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Dowe Flats Quarry Noxious Weed Management Plan <br />For the safety of employees and contractors, the REIs listed on the herbicide's label will be <br />followed. Appropriate herbicide application records will be maintained as specified by the CDA <br />and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). <br />4.3 Mechanical Control <br />Mechanical control of noxious weeds can be an effective tool to physically disrupt noxious weed <br />growth and seed development. A combination of mechanical methods may be used including <br />hand -pulling, mowing, disking, and hand-held weed trimmers and saws. Mechanical weed <br />control practices must be applied with correct timing to maximize their effectiveness in <br />preventing vegetation development or seed production. <br />• Hand pulling should generally be used in sensitive vegetation communities where <br />herbicide use is not appropriate or when conditions prevent its use such as high winds or <br />high temperatures. <br />• Mowing of large-scale herbaceous infestations is most effective when implemented <br />before seed set and can be implemented in conjunction with inter -seeding or over -seeding <br />treatments. Mowing of weedy shrubs/trees such as Russian olive or tamarisk is most <br />effective if completed in conjunction with herbicide application to the freshly cut stems. <br />• Disking or harrowing can be used in similar situations to mowing, but will more often <br />be used as a part of cultural controls to alleviate soil compaction prior to seeding. Large- <br />scale infestations may be sprayed with a glyphosate herbicide or mowed to prevent seed <br />set, then disked to prepare a seed bed, then seeded. <br />• Gas -powered weed whackers can be used for small-scale herbaceous infestations. This <br />technique is most effective when implemented before seed set and can be implemented in <br />conjunction with inter -seeding or over -seeding treatments. Weed whacking of weedy <br />shrubs such as small tamarisk sprouts on steep slopes not accessible by tractors is most <br />effective if completed in conjunction with herbicide application to the freshly cut stems. <br />• Chainsaws can be used to cut larger noxious tree species such as Russian olive and <br />tamarisk followed by treating stumps with herbicide. <br />Annual weedy species may be readily controlled with mowing or physical removal, but perennial <br />species have extensive root systems with significant carbohydrate reserves. For perennial <br />species, mowing may only control seed production without seriously affecting the plant's <br />survival and mowing after seed production may increase the infestation. Disking or tilling areas <br />containing perennial noxious species may also increase the area of infestation due to root <br />sprouting. In most cases mechanical control methods used alone are not effective against hardy <br />perennial weed species. <br />4.4 Biological Control <br />Biological control of noxious weeds can be an effective tool to physically disrupt plant growth <br />and seed development. A combination of biological methods may be used including goat <br />grazing/browsing, rotational cattle grazing, introduction of small-scale insect weed predators, <br />and species specific plant diseases. Biological weed control methods and practices will be <br />applied with appropriate timing to maximize their effectiveness in preventing seed production. It <br />must be noted that the use of biological controls normally does not eradicate an infestation of <br />weeds; rather they are capable of reducing weed species vigor and reproduction. <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 6 September 2015 <br />