by Carol Dunn
HUERFANO- At the May 19 meeting of the Upper Huerfano Conservation District, the Board learned that the Huerfano River Watershed Invasive Weed Project is likely to have adequate funding to proceed. The Division of Wildlife Wetlands Initiative has committed $100,000 to the project; the US Fish & Wildlife Service will add $20,000; and the Colorado Partnership Program, under USDA, will contribute $250,000. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist Tony Arnhold told the Board that the office is already receiving calls from interested landowners who want to have their property treated for noxious weeds, primarily Tamarisks, which are tremendous water guzzlers.
The District Board voted to contribute $3,500 to Huerfano County’s HPP Chemical Weed Control Program, which cost-shares with landowners to treat noxious weeds on their property. Weed management coordinator Darrel Crawford told the Board there is a list of specific weeds that will be eligible for the cost-share program. For more information call the CSU Extension office at 738-2170.
The Conservation District will be a co-sponsor for the Rangeland Monitoring Workshop to be held June 2 at the Walsenburg Community Center. Topics will include grass species, rangeland health, Farm Bill programs, monitoring methods and the importance of monitoring. Other partners are NRCS and the Huerfano and Las Animas offices of CSU Extension. For more information on the workshop, call (719) 738-1171 or 738-2170.
James Hribar and Paul Neldner took the oath of office for District Board Supervisor. Both were re-elected to four-year terms, which will expire in May 2014.
