2025 Impact Highlight
Gilpin County, Mountain Region
Noxious weed program addresses threats to ecosystem stability
Noxious weeds threaten the environmental and economic value of native ecosystems in Gilpin County. They rapidly replace native vegetation, reducing ecosystem stability and diversity. Gilpin CSU Extension offers education, technical assistance, a residential herbicide checkout program, and leads the Gilpin Noxious Weed Advisory Board and weed management for Gilpin County properties and rights-of-way, helping to reduce noxious weeds in the county.
In 2025, CSU Extension Gilpin County partnered with Jefferson County Conservation District on a $4,200 grant from the Colorado Department of Agriculture to manage noxious weeds on rights-of-way and County properties. Residents managed weeds on 301 private acres utilizing the herbicide checkout program where 39 landowners used hand-held sprayers and were given mixing and use information for safe herbicide applications.
Gilpin County Extension also provided education and outreach to more than 290 people through educational workshops, event booths, weed walks, volunteer oxeye daisy weed pull, work with Teens, Inc. Youth Corps, leading the Noxious Weed Advisory board, and providing one-on-one technical assistance.
The program supported youth leadership using grant funds to hire Teens, Inc. Youth Corps to pull noxious weeds. A successful workshop at a local brewery attracted 50 people to our noxious weed talk, and the local Mountain Ear newspaper printed an article on many of the weeds that were discussed. A participant stated, “The demo with real plants was helpful.” Another reported learning new skills and “will be more diligent with weeds.” As a result, more land managers are aware of the growing issues around noxious weeds, and are empowered by knowing how to identify and manage unwanted weeds while protecting native habitats and land values in Gilpin County.