Colorado Weed Management Association
1st Quarter Newsletter 2020
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Annual Aquatic Nuisance Species Report
by Colorado Parks and Wildlife
It's important to recognize the efforts of other invasive species managers and programs throughout the state and not get too bogged down in the weeds and our local challenges.
The Aquatic Nuisance Species program under Colorado Parks and Wildlife tackles invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels, rusty crayfish, and noxious weeds like Eurasian watermilfoil.
"The goal of the ANS Program is to protect the state’s natural resources, outdoor recreation and water supply systems through preventing new introductions and reducing the spread of costly aquatic invasive species, such as zebra or quagga mussels, in Colorado.
This year the state intercepted considerably more watercraft infested with zebra or quagga mussels than ever before. All of these watercraft were fully decontaminated prior to being allowed into Colorado’s waters. Since 2009, a total of 281 boats with attached adult zebra or quagga mussels were intercepted coming into Colorado.
In 2019, CPW intercepted 86 watercraft infested with zebra or quagga mussels coming in from out of state. In 2018, the state intercepted 51 and in 2017 the state intercepted 26 infested watercraft. The average prior to that was 16 interceptions each year. This exponential growth in infested boat interceptions is directly related to the growing threat invasive mussels pose to Colorado’s water infrastructure, natural resources and outdoor recreation. CPW’s Invasive Species Program, along with partners, is critical to maintaining opportunities for recreation, preserving natural heritage and protecting water supply and delivery infrastructure for municipal, industrial and agricultural use."
Check out the full report annual ANS report by CPW
here.
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National Invasive Species Awareness Week sponsored by NAISMA
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Colorado Department of Ag and CWMA will be participating by sharing information via our Weed Awareness Campaign and hosting a Weed Awareness Week in conjunction with NISAW. What are some other ways that you can join in on the fun?
- Host a weed walk
- Talk to local organizations
- Send out email blasts and social media
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We are so exited to be bringing you the 2020 CWMA SPRING TRAINING...
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Please join us April 8th and 9th for the 2020 CWMA Spring Training held at the Hilton Fort Collins.
T
here are only days left to save on the hotel discount rate:
Start booking your hotel reservation today by calling 1-970-482-2626 and requesting the Colorado Weed Management Association room block. You will have until March 6th to make your room reservations at the discounted room rate of $103 per night.
The CWMA Spring Training is a great way to get your seasonals ready for the upcoming season, network with peers in our industry, and learn best practices in weed management. There is a great line-up of speakers! Keep an eye out for updates on credits offered, sponsorship opportunities, and more!
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Outstanding CWMA Members: 2019 Winter Training Awards Recognition
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Newcomer of the Year Award
Marisa Neuzil: Teller-Park Conservation District
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Lifetime Service Award
Alicia Doran: Jefferson County Invasive Species Management Coordinator and Pest Inspector
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Legislator of the Year Award
Senator Bob Rankin: Carbondale
Recipient was not present and award was accepted by CWMA members from Senate District 8.
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Legislator of the Year Award
Senator Dominic Moreno: Commerce City
Recipient was not present and award was accepted by CWMA members from Senate District 21.
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Not pictured:
Weed Manager of the Year Liz Mauro: Pitkin County
Ray Kessler Scholarship Recipient Montana Cohn: Mesa County
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Promoting CWMA membership.
How can we help?
Do you know someone that should be a member of CWMA? Learn all about CWMA benefits and membership types at
www.cwma.org/membership
. Use this information as talking points to encourage colleagues to join and get active with CWMA.
Or, perhaps you are unsure whether someone you know is already a member? Search for them in our directory located in the members-only
online portal
.
You can also use this site to renew your membership, register for CWMA events, and update your contact information.
Need help promoting CWMA? Let us know how we assist you.
Monica Groh, CAE
Colorado Weed Management Association
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CWMA Publication Highlight: Weed ID Booklets
Booklets are currently discounted from $275 per box to $200 per box! Stock is limited so don't delay!
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Professional Development Grants
Did you know CWMA has grants for professional development to help members attend Spring and Winter Trainings? Click
here
for application instructions!
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Biocontrol Boon: Rust fungus
by Kayla Malone, Chaffee County Noxious Weed Program Supervisor
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To say that Canada thistle is well established in Colorado is an understatement. It is one of the most prevalent listed noxious weeds, not only in Colorado, but across the United States. It has plagued agricultural producers and recreationalists alike-many have had to wage war on this species with limited success. Due to this prevalence and persistence, the need for an effective biocontrol agent is high.
Since the 1970’s, a Canada thistle gall-fly (
Urophora cardui) and a stem-mining weevil (
Hadroplontus litura) have been used to control Canada thistle in North America (CDA Insectary). These agents have demonstrated limited success, leaving land managers in need of a more effective agent. A host-specific fungus has been identified, and is being used as a biocontrol agent in and beyond Colorado.
