PERMFILE128898

• Permit No: C1980001
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/20/2006
• Doc Name: Weed Management Plan
• Section_Exhibit Name: 4.4 Appendix 4.4-G
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Routt County Weed Control
136 6`" Street/ PO Box 772830
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
[e-mail]
Phone [phone] • Faz [phone]
The 2005 Routt County Noxious Weed Plan Cover Letter
Backeround
Routt County has had a noxious weed management program since the 1950's. In that time a great deal has
changed a[ the local, state and national level concerning invasive species and their management. In 2003
there was a significant change [o the law under which county noxious weed programs work. The 2003
Colorado Noxious Weed Act established athree-tiered system that ties a noxious weed species to a
management requirement. Additionally, [he state will now require management of noxious weed species.
In [he past only counties and municipalities had authority to require management. The goal of this system
is to help prioritize weed management and prevent a weed that is not yet a major problem from becoming
one, at either the state or county level.
A. B. C Lists - A County List Too?
Under the law the smte has developed three lists of noxious weeds: A, B, and C. The A list aze plants that
aze relatively raze throughout the state, but aze serious problems elsewhere in the West. These species must
be eradicated. Routt County is home to at least five of these including: meadow knapweed (near Mad
Creek), myrtle spurge {in towns), Cypress spurge {in towns), purple loosestrife (in towns), and orange
hawkweed (in [owns).
The B list is [he longest list, and potentially [he most confusing. The management requirements for each of
these 42 species are being determined by [he state in consultation with local governments. Management
requirements will be either: eradication, containment or suppression. (These are defined in the plan.)
The C list species are those that aze serious problems, but eradication or containment is not possible, so
suppression is the management requirement.
The Routt County list is the weeds the local advisory board wants the greatest emphasis on. It is: whitetop;
leafy spmge; yellow and Dalmatian toadflax; diffuse, Russian, spotted and meadow knapweed; and
houndstongue.
Who Makes the Lists?
To be considered a noxious weed, species must meet certain criteria, and are reviewed by committees at the
State and local level. The State develops its list with a committee made up private landowners, weed
management professionals, weed scientists, local governments, agricultural producers, resource specialists
and environmental organizations. The county list is made from [he state list, but other species can be added
if needed. Local landowners make up Routt County's committee.
So, What Do I Really Need to Know?
What this all means to you as a landowner is [ha[ if you have a species like whitetop that is designated for
suppression and you've actively been managing it, continue to do so. The main change will be for those
species that aze now designated for eradication -which in Routt County, in addition to the State A list,
means diffuse, Russian, spotted and meadow knapweed. These species are major problems in other
Western states, but not ye[ an enormous problem here. If you have these species, you must now endeavor
to eradicate them. If folks know they have one of these, they usually already are trying to do this. The
county weed management program is available to provide technical assistance for all of [his process. One
important note: no landowner can be compelled to manage his or her weeds until the county applies an
equal level of management to an adjoining right-of--way. These requirements are for the county, too!