Chaffee County weed‑management staff told commissioners they used helicopters, boats and new ground equipment this summer to treat invasive plants and expand private‑land services. The program reported targeted surveys and treatments in Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Interlake Fire scar, the purchase of a UTV and trailer, 10 private‑land assessments completed this year and an America’s Beautiful grant paying a contractor to spray cheatgrass along county roads.

The update matters because county staff said invasive species are concentrated in cliff and shoreline areas that require specialized treatment; continued follow‑up after land disturbance or restoration projects will be necessary to prevent reinfestation. Staff said they are building partnerships with federal and nonprofit land managers to coordinate pre‑ and post‑treatment assessments, and that private‑land demand for assessments has increased this fall.

Weed‑management staff described using a helicopter to apply herbicide to plants in steep canyon terrain and then conducting river float surveys with Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and Wildlife partners to map occurrences. They said plumeless thistle was found and treated in the Interlake fire scar after Forest Service funding supported surveys and treatments. Staff said they hired a permanent field technician with botany and forestry expertise, and purchased a larger UTV and trailer to carry herbicide and water for broader broadcast treatments and roadside work next season. They said Arc Valley Weeds is the contractor currently treating cheatgrass under the America’s Beautiful grant, and that private landowners who contact the office are being connected to the contractor or scheduled for county assessments.

Commissioners and staff discussed tracking and reporting. A commissioner asked for a high‑level “report card” the program can share with the public documenting acres surveyed and treated by land type (Forest Service, county roads, CDOT rights‑of‑way and private lands). Staff said predecessor records and a forms‑based tracking system already capture treatment locations and acreage and that a seasonal summary is available for publication. Staff also recommended setting aside funding for follow‑up treatments one to two years after major projects such as restoration or highway work.

Staff noted two budget and licensing items for next year: both field technicians aim to be fully licensed for agricultural and range applications (initial tests scheduled in October) and the program will seek to use CDOT contracts for highway spraying next spring. Staff described ongoing discussions with Colorado State Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation and Central Colorado Conservancy to coordinate easement assessments and potential paid services for larger easement portfolios.

The presentation was discussion and status reporting; no formal county action was taken at the meeting. Commissioners asked for the program’s seasonal tracking summary to be prepared for a future agenda so the county can communicate results and outstanding resource needs to residents.

Ending: Staff said they will return with a data report summarizing acres treated and assessed and with more detail about proposed fee‑for‑service work and partnership scopes during the winter planning process.