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Routt County 2005 Noxious Weed Management Plan <br />1 Introduction <br />Noxious weeds are invasive plants that are not native to Colorado. They pose a serious <br />threat to native plant populations, agriculture, wildlife, recreation activities and property <br />values by forming dense monocultures that crowd out native or desirable plant species. <br />Weed management scientists estimate that if no control measures aze implemented for a <br />noxious weed infestation, the size of that infestation will increase 15% per yeaz. This <br />rapid expansion can quickly change the landscape. In Routt County noxious weeds <br />devastate hay meadows, destroy critical wildlife habitat, poison livestock, degrade <br />riparian azeas, and cost residents many tens of thousands in control costs. <br />2 Authority <br />2.1 The "Colorado Noxious Weed Acr" §§35-5,5-101 through 119 C.R.S. (2003) and <br />the "Permanent Rules Pertaining To The Administration and Enforcement of the <br />Colorado Noxious Weed Act" 8 CCR 1203-19 (both referred to hereafter as the <br />"Colorado Noxious Weed Act" or "the Act") require that Routt County adopt and <br />administer a noxious weed management plan to prevent further damage by <br />noxious weed species designated by the State. All language definitions used <br />within this plan shall be consistent with the "Colorado Noxious Weed Act". <br />2.2 The jurisdictional area of the Routt County Board of Commissioners is the <br />unincorporated azea of the county, other than lands owned or leased by a <br />municipality and used in connection with any municipal service, Function or <br />facility. This plan shall apply to all subject lands within Routt County. It does <br />not preclude the County from entering into intergovernmental agreements with <br />other governmental entities to manage noxious weeds under the Colorado <br />Noxious Weed Act. <br />3 Designated Noxious Weeds <br />3.1 Under the "Colorado Noxious Weed Act" the State Department of Agriculture has <br />set mandatory management objectives for three classifications of weeds, also <br />known as the A, B and C lists. Species of plants from these lists are designated <br />for eradication, containment or suppression. <br />3.2 For the purposes of this plan, and per the "Colorado Noxious Weed Act": <br />3.2.1 "Eradication" means reducing the reproductive success of a noxious weed <br />species or specified noxious weed population in largely uninfected regions to zero <br />and permanently eliminating the species or population within a specified period of <br />time. Once all specified weed populations aze eliminated or prevented from <br />2 <br />