Initial efforts by the Colorado Department of Ag Insectary Staff with the rust fungus have attempted to create collection sites, with the ability for agencies and staff to return in order to collect viable, infectious materials. Chaffee County has been an active participant in the CDA Rust Fungus Biocontrol Program for many years, and significant, naturally-occurring infestations of the rust fungus have been identified across the county, with high concentrations located just north of Poncha Springs.
This past summer (2019), the Chaffee County Weed Department was called out to inspect a private property that was requesting herbicide treatment for Canada thistle. During the initial site visit in June staff member Abby Graves recognized the sticky-sweet, rose-like fragrance emanating from the Canada thistle patch. This unique, intoxicatingly floral fragrance is the result, not of flowers, but of a parasitic fungus that infects the root system of Canada thistle and is a recognizable, unique trait for detecting Canada thistle rust fungus in the spring/early summer spore stage.
This was a positive infestation! Staff then conducted a brief evaluation of the infestation, and found evidence of active rust fungus across more than 10 acres of what should have been grasslands, but was almost solid Canada thistle. This was a significant size patch, with high levels of active infestation, and huge potential to advance the current volume of available viable materials within and beyond Colorado. Chaffee County staff then worked with the landowner to develop a management plan that would allow for fall collections of the Canada thistle Rust Fungus, when the spores are most likely to cause a systemic infection in a new population, followed with the requested herbicide treatments after collection events had occurred. This would allow land managers to collect as much material as possible, while still accomplishing the landowner goals to convert the weed patch to a useable area quickly. The landowner agreed to the management plan.
Two collection events were held in mid-September. Staff members from USFS, NRCS, CDA Insectary, CDA Noxious Weeds, Mineral County, and Fremont County attended and were able to collect huge volumes of fungal spores to be processed, stored, and utilized for future releases. These materials will be used to establish additional harvest locations in the future, with the objective of increasing the total volume of rust fungus available for land managers in Colorado.
If you are interested in participating in a future collection event, please contact Kayla Malone at
kmalone@chaffeecounty.org. Participants will be taught to identify, collect, process and utilize the Canada thistle rust fungus. Chaffee County Noxious Weed Department will be attempting to coordinate additional collection events in 2020, dependent on population evaluations and landowner participation.
And remember, when working in the field, take the time to stop and smell the roses… it could be a biocontrol!
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Utilizing Extension Resources for Weed Managers
by Robin Young, Archuleta County CSU Extension Agent
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Hello CWMA! It has been a while since I have addressed you, so when Ethan Proud – weed manager from Archuleta County asked me to write this article, I was happy to do so.
As an Extension Agent acting as a county weed manager concurrently from 2011-2017, I learned that the two really go hand in hand. Now that I am in a county where that is a separate position, the partnership continues. If you don’t know your local Extension Agent, please pay them a visit and start the professional relationship to expand your network.
Extension Agents can be a great resource for you. They can help coordinate public outreach, conduct property visits, ID noxious weeds, help with noxious weed management plans, and more! There are plenty of resources on the
Extension Website, and links to the
weed research on campus. Another great resource is through the
Small Acreage Management Website. There are factsheets and publications that address Colorado’s most prevalent weeds and ways to manage them. You can search these on CSU Extensions website.
CSU Extension has
your listing on their site. Please let the webmaster know if any of your info is outdated. And get to know Colorado State University Extension! We are here for you!
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Membership Spotlight:
meet Bonnie Loving: Montezuma County Noxious Weed Program Manager
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Q. Give us a little background on yourself…where you are from, your current position, and your favorite pastimes?
A. I grew up in Littleton, CO and went to college at Colorado State University (CSU), Fort Collins CO. I have a bachelor’s degree in Forest Management. My goal in college was to get as much experience in different fields of forestry so I could be well rounded and eventually get a job as a Forest Manager. I started off by working as a wildland firefighter in Estes Park, CO. I did that for two years, went on many different large fires across the Western U.S. I also did other random jobs like working at a Chronic Wasting Research Facility, helping take care of mule deer.
When I graduated I moved to Mancos, CO where my parents lived. I got a job working for the State Forest Service doing Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA). I was only in that job for a few months till I was approached by a noxious weed manager needing someone with GIS and mapping skills to help with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contracts. This was a big stimulus package dedicated to managing noxious weeds on fuel treatment areas.
I dropped my FIA job and worked for Premier Weed Management owned by Kenny Smith. Kenny taught me all my plant identification, and how to manage noxious weeds. Before coming into this position I had never known about noxious weeds and that they were a problem. Having a Forestry degree, this is something that I should have been taught in college. I did reach out to CSU and recommended they put invasive courses into the Forestry Management curriculum.
