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:
- 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.
- Cultural- Cultural control is the use of management activities that prevent weeds and pests from developing due to enhancement of desired conditions.
- 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.
- Biological - Biological controls include the introduction or enhancements of natural enemy populations to target weeds or pests.
- 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
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.
Week of August 26, 2024
- Location: Shadow Lake at South Monument Valley Park
- General Area Treated: middle island following mechanical removal
- Product: 2,4-D Amine, Garlon 3A
- Active ingredients: 2,4-D, triclopyr
- Target Pest: mullein, cottonwood,willow and other undesirable broadlead weeds
Week of August 22, 2024
- Location: Quail Lake, Memorial Park
- General Area Treated: dams and hardscapes
- Product: Polaris
- Active ingredients: isopropylamine salt of imazapyr, pyridinecarboxylic acid
- Target Pest: woody vegetation, broadleaf weeds
Week of August 19, 2024
- Location: Penrose North and Otero Park
- General Area Treated: turfgrass areas prior to fall overseeding
- Product: Speedzone
- Active ingredients: carfentrazone, 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba
- Target Pest: undesirable summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds
Week of August 5, 2024
- Location: Bancroft, Betty Krouse, Buckskin Charlie, Dublin, Fremont, Frontier, Garden Ranch, Grant, Goose Gossage, High Meadows, Lunar, Memorial Park, North Shookâs, Palmer Park, Pinecliff, Pioneer, Prairie Grass, Ragain Field, Roswell, Rudy, Skyview, Snowy River, Wagner
- General Area Treated: turfgrass areas prior to fall overseeding
- Product: Speedzone
- Active ingredients: carfentrazone, 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba
- Target Pest: undesirable summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds
Week of August 1, 2024
- Location: Garden of the Gods
- General Area Treated: nativegrass areas
- Product: 2,4-D amine, Garlon 3A, Esplanade 200 SC
- Active ingredients: 2,4-D, triclopyr, indaziflam
- Target Pest: noxious weeds
- Locations: Judge Lunt Park
- General Area Treated: Native Area / perimeter of Park
- Product: Surge & Droplex Xtra
- Active ingredient(s): 2, 4-d, dimethylamine salt
- Target pest: annual broadleaf weeds in native area
- Location: Downtown medians
- General Area Treated: turfgrass areas prior to fall overseeding
- Product: Speedzone
- Active ingredients: carfentrazone, 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba
- Target Pest: undesirable summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds
Week of July 18, 2024
- Location: Woodstone Park
- General Area Treated: nativegrass area
- Product: Certainty
- Active ingredient: sulfosulfuron
- Target Pest: cool-season, perennial grasseses
Week of June 24, 2024
- Locations: Goose Gossage Park, Flintridge median north of Academy Blvd
- General Area Treated: oak tree trunk applications
- Product: Zylam
- Active Ingredient: Dinotefuran
- Target Pest: scale insects
Week of June 17, 2024
- Location: Dynamic Greenbelt in Briargate: Lexington Dr. to Summerhill Dr.
- Target Species: Broadleaf weeds
- Product: Trimec
- Active Ingredients: 2,4-D dimethlamine salt 25.93%, Dicamba dimethylamine salt 2.76%, MCPP-P DMA salt 6.93%
- Location:Quail Lake, Memorial Park
- General Area Treated: Dams
- Product: Garlon 3A
- Active Ingredient: Triclopyr: 2-[(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl)oxy] acetic acid, triethylamine salt.
- Target Pest: Woody Vegetation, Broadleaf Weeds.
Week of June 9, 2024
- Location: Cottonwood Park
- General Area Treated: turf areas
- Product: Speedzone
- Active Ingredient(s): 2, 4-D, 2-ethylhexyl ester
- Target Pest: summer annual broadleaf weeds
Week of June 3, 2024
- Location: Garden of the Gods
- General Area Treated: nativegrass areas
- Product(s): 2,4-D Amine, Garlon 3A, Specticle Flo
- Active Ingredients: 2,4-D, triclopyr, indaziflam
- Target Pests: noxious weeds
- Location: Quail Lake, Memorial Park
- General Area Treated: Dams
- Product: Garlon 3A
- Active Ingredient: Triclopyr: 2-[(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl)oxy] acetic acid, triethylamine salt.
- Target Pest: Woody Vegetation, Broadleaf Weeds.
Week of April 22, 2024
- Locations: Bonforte Park, Thorndale Park, Bott Park, Nancy Lewis Park, N. Nevada median between Bijou and Vermijo, Rock Island trail
- General Area Treated: Elm tree trunk applications
- Product: Zylam
- Active Ingredient: Dinotefuran
- Target Pest: European elm scale