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a. Local fire departments/districts, or qualified staff, to write burn <br />plans and conduct prescribed burns <br />b. Independent contractors <br />Grazing by ungulates has historically been a part of the Front Range ecosystem <br />which invigorated root growth and created diverse grassland communities. <br />Grazing by cattle and horses on Open Space helps to simulate this process that <br />was once performed by buffalo. Mowing can also be used to serve as a substitute <br />for grazing. Beneficial uses, limitations, and methods can be found previously in <br />section IV.D