Pesticide and Herbicide Application | City of Colorado Springs

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

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.

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 Shook’s, 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