Vegetation Management – Garfield County, Colorado

Garfield County continues support of conservation districts

Garfield County is applauding the continued hard work by the Bookcliff, Mount Sopris, and South Side Conservation Districts in promoting positive land stewardship in the area. District representatives presented their 2025 accomplishments to the Board of County Commissioners, highlighting efforts to combat noxious weeds, bolster soil health, and improve irrigation and cattle grazing management, and more in Garfield County. The conservation districts partner with Garfield County Vegetation Management to offer the noxious weed cost share program, which treated more than 2,800 acres in 2025. Conservation district staff completed 64 noxious weed maps while helping local landowners mitigate the invasive vegetation.

Thistles grow in a field in Garfield County.

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is seeking volunteers to serve on the county’s Noxious Weed Advisory Board. This board provides advice to the BOCC pertaining to the county’s responsibilities under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act. Three vacancies area available for resident landowners, who must own more than 40 acres in unincorporated Garfield County. All positions are appointed for three-year terms and the board meets quarterly. All letters of interest must be received by October 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. Please submit a letter of interest and relevant background to: Matt Rothrock Garfield County Vegetation Management 195 W.

Striped mosquitoes feed on blood on human skin.

Rising temperatures and higher than normal moisture levels in Garfield County this year mean we are experiencing high levels of mosquito activity that may be with us for the next six to eight weeks. In 2022, Garfield County had one reported case of West Nile virus (WNV), which is a mosquito-borne virus that may potentially cause serious illness. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms, such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. About 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system,

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County is considering a proposed ordinance that enforces the management of noxious weeds on real properties in unincorporated areas of the county. Garfield County Noxious Weed ordinance 2023-2 pinpoints non-compliant landowners with large infestations of weeds and gives Garfield County Vegetation Management another tool to try and mitigate the problem. The ordinance allows staff to work with adjacent landowners to identify properties with infestations of noxious weeds that may be spreading across their boundaries. Current enforcement strategies in the county’s noxious weed management plan are adopted from the Colorado Noxious Weed Act and have been

Garfield County and the Bookcliff, Mount Sopris, and South Side Conservation districts are once again offering landowners financial assistance for controlling noxious weeds and trees on their properties. Cost-sharing is available for all state of Colorado listed noxious weeds and watch list species, including Russian olive, tamarisk, and Siberian elm trees. Landowners are advised to prepare for weed treatments in early spring. White top and biennial thistles are the first noxious weeds to appear and can be difficult to spot before flowering, at which time it is too late for many treatments. Applications for the Noxious Weed Cost-Share program are

Garfield County Vegetation Management is pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, photograph entries are being accepted for the annual “Noxious Weeds of Garfield County” calendar photo contest. Winning photos may receive up to $300 and will be featured in the 2024 calendar. Last year, a combined total of $1,400 was awarded to three winners for their submissions for the 2023 calendar. Photo entries are not limited to noxious weeds, but can also include wildlife, livestock, weed mitigation efforts, native habitats, biocontrol, natural landscapes, agricultural settings, and more. You can submit as many photos as you

The Garfield County Vegetation Management Department is seeking images related to noxious weeds for its annual calendar. Winning photos may receive up to $300 and will be featured in the 2023 calendar. Photos of noxious weeds, weed removal, and mitigation efforts, biocontrol, native habitats and agricultural settings, and wildlife will all be considered. Submission guidelines • Photos must be at least 10×13 inches, and at a resolution of 300 dpi • Photographers must be a resident of Garfield County, and include name and contact info with submissions • Submissions must detail when and where the photograph was taken • Submissions

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) currently seeks volunteers to serve on the county’s Noxious Weed Advisory Board. This board provides advice to the Board of County Commissioners pertaining to the county’s responsibilities under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act.

Applications are available for 2021 Noxious Weed Cost Share program Garfield County and the Bookcliff, Mount Sopris, and South Side Conservation districts are once again offering landowners financial assistance for controlling noxious weeds and trees on their properties. Cost-sharing is available for all state of Colorado listed noxious weeds and watch list species, including Russian olive, tamarisk, and Siberian elm trees. Landowners are advised to prepare for weed treatments in early spring. White top and biennial thistles are the first noxious weeds to appear and can be difficult to spot before flowering, at which time it is too late for

The Board of County Commissioners seeks volunteers to serve on the county’s Noxious Weed Advisory Board. This board provides advice to the Board of County Commissioners pertaining to the county’s responsibilities under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act. Please apply by December 10.

