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I. INTRODUCTION <br />In addition to the obvious environmental impact, it is in the best interest of all <br />citizens in Custer County to manage or control noxious weeds. The effect of noxious <br />weeds on property values, agricultural productivity, and native plant and animal <br />communities is well documented. Non-native invasive species displace or compete with <br />crops and native plants, usurping water otherwise used by desirable plants and numerous <br />agricultural, domestic and recreational uses. Many of these weeds reproduce profusely in <br />the absence of their natural predators while costing billions of dollars each year <br />nationwide in lost agricultural crop production and animal harm. <br />The Colorado Noxious Weed Act (Colorado Revised Statute 35-5.5) mandates <br />that all landowners manage noxious weeds on their property. Custer County, through the <br />implementation of this county-wide Noxious Weed Management Plan and along with <br />cooperative partnerships, shall aggressively manage noxious weed species on County <br />road rights-of-way, surface mine sites, drainages, and within the towns of Westcliffe and <br />Silver Cliff. This Plan specifically extends the responsibility of weed management to <br />private landowners within the unincorporated County. <br />State Law allows the County to pursue control of noxious weeds on private <br />property. This document outlines the priorities and procedures that shall be taken to <br />ensure that noxious weeds are controlled on all property within Custer County. It is the <br />policy of Custer County to implement the management of noxious weeds on private <br />property as outlined in the following sections. <br />II. PRIORITIES <br />The following situations are recognized as priorities for noxious weed <br />management on private property: <br />• Properties infested with noxious weeds that threaten agriculture where the <br />landowner requests assistance or where a complaint has been filed with the Custer <br />County Weed Manager (Weed Manager); <br />• A complaint from an adjacent neighbor or a request for assistance from the <br />landowner that noxious weeds are infesting or have the potential to infest their <br />non-agricultural property; <br />• Infestations of State Listed A, B or C noxious weeds or any targeted weeds stated <br />in the 2008 Custer County Noxious Weed List for management in Custer County <br />(see Addendum I) ; <br />• Infestations noted by the Weed Manager or other County employees or citizens <br />that are encroaching on county road rights-of-way, making it difficult to control <br />or eradicate such noxious weeds along county. roads.