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Board schedules first airplane spray and testing to control Russian olive patches
Summary
Duchesne County Weed Board members described a planned aerial application over a 20-acre Russian olive patch set for Wednesday at 08:00, said staff would test Element 4 and mix treatments, and discussed timing and follow-up to reduce regrowth.
The Duchesne County Weed Board said county crews and contractors will conduct the board’s first aerial application targeting a Russian olive infestation and will test chemical mixes to determine effectiveness.
Rex told the board the airplane operation is scheduled 'Wednesday, 08:00 in the morning' on a roughly 20-acre patch of trees and smaller plants. "We're doing our first aerial application with an airplane on a Russian olive patch," he said, adding the crew would try Element 4 and a mix of treatments to assess what gives the best kill across trees and smaller stock.
Members discussed timing and technique. The board has historically sprayed Russian olives in summer but intends this year to experiment with a late-season spray after first freeze, following Utah State recommendations, to increase the chance of killing roots and reducing re-sprouting. Rex said the goal is to hit smaller saplings after frost and to monitor results to avoid repeated regrowth.
Board members also discussed using drones for mapping and spot applications to supplement airplane treatments. A board member reported spraying up to 70 acres previously with a contracted operator and said GPS-guided systems can return to exact locations to finish runs when a tank is refilled.
The board did not authorize a new contract during the meeting; staff said they would proceed with the scheduled airplane application as a trial and report results at a future meeting.
