Posts tagged IPM
Boulder Rangers have a quiet week, goats to invade
Aug 9th
The goats are coming; the goats are coming!
Approximately 300 goats will move onto the Stengel l property (Tallgrass West area) sometime this weekend. The goats are part of a long term project established in 2011 looking at ways to reduce chicory, a blue flowered exotic perennial that has invaded our tallgrass communities. Staff is looking at how goats, cattle and prescribed fire when appropriate effect chicory densities and its’ spread. Thanks to Lynn, Ann Lezberg and others for making this happen.The contractor will be on site 24/7 as permitted by the City. Educational signs have been posted at all access points.
Rangers:
Rangers responded to:
• A report of an injured hiker on the Royal Arch trail. The hiker fell and injured her right ankle.Rangers worked with RMR and AMR on this call.
• A report of a lost hiker in the area of the Royal Arch.
Rangers were able to talk the person back down to the trails.
• A report of a fire in the five mile marker of Left Hand Canyon.
Rangers located three juveniles having a campfire and issued summonses for this offense.
Ranger Job Opening
The open OSMP Ranger Naturalist positions have been posted and we will be accepting applicants through 8/20. If you have any qualified seasonal staff, friends or former co-workers interested please direct them here:
https://bouldercolorado.gov/jobs-and-volunteer
Trail
On Aug 1st, members of the Mountain Bike Patrol joined OSMP staff to construct a temporary trail connection between Community Ditch and Coal Seam Trail. This temporary trail will allow visitors to make a loop on those trails, during construction of the Hwy 93 underpass. Once the underpass is complete, this trail will be closed and restored.
Xcel Energy will be starting the line / pole replacement project in the next couple days. Starting from the South, Plainview area, they will work North using Flatirons Vista access and on to Eldorado substation, their contractor will be using Greenbelt Plateau for employee parking with OSMP placards.
Community Outreach
OSMP started leading public Natural Selections programs into the Weiser property last weekend. Dave Sutherland took a large group to see the sandstone cliffs, turtle backs, rare plants and bald eagles that inhabit this special and fragile place. OSMP will continue to offer public guided hikes through August, September and October while the property is open for visitation. The area can only be visited with an OSMP guide, and the hikes are limited to 15 by reservation. At the end of October, a bald eagle nesting closure goes into effect until next August and the location will be closed once more.
Channel 8 covers the OSMP Art Show – https://vimeo.com/71605401
The art show is located in the Boulder Public Library Canyon Gallery (1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder). The show is open to the public and will run from July 20 – August 28 during normal library hours. Drop in and see how Open Space inspires local artists!
Parks and Recreation Department utilizing goats to control weeds at Boulder Reservoir
Jul 5th
For the 11th consecutive year, the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department is employing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control invasive weeds in non-irrigated park areas by grazing between 300 and 350 goats in the areas. The goats will be arriving on the east side of the Boulder Reservoir (along the dam) around July 7-8 and will stay for approximately one week. Park users should not be impacted by the goats, but are asked to keep dogs leashed along the dam faces in the area of the goats in order to avoid encounters with and to not impact the goats.
Goats have been utilized effectively as a control for many weeds, as they eat even prickly weeds. The state of Colorado’s noxious weed act requires monitoring and control of certain plant species, and the Parks and Recreation Department complies with this state mandate by applying the four IPM techniques for weed management – mechanical, biological, cultural and chemical. The use of biological controls, such as goat grazing, is important as the department seeks to reduce the amount of herbicides used.
When done at the proper times, grazing prevents the current year’s plants from going to seed and depletes the root system’s reserves. Grazing also recycles organic material back into the soil and cultivates the ground allowing for better water infiltration, aeration and sunlight exposure.
For more information, call Shelly Ruspakka, Parks and Recreation, at 303-413-7214.
