CNHP Ecologist Renée Rondeau, Chief Scientist Dave Anderson, and GIS Manager Amy Lavender have completed their sixth year of noxious weed monitoring, analysis, and reporting for the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs.
In 2009 the sampling methodology of this project was adjusted based on analyses of data from the past four years, and the fieldwork was streamlined to focus resources on the most urgent weed management challenges. Increased emphasis has been given to invasive weeds for which relatively inexpensive management efforts have a high probability of success.
The latest report includes a summary of the results of the past six years of population monitoring of targeted noxious weeds, emphasizing changes that were observed between 2009 and 2010. For the Year 5 report we developed a suitable habitat model and predicted the pace of spread for spotted knapweed. During the 2010 field season we field verified these models.
See the full report on our new and improved reports webpage.
A 4 meter sampling plot showing infestation with Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). |