Boulder County’s Battle Against Cheatgrass

Boulder County owns or protects more than 108, 000 acres of open space. The land is a mix of county property and private parcels that have been sealed with conservation easements thanks to taxpayer money. Once the land was secured, a duty followed: keep it healthy and safe. The county’s plan says that keeping the land healthy means dealing with noxious weeds. The words “responsible, proactive, and adaptive” guide how they act. A good example is cheatgrass, an invasive plant that takes over native grasses and flowers. It makes the area drier and more likely to burn, especially where homes meet wilderness. Responsibility means cutting back cheatgrass. The plant pushes out native species, which reduces food and shelter for wildlife. When the native plants are gone, erosion increases and water capture drops. By replacing cheatgrass with local grasses and wildflowers, the county hopes to lower fire danger and support wildlife.

Proactivity is needed because invasive plants keep spreading. Climate change stresses the native plants, making them easier for cheatgrass to win. The county is tackling about 22 different weeds, including most of the species that state law says must be controlled. Their list is the largest in Colorado. Adaptation involves using new tools. For cheatgrass, large‑scale herbicide treatments are often the most cost‑effective option. The county’s research team has tested these chemicals and published results in a peer‑reviewed journal, showing clear before‑and‑after improvements. While any chemical use carries some risk, the team argues that the long‑term danger of unchecked cheatgrass outweighs the low chance of harm from the herbicides. In short, Boulder County’s goal is to restore its open spaces so they can resist fire and climate stress. This means keeping invasive weeds in check while protecting the ecosystem for future generations.

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