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Commission reviews draft integrated weed-management plan; staff to expand manual removal, trial Nutrafix and keep goats as a possible tool
Summary
Staff presented a draft 2025 Integrated Weed Management Plan that emphasizes manual eradication supported by temp labor, pilot tests of an organic product (Nutrafix), and consideration of goats for select sites. Budget increases were made to sustain temp labor capacity.
Eric Brenlager presented a draft Integrated Weed Management Plan for the 2025 growing season that updates techniques, staffing and pilot projects. The project focuses on manual eradication (hand removal and targeted cutting), increased use of temporary labor to match seasonal needs, and trials of new soil/plant health tools.
Brenlager said the department increased the temporary-labor budget after reviewing last year's usage and concluded that short-term, on-demand crews (one week to several weeks at a time) are the most efficient way to tackle seasonal weeds across many parks. "The beauty of the temp agency is when you need them," he said, noting the agency allows flexible crew deployment to match outbreaks and peak work windows.
Commissioners asked about alternatives. Staff said goats remain a tool in the toolbox but require on‑the‑ground management; providers can supply and manage goats but the town must specify grazing intensity and areas to avoid damage to desirable plantings. Brenlager said goats cost roughly $2 per day per animal under current service models and that a reseeding and follow‑up process is needed after grazing. He listed candidate sites where goats might be appropriate (outfield around the North Face bike park, sections of the nature park, areas around a solar array, and early‑season work at the RV park) but said broader use would be budgetary and management dependent.
Brenlager also said staff will run test plots of Nutrafix (an organic soil‑health product described in the meeting) on select parcels and will continue to pursue biological controls where available; he noted a rust fungus product that previously helped Canada thistle is temporarily unavailable from the insectary due to a reclassification pause.
The draft plan will go to the E‑board in mid‑March and then to trustees for final approval; commissioners were asked to read the draft and submit comments before the E‑board review.
