Colorado’s Noxious Weed Program Kelly Uhing State Weed Coordinator Colorado Department of Agriculture

Colorado Noxious Weed Act (C.R.S ) CO Legislature created Colorado Noxious Weed Act in 1990  Colorado Legislature and Governor delegated the responsibility and authority to coordinate the management of invasive plant species (aquatic and terrestrial) to the Colorado Dept of Ag. Revised in 1996  Creation of State Weed Coordinator position Provided foundation for state weed management program  Assistance to local entities to develop management plans Provide means to address weed problems  State Weed Fund Assist public/private landowners with noxious weed mgmt.

2003 Revisions Restructured State Noxious Weed List  List A, B, and C  Addition of aquatic species Implementation of State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (CNWAC) Rules Pertaining to the Administration and Enforcement of the Colorado Noxious Weed Act  Statewide weed management plans  Commissioner approved

List A… Designated by the Ag Commissioner for eradication Plants must be eliminated prior to seed development Within 1 year of detection, map of any List A species must be provided to State Weed Coordinator  Species name  Location, distribution, abundance  Estimated infested acreage

Species included on List A ( 9 out of 18 not known to exist in CO…yet) African rue Camelthorn Common crupina Cypress spurge Dyer’s woad Giant salvinia Hydrilla Meadow knapweed Mediterranean sage Medusahead Myrtle spurge Orange hawkweed Purple loosestrife Rush skeletonweed Sericea lespedeza Squarrose knapweed Tansy ragwort Yellow starthistle

Early Detection Rapid Response

Early Detection Reluctant Response

List B Goal is to stop continued spread Statewide distributions are subject to eradication, containment, or suppression Within 1 year of detection, map of any List B species that has a mgmt plan must be provided to State Weed Coordinator 39 species on List B  16 have state weed mgmt plans

List C Commissioner approves State weed mgmt plans developed to support IWM on private and public lands Goal is to provide education, research, and biological control resources to jurisdictions that choose to require mgmt of List C species

Duty to manage noxious weeds Ag Commissioner provides  Educational resources  Financial or in-kind resources from weed fund  Inventory and mapping to facilitate weed classification Local governing bodies  Initiate and maintain communication with L/O’s  Provide technical assistance for eradication A’s/B  Project oversight and enforcement

Enforcement of CO Weed Act Local govt has authority to:  Inspect property for List A’s/eradicable B’s  Send formal notice 5 days for landowner to comply with terms of notice  Mgmt of weeds  Submit acceptable mgmt plan  If no compliance with terms County can perform eradication measures  Assess eradication costs up to 100% on property  Funds collected go into that weed program Tax Lien on property

Local govt failure to comply CDA will then assume eradication duties Agriculture Commission will charge  Administrative costs L/O research and contacts Eradication efforts – contractor  Civil penalties $1,000./violation $2,000. for repeat violations

Early Detection Rapid Response Program EDRR Specialist responsible for  provide alert lists, identification resources, and reporting protocols for targeted plant pest species  build detection networks  provide information and planning assistance to rapidly respond to and successfully manage detected species. Info requested  Weed Spotter Form w/pictures  Voucher specimen  Collection form

Provide a uniform methodology for categorizing non- native invasive plants Plant’s overall rating based on 20 criteria  Ecological Impacts  Invasive Potential  Ecological Distribution  Agricultural Impacts PAF committee Form can be accessed at CDA website  Plant Assessment Form For use with “Criteria for Categorizing Invasive Non-Native Plants that Threaten Colorado’s Wildlands, Economy, and Ecology” By the Colorado Noxious Weed Advisory Committee

CO Noxious Weed Fund HR Directs interest revenue from the Unclaimed Property Fund to agriculture- related needs  Noxious Weed Fund grant program $150K for 2009 $300K for 2010  Approval of two FTE’s – hiring freeze List A/EDRR Specialist List B/Mapping Specialist

Additional funding sources State and Private Forestry grants  $258K funded 41 projects Leafy spurge control Rio Blanco Cnty Pulling for Colorado Mediterranean sage eradication projects – Bldr Cnty  Funding secure through 2010 Redesign  Nationally competitive basis  All taxa  Transferred to CSFS

Funding cont. High Plains Invasives project - GLCI  $58K awarded to 14 projects Weld/Logan/Morgan – diffuse knapweed Spanish Peaks/Purgatoire River – Russian knapweed and spotted knapweed Baca County Conservation District – Dalmatian toadflax Double El Conservation District – leafy spurge Huerfano County – leafy spurge Crowley County – Russian knapweed Yuma County – spotted and diffuse knapweed

Funding cont. CO Water Conservation Board (CWCB)  Tamarisk/Russian-olive control cost-share grant $1M from Severance Tax ($60M Projects Bill) $200K/project cap $100K for research/administrative costs RFP’s mid-December 08 Submission deadline – late January 09 Approval by State Weed Coordinator prior to submission Projects awarded by Feb 09 Reimbursed fall 09

Funding cont. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) -CO Invasive Plant Program (NRCS)  $1M for noxious weed projects on private lands Improve productivity of range and riparian areas  CFP released Nov. 18, 2008  Submission deadline February 2, 2009  Approval by State Weed Coordinator prior to submission  Priorities Cooperative watershed-scale projects Use of Technical Service Providers  Species added for 2009  African rue  Sulfur cinquefoil  Russian-olive in riparian areas only

Kelly Uhing cell office