Mountain Village: Noxious Weeds Seminar, 6/5/2015

Controlling noxious weeds in the alpine environment of San Miguel County takes the entire community’s support and due diligence. To educate the populace on this issue, the Town of Mountain Village is hosting the San Juan Green Living Noxious Weeds Seminar June 5, beginning at 10 a.m. in Mountain Village Town Hall. This informative and educational event will provide San Miguel County property owners and landscaping professionals the opportunity to learn how to identify weeds, why to control weeds, best practices for treating weeds, and how Mountain Village is incentivizing its residents to manage weeds on their property.

“Last Fall Town Council asked staff to step up the enforcement of noxious weed control in the community,” said Environmental Services Director Deanna Drew. “Our 2015 program will include education and incentives for our property owners to control noxious weeds effectively, efficiently and according to the State of Colorado, San Miguel County and Town of Mountain Village regulations.”

The two-hour seminar will stream live at townofmountainvillage.com/video, and follow the schedule below.

SCHEDULE

10 a.m.:

WHAT IS A NOXIOUS WEED AND WHY DO WE CARE?

•  Noxious weed definitions
•  State of Colorado regulations on the management of noxious weeds

10:15 a.m.:

NOXIOUS WEED ID AND NATIVE LOOK-ALIKE PLANTS

•  Identifying the common noxious weeds of San Miguel County
•  Deciphering between noxious weeds and their native look-alike plants

10:45 a.m.:

 UPDATES TO COLORADO PESTICIDE LAW

• What applicators need to know regarding changes to Colorado pesticide legislation

11 a.m.:

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT AND BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING LOCAL NOXIOUS WEEDS

• How we can use all of the tools in our toolbox for managing noxious weeds
•  Strategies for successful management of noxious weeds on your property

11:45 a.m.

TOWN OF MOUNTAIN VILLAGE NOXIOUS WEED REBATE PROGRAM

• How to receive a rebate for noxious weed management performed by a licensed contractor in 2015

COMMUNITY WEED CONTROL REBATE PROGRAM

For 2015, the Town of Mountain Village was awarded a $10,000 grant from Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed Management Fund to implement a rebate program incentivizing Mountain Village residential property owners to manage noxious weeds on their properties. Residents who hire a certified and licensed applicator to treat noxious weeds on their property may be reimbursed 25 percent of their total bill, up to a maximum rebate amount of $250 per property. Funds are limited, so rebates will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. To receive a rebate, one must complete and submit a rebate application form that verifies the applicator’s license number and proof of payment.

In addition, for the 2015 weed season Mountain Village has hired Kenny Smith of Premier Weed Management, a qualified and licensed noxious weed control specialist, to assist with the treatment of weeds on residential properties in June and September. If a resident would like Smith’s assistance, they will need to complete and submit a consent form to the town. For added convenience, the town will apply the Community Weed Control Rebate to the cost of Smith’s services and invoice the resident directly.

“All property owners should know that commercial weed control applicators must be trained and licensed by the State of Colorado so that they are applying herbicide in a way that is both effective and least harmful to the environment,” explained Drew. “Our contractor is licensed and very experienced in high altitude weed management throughout the region.”

For more information about the San Juan Green Living Noxious Weeds Seminar and the Community Weed Control Rebate Program, contact Environmental Services Director Deanna Drew at ddrew@mtnvillage.org or 970.369.8236.