At any rate, I knew noxious weeds were my calling. I have been managing noxious weeds since 2010. I am currently the department head for Montezuma County Noxious Weed Department. Aside from my main career I also have an art business on the side called Bonfire Custom Rustic. I make metal art out of farm equipment and horseshoes. I also have my own spray company called Bonfire Weed Management. I have CDOT contracts and I manage noxious weeds on my parents subdivision.
My husband has worked in the oil field for about 15 years now. He has two kids from another marriage and we have two together. We love animals and try to be self-sustainable. We have a flock of chickens and a big greenhouse that my husband built. We also have horses, two mustangs and a pony. I have had one of my mustangs, Ringo, since 2003, we essentially grew up together. Ringo has helped me train a lot of other horses, we have worked a lot of cows, and I was a head wrangler for a while. I love my horses, unfortunately I have not had time to ride since I had kids, but hopefully when the kids get older that will change. I have taken the kids out on rides here and there, and they love it. I am just waiting for them to get older, I believe horses keep kids away from drugs and bad places. A bond with a mustang is like nothing else.
Q. What part of your program do you believe most benefits the citizens of your county (directly or indirectly)?
A. I would say our notification system and the cost share program. Notifications raise awareness of what noxious weeds are present on properties, and the cost share helps the landowners afford management. Since 2015, 1,572 properties have been notified about noxious weeds. We re-map the county every year and in 2019 only 448 of those properties were mapped with noxious weeds. This is showing a 72% reduction of properties with noxious weeds.
As far as the cost share program, since 2015 we have reimbursed landowners $194,045. We reimbursed 181 landowners in 2015, 221 landowners in 2016, 377 landowners in 2017, 256 landowners in 2018, and 266 landowners in 2019. Cost share programs are one of the most important programs a county can offer.
Q. What is the biggest challenge your county faces in terms of weed management?
A. I would say the phreatophyte populations and Russian knapweed populations are our biggest challenge. The extent of these species is significant and it will take some time to get it under control.
Another challenge is managing A and B species across municipalities and varying ownerships.
Q. Brag about yourself a little, what of your accolades are you most proud of?
A. I truly feel like I am making a difference in the health of our land within Montezuma County. We are seeing noxious weed populations declining on private properties. Canada thistle has gone from 9,205 gross acres to 4,557 gross acres in the past five years. Musk thistle has gone from 7,822 gross acres to 3,477 gross acres. Russian knapweed has declined 18% and Hoary cress has declined 24% in the past five years.
Another huge accomplishment is the level of collaboration we have achieved over the past five years. Private landowners, Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, Mesa Verde National Park, the State Land Board, Parks and Wildlife, and adjoining counties are all working together to manage noxious weeds.
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Call for Submissions: Are you a writer or have a story to tell?
If you have a success story or event you'd love to share...we want to help!
Colorado Weed Management Association is always looking for new content, exciting stories in integrated management, and alerts on new weed species!
Send in an article, write up, or pictures and we can share them in our quarterly newsletter.
Newsletter contributors do not have to be CWMA members.
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President
Tina Travis
President Elect
Kayla Malone
Secretary/Treasurer
Casey Cisneros
Board of Directors:
Curtis Marshall
Derek Sebastian
Drew Marino
Ethan Proud
James Herman
John Coyle
jcoyle.02@gmail.com
Kayla Malone
Mike Auciello
Ron Mabry
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Ex-Officio Members:
Steve Ryder
Mark Eike
Executive Director:
Monica Groh
7187 W. 79th Drive
Arvada, CO 80003
(303) 210-7077
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Committee Opportunity:
CWMA is making plans for the 2020 Spring Training. We need energetic people to help make this a great event. The time that you could contribute would be invaluable to CWMA.
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How can CWMA work for you!
Do you want to make a difference with CWMA? Would you like to influence the direction that CWMA is leading? Join a
committee!
Annual Winter Training - Kayla Malone
Communications - Ethan Proud
Education - Kayla Malone
Colorado 4 Healthy Landscapes (C4HL) - Ron Mabry
Legislative - Casey Cisneros
Membership - Drew Marino
Publications - Tina Travis
Annual Spring Training - Jonathan Rife (303) 660-7480
Want to join a committee but don't know where to start? Contact us for more info!
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Job Opportunities:
Looking to further your career in stewardship, conservation, and natural resources? The positions below are open!
To view job listings and descriptions, click
here.
Eagle County: Open Space Director
City of Loveland: Parks Worker for Open Lands and Trails
City of Boulder: Volunteer Services Field Assistant
Rio Grande County Weed District: Rio Grande County Weed District Supervisor
Rocky Mountain Conservancy: Field Coordinator
Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Natural Areas Field Technician (Temp)
Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Temporary Customer Service Representative
Town of Windsor: Open Space and Trails Technician
Wild Bear Nature Center: Nature Educator
Rocky Mountain Field Institute: Multiple Positions
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