The fall is a great time to treat noxious weeds and Garfield County Vegetation Management is encouraging landowners to do so during the cooler months ahead. Through the Garfield County and Bookcliff, South Side and Mount Sopris Conservation Districts’ noxious weed cost-share program, landowners may receive financial assistance with efforts to control noxious weeds on their properties.

Residents asked to beware of mysterious seed packets Local residents have been receiving strange seeds from China in the mail PRESS RELEASE 7.30.20 Garfield County Vegetation management is asking the public to be aware of strange seed packages that have popped up in mailboxes in all 50 states in recent days. The seeds are unsolicited and appear to originate from China. The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has reported numerous calls from Coloradans that have received the seed packets, which are unidentified and could potentially contain invasive plants, introduce diseases to local plants or harm livestock and animals. Read more

Garfield County is searching for volunteers to fill four vacancies on its Noxious Weed Advisory Board for three-year terms. Three seats are open to landowners with more than 40 acres in unincorporated Garfield County, and one to a representative from the city of Rifle. The noxious weed board meets quarterly and advises the Board of County Commissioners on all matters related to noxious weeds, including mitigation in Garfield County. Letters of interest must be received by Garfield County Vegetation Management Program Coordinator Sarah LaRose by 5 p.m. on June 11. Call (970) 945-1377, ext. 4315, with questions.

Garfield County’s annual program to rid invasive noxious weeds is underway and participants can earn vouchers through June 4 toward landscaping or garden plants at the Mountain Valley Greenhouse in Glenwood Springs. Garfield County Vegetation Management’s Purge the Spurge and Sock the Rocket campaign urges citizens to mitigate Myrtle and Cypress spurge, and Dame’s rocket from their properties.

The 2020 Garfield County pesticide applicator workshop takes place March 18 at the fairgrounds in Rifle. Preregistration is required by March 12, and the workshop costs $45. The training covers private applicator license and continuing education credits for current cardholders and commercial applicators

Noxious weeds photos sought for county calendar contest

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Shutterbugs now have the opportunity to photograph noxious weeds for next year’s “Weeds of Garfield County” calendar, and compete for a cash prize. Garfield County’s Vegetation Management Department is seeking images related to noxious weeds to use in its annual calendar. The winning photo will earn a $300 grand prize, as well as be featured in the 2020 calendar. Photos of Garfield County noxious weeds, weed removal and mitigation efforts, biocontrol, native habitats and agricultural settings, and images incorporating wildlife will all be considered. The contest is open to anyone wishing to make a submission, but

Local trails program receives funding for Garfield County projects

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Garfield County Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) program is receiving a generous $10,000 grant from Crown Castle, as part of its “Connected by Good” program that gives back to communities. The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) have also added another $6,000 to help fund RMYC projects in 2019. The Youth Corps program provides opportunities for local youth and young adults to take part in regional trail-building and outdoor infrastructure projects. Crown Castle, which builds and maintains communications infrastructure, “improves public spaces where people connect, promotes public safety, and advances access to education and

Purge the Spurge and Sock the Rocket through June 6

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Spring in Garfield County means it’s time to start mitigating invasive Myrtle and Cypress spurge, and Dame’s rocket. Garfield County Vegetation Management is urging residents to keep an eye out for these noxious weeds, and to take part in the Purge the Spurge/Sock the Rocket program, which offers $20 vouchers toward landscape or garden plants at the Mountain Valley Greenhouse in Glenwood Springs in exchange for pulled spurges and Dame’s rocket. The program runs through June 6, and interested residents can sign up by calling Garfield County Vegetation Management at (970) 379-4456; Colorado State University (CSU)

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The sixth-annual “Purge the Spurge” event is now underway through June 30, and this year aims to “Sock the Rocket,” by targeting another noxious weed in Garfield County, the Dame’s rocket. Garfield County residents are urged to pull the three highly invasive noxious weeds – Myrtle and Cypress spurge and Dame’s rocket. Garfield County Vegetation Management has included Dame’s rocket, a highly invasive plant that is spreading throughout the county. All three are noxious weeds originally imported as ornamental garden plants. They readily escape the confines of the garden or lawn and invade areas of native

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County is again supporting the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps program, which provides opportunities for local youth and young adults to take part in regional trail-building and outdoor infrastructure projects. Three crews will again take on numerous projects in 2018, and participants, ages 14-25, are being urged to take part. The Youth Conservation Corps partnership program in Garfield County completed its seventh season last October. Six years of that partnership, which was first initiated by the BOCC with the Youth Conservation Corps in 2011, have been with the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. Proposed projects for the

Annual ‘Purge the Spurge’ weed pull underway

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The sixth-annual Purge the Spurge event is now underway through June 30. Garfield County invites residents to pull two highly invasive noxious weeds – myrtle and cypress spurge. Both are non-natives originally imported as ornamental garden plants. They readily escape the confines of the garden or lawn and invade areas of native vegetation. These plants thrive on south-facing, rocky slopes. Here’s how it works: pull and bag your spurge and contact a sponsor listed below. The sponsor will give you a voucher that you can redeem for landscape or garden plants at the Mountain Valley Greenhouse

2016 Corps Member of the Year honored at March 6 Board of County Commissioners’ meeting

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Garfield County commissioners offered thanks and congratulations to a local teen, whose hard work earned him the title of 2016 Corps Member of the Year from the Colorado Youth Corps Association. Brendon Tiffany, who is a junior at Coal Ridge High School near New Castle, was honored in January at the State Capitol in Denver. Just nine corps members from Colorado earned that recognition. The commissioners recognized Tiffany’s efforts at their regular meeting Monday, March 6. Last summer, Tiffany was a corps member on the Regional Service Crew (RSC) for the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

Purge the Spurge to remove invasive noxious weed May 19 – June 5

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The fifth annual Purge the Spurge event, now underway through June 3, 2016, invites Garfield County residents to pull two highly invasive noxious weeds – myrtle and cypress spurge. In exchange, they will receive non-invasive landscape or garden plants. Both types of spurge are non-native to this area, and were originally imported as ornamental garden plants. They readily escape the confines of gardens or lawns and invade areas of native vegetation. Residents are asked to bag spurge plants and to contact one of these agencies: Garfield County Vegetation Management, 970-945-1377, ext. 4305; Colorado State University Extension,

While a warm, wet spring has meant abundant growth of flowers in gardens and wildflowers in the high country, it has also led to an explosive growth of noxious weeds. In particular, invasive thistles – Scotch, musk, plumeless, bull and Canada – have proliferated in Garfield County. Many of the biennial thistles – Scotch, musk, plumeless, and bull – have already flowered and are well on the way to seeding out or have already done so. Once the biennials start to seed out, they have completed their life cycle and spraying at this point is ineffective. For flowering biennial thistles,

Purge the spurge from gardens in Garfield County

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Residents of Garfield County can help purge two highly invasive non-native weeds, the myrtle and cypress spurge. Garfield County Vegetation Management is running a program until June 5 which rewards landowners who remove these toxic weeds with vouchers for new, non-invasive plants. During the event, residents can exchange a 30-gallon garbage bag of myrtle and cypress spurge for a complimentary $20 voucher redeemable at Mountain Valley Greenhouse in Glenwood Springs. Residents may use the voucher to purchase native Colorado plants. Once the weeds have been collected, residents can contact any of the sponsors below to receive

Garfield County finds large numbers of mosquitoes locally

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Mosquitoes are appearing in unusually high numbers in Garfield County, and the highest risk for exposure to West Nile virus is typically from late June through early September. Residents are urged to take precautions against West Nile virus. The best defenses for people are to wear insect repellant and cover exposed skin to avoid mosquito bites. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) reported June 18 that mosquitoes collected in Adams, Boulder, Delta, Mesa and Weld counties are carrying West Nile Virus. Last year, Colorado seven people died out of the 322 cases of

Purge the Spurge to remove invasive noxious weed May 19 – June 5

Garfield County, CO – A toxic weed in Garfield County has spread from landscaped gardens into native areas, including range and pastures. Myrtle spurge is very dangerous; the most common victims are children who unassumingly pick its flowers. Spurge has a white sap that can cause severe skin irritation. A program May 19 through June 5 will reward landowners who remove the toxic weeds with vouchers for fresh, non-invasive plants. The spurge was originally introduced locally as an ornamental plant for landscaping. Garfield County property owners are asked to exercise caution when they pull these invasive weeds. Myrtle spurge is

Mosquitoes trapped in Garfield County show West Nile presence

Mosquitoes trapped in Garfield County show West Nile presence Vegetation Management Division addresses mosquito populations with treatment applications GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has determined that some of the mosquitoes trapped in three locations in Garfield County showing the presence of Culex have tested positive as being carriers for West Nile Virus. Colorado Mosquito Control sent five mosquito pool samples to CDPHE to analyze the collected samples for West Nile Virus. Three of the five July 9-10, 2013 pool submittals tested positive, stemming from mosquitoes collected in Willow Creek in Battlement Mesa,

CDC light traps, like the one pictured here, are used in Garfield County to monitor mosquito counts and test for West Nile virus.

Late summer presents an increased incidence of mosquitoes in Garfield County, creating an increased risk of West Nile Virus. The strongest concentrations of the type of mosquitoes that may carry the virus have been found in the Grand Valley area of Garfield County in recent weeks. This is because that region is warmer and at a lower altitude than the rest of the county, and Mesa and Delta counties have experienced an increase in West Nile occurrences in mosquitoes. West Nile Virus is carried by certain infected birds and transmitted to people by bites from mosquitoes that have fed on

Jason Pooler, of Rifle Colorado, crew leader with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, works on stacking cut Russian olive during the Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteer's Tamarisk / Russian Olive volunteer work day at the Rifle Rest Area.

More than 45 volunteers showed up Saturday, October 15 to remove Tamarisk and Russian Olive trees in Rifle. Volunteers cut Tamarisk and Russian Olive trees to the stumps, and then stacked the slash into piles that were later shredded into chips and sent to the landfill. Applicators followed with a herbicide treatment to the cut stumps designed to stop the weed’s regrowth. Garfield County Vegetation Manager Steve Anthony says he was very happy with the turnout, “Next time you are in the rest area take a look at the areas south of the Colorado River and you will notice that

Work is wrapping up soon for a summer of projects the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) hired young people to work on locally. The projects involved train maintenance, trail rehabilitation and controlling of invasive plant species in trail areas. The BOCC spent $45,000 to hire the group of young people through a program called the Western Colorado Conservation Corps (WCCC). WCCC provides young men and women ages 14-25 with the opportunity to work and learn in an outside setting on local conservation projects. Employees of WCCC will be given the tools necessary for the successful completion of high

In an effort to find another tool in the box on Garfield County’s most invasive noxious weed, Russian knapweed, the county vegetation management team, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Insectary in Palisade, released 100 gall midges to work on the knapweed. The release site was on County Airport property along Mamm Creek and took place in late May. This new agent is Jaapiella ivannikovi. It was first released in North America in 2009 in Fremont County, Wyoming. Last year the Insectary successfully reared and raised the Fremont offspring in their facility in Palisade. Jaapiella is a gall

Garfield County continues support of conservation districts

Three openings on the Noxious Weed Advisory Board

Culex mosquitoes found throughout Garfield County

County mulls noxious weed ordinance

Noxious weed cost-share program available

Noxious Weeds of Garfield County calendar photo contest

Weeds of Garfield County calendar photography contest

Garfield County Noxious Weed Advisory Board openings

Garfield County aids landowners in controlling noxious weeds

Garfield County Noxious Weed Advisory Board opening

Noxious weed treatments

Residents asked to beware of mysterious seed packets

Four seats available on noxious weed board

Purge the Spurge through June 4

Pesticide application workshop

Noxious weeds photos sought for county calendar contest

Local trails program receives funding for Garfield County projects

Purge the Spurge and Sock the Rocket through June 6

Annual ‘Purge the Spurge/Sock the Rocket’ weed pull and reward program underway

Opportunities abound for Youth Corps in Garfield County

Annual ‘Purge the Spurge’ weed pull underway

2016 Corps Member of the Year honored at March 6 Board of County Commissioners’ meeting

Purge the Spurge to remove invasive noxious weed May 19 – June 5

Thistle management

Purge the spurge from gardens in Garfield County

Garfield County finds large numbers of mosquitoes locally

Purge the Spurge to remove invasive noxious weed May 19 – June 5

Mosquitoes trapped in Garfield County show West Nile presence

Take precautions during West Nile season

Volunteers removed tamarisk

Garfield County hires youth workers for extensive trail maintenance work

Insects battle knapweed vegetation in Garfield County