for noxious weed projects on private lands
Improve productivity of range and riparian areas CFP released Nov. 18, 2008 Submission deadline February 2, 2009 Approval by State Weed Coordinator prior to submission Priorities
Cooperative watershed-scale projects Use of Technical Service Providers
Species added for 2009 African rue Sulfur cinquefoil Russian-olive in riparian areas only
Kelly Uhing
303-828-8329 cell
303-239-4173 office
www.colorado.gov/ag/weeds