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County weeds coordinator details integrated pest work, grant partnerships and eradication gains
Summary
Weeds coordinator Izzy Weinhold described the county’s integrated pest-management strategy, partnership grants (including a USDA invasive-species mitigation grant), volunteer events, loaner equipment for goat-head seed removal and a targeted eradication that lowered a known population from 97 to 48 plants.
Izzy Weinhold, introduced to the commission as the county weeds coordinator, gave an overview of the county’s noxious-weeds work on Oct. 15. Weinhold explained that staff use integrated pest management — mechanical removal, targeted herbicide application and biological controls — and that herbicides are used only where appropriate and with safety training.
She described funding and partnerships that support the work, including a Department of Agriculture and Food invasive-species mitigation grant, ongoing collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and a Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative project for local watershed restoration. Weinhold said the county has purchased and loaned “goat-head rollers” for community use, led 16 goat-head volunteer events this year, and expanded outreach through social media.
On a high-priority eradication case, Weinhold said the only known population previously counted about 97 plants at the end of last year and is now at 48, which she called “a very big success.” She said the county has removed 416 plants this year across targeted projects and described efforts on giant reed and Ravenna grass removal that include work on private property when owners opt in through county forms and grants.
Commissioners asked about timelines for eradication; Weinhold estimated several years of monitoring and said the program expands monitoring boundaries along washes to detect spread. No formal action was taken; commissioners thanked Weinhold.
