Pesticide and Herbicide Application

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Integrated Pest Management

The City of Colorado Springs Parks Department follows an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy that focuses on using a multi-faceted approach to better defend against pests. The objective is to control weeds in the City parks, open spaces, and public right of ways and insects that can be damaging to the urban tree canopy. The best weed control is a healthy, vigorously growing stand of turf grass that can out compete weeds.  We accomplish this by focusing on cultural practices such as mowing, fertilizing, irrigating, soil aeration/dethatching, topdressing, and overseeding.  Herbicides are then used, if needed, as a last line of defense.

The principles of our IPM procedures are as follows:

  1. Prevention- This is the most effective pest management strategy. By reducing the capacity of the ecosystem to support the target weed or pest populations through design and appropriate management, the opportunities for weed and pest establishment can be reduced or eliminated.
  2. Cultural- Cultural control is the use of management activities that prevent weeds and pests from developing due to enhancement of desired conditions.
  3. Mechanical - Mechanical control is accomplished by using physical methods or mechanical equipment to control weeds and pests. Mowing and hand pulling of weeds can be very effective.
  4. Biological - Biological controls include the introduction or enhancements of natural enemy populations to target weeds or pests.
  5. Chemical - When chemical control of weeds or pests is necessary General Use herbicides are applied. No Restricted Use pesticides will be used in park landscapes.

The majority of the herbicide applications that take place in our park system are performed by outside contractors.  All applicators are commercially certified and licensed through the Colorado Department of Agriculture and only apply products that are registered through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Prior to the application being made the applicator will place yellow flags at conspicuous points of entry into the area indicating that an herbicide has been applied. When the herbicide is applied the applicators make spot treatments and only apply to areas containing target weeds. The area is safe to reenter once the product has dried.

For the State of Colorado Noxious Weed list visit:

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agconservation/noxious-weed-species

Download Pesticide Applicator's Act

Pesticide Application Schedule

This schedule is updated on a weekly basis during the growing season. Always look for the Pesticide application flags that are placed out before application and left up for 24 hours after application.

If there are any questions regarding the application, please contact the Jarod Clayton at Jarod.Clayton@coloradosprings.gov or call 719-385-6507.

Please note that this schedule is subject to change due to weather and scheduled activities.

September 16, 2019, weather permitting  

Location:  Briargate SIMD, Areas sprayed, Right of Ways and Medians. Map of area can be found at briargatesimd.org

Product used: Speedzone

Active Ingredients:  Carfentrazone-ethyl, 2-4-D, Mecoprop-p acid, Dicamba Acid 1.71%

Target: Broadleaf weeds in turf

Location: Woodmen Median between Lexington and Yellowwood Dr.; Rockrimmon median between Woodmen Rd and Del Monaco

General Area Treated: Wheatgrass areas

Trade Name: Confront, Quicksilver

Active Ingredients: Triclopyr, Clopyralid, Carfentrazone

Target Pest: Broadleaf weeds

Locations:  Remington Park, High Meadows Park, Sandstone Park, Antelope Ridge right-of-way, Laura Gilpin Park, Stetson Park, Ken Jordan Park, Jared Jensen Park, Snowy River Park, Horace Shelby Park, Pring Ranch Park, Jack Templeton Park, Old Farm Park & Office, Otero Park, Rudy Park, Springs Ranch Park

General Area Treated:  All turf area

Trade Name:  Speedzone

Active Ingredients:  2,4-D , Dicamba

Target Pest:  Broadleaf Weeds

Locations:  John Stone Park (In the native area on the South side of the park) & Fairfax Park (park wide where gopher mounds are found)
Target Pest: Pocket Gophers
Trade Name of Products & Active Ingredients:

  1. Kaput – D Pocket Gopher Bait - Diphacinone

  2. ZP Rodent Bait AG – Zinc phosphide

Starting week of September 23-30, weather dependent

Location: Central Parks District, Wildflower

General Area Applied: Turfgrass areas

Trade Name: TRIMEC 992

Active Ingredient(s): 4-D, dimethylamine salt 30.56% Dicamba, dimethylamine salt 2.77% MCPP-P, DMA salt 8.17%

Target Pest: Unwanted broadleaf weeds

Thursday, September 19; weather dependent

Location: Shook’s Run between Fountain and Rio Grande

General Area Treated: Touch up application to wheatgrass area

Trade Name: Speedzone

Active Ingredients: Carfentrazone, 2,4-D, Dicamba, Mecoprop

Target Pest: Broadleaf weeds

Starting week of September 23-20, weather dependent

Location: Central Parks District

  • Bristol                                          
  • Franklin                                       
  • True’s Mill
  • Bonforte                                     
  • Henry                                           
  • Roy Benavidez
  • Roswell                                       
  • Heathercrest                            
  • Penstemon
  • Palmer Park                               
  • Prairie Grass
  • Madison                                     
  • Sagebrush
  • Frank Waters                            
  • Wilson                                         
  • Twain
  • Prairie Dog                 
  • Audubon                                    
  • Pike                                                              
  • Betty Krouse                             
  • Printer’s Parkway
  • Boulder                                       
  • Lunar                                            
  • Adams
  • Wasson                                       
  • Otis                                                               
  • Wagner
  • Jefferson    
  • Honey Bear, Little Britches, Mountain View, Happy Hallow, Munchkin    (MINI PARKS)           

General Area Applied: Turfgrass areas

Trade Name: TRIMEC 992

Active Ingredient(s): 4-D, dimethylamine salt 30.56% Dicamba, dimethylamine salt 2.77% MCPP-P, DMA salt 8.17%

Target Pest: Unwanted broadleaf weeds

Starting week of September 23, 2019; weather dependent

General Area Treated: Turf and Native grass areas

Parks to be sprayed:

  • Acacia Park
  • Alamo Square
  • Antlers Park
  • America the Beautiful Park
  • Blunt
  • Bott
  • Bricker
  • Broadmoor Bluffs
  • Broadmoor Glen
  • Broadmoor Valley
  • Cheyenne Meadows
  • Cucharras
  • Deerfield Park
  • Dorchester
  • Fountain Park
  • Giberson
  • Gold Camp Park
  • Jenkins Park
  • Meadowlark
  • Monument Valley Park
  • Monterey
  • Nancy Lewis
  • Pioneer Park
  • Oak Meadows
  • Quail Lake West
  • Soaring Eagles Park
  • Thorndale
  • Van Diest
  • Vermijo
  • Westmoor

Trade Name: Speedzone

Active Ingredient(s): Carfentrazone, 2,4-D, Dicamba, Mecoprop

Target Pest: Unwanted broadleaf weeds

Scheduled beginning the week of September 23rd, weather dependent

Location: Cheyenne Meadows Park

General Area Treated: Turf to native conversion area

Trade Name: Confront, Quicksilver

Active Ingredients: Carfentrazone, Triclopyr, Clopyralid

Target pest: Broadleaf weeds

September 25, 2019, weather dependent

Location:  Dublin Park, 2450 Roundtop Dr.

General Area Treated:  All turf

Trade Name:  Speedzone

Active Ingredients:  2, 4-D, Mecoprop-p acid, Dicamba acid

Target Pest:  Broadleaf Weeds