Grant to Aid Landowners Near Pawnee National Grassland Treat Noxious Weeds

Every year during the spring and summer, owners of private property close to the Pawnee National Grassland are faced with the expense of suppressing or eliminating noxious weed growth as the herbicides required to do so can cost anywhere between $25 to $50 per acre. This year, however, Weld County Government can help alleviate some of that cost thanks to being named a recipient of a 2022 Restoration and Stewardship of Outdoor Resources (RESTORE) grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).

A portion of the $174,800 awarded to Weld County and several agency partners will be used to reimburse landowners 80% once they’re done treating their properties. Reimbursement is available to residents within the project boundary, which encompasses the northern half of Weld County, east of Highway 85 from Weld County Road 90 north to the Wyoming/Nebraska border and east to Logan County. Landowners interested in being reimbursed must reach out to the Weed Division before starting treatment to learn about eligibility, chemicals, and other requirements. Contact Kent Lynch, Weld County Weed Landowner Specialist, at [email protected] or (970) 400-3771.

“We’re always trying to find new ways to better control noxious weed growth throughout the county and help our residents do the same,” said Tina Booton, Weld County Weed Division Supervisor. “We’re thankful and excited to receive this grant, which will go a long way in preserving the beauty of our grassland.”

Reimbursing landowners is just a small portion of the much larger grassland project titled “Eradicating Annual Invasives to Restore Native Grassland in Weld County.” Over the next two years, the Weld County Weed Division, along with agency partners including the Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado State Land Board, West Greeley Conservation District, and Colorado Department of Transportation, will use the funds to restore at least 4,000 acres of public, private and federal land by eradicating or suppressing several noxious weed species including Hoary Cress, Cheatgrass, Dalmatian Toadflax, Diffuse and Russian Knapweed, and Canada Musk and Scotch Thistle, while planting native grasses across 200 acres of degraded grassland. Weld County, along with each partner agency listed above, contributed funds to the project, which is expected to cost a total of $314,000.

The “Eradicating Annual Invasives to Restore Native Grassland in Weld County” project was one of 15 statewide to receive funding from the NFWF. To learn more about the Weld County Weed Division, visit weldweeds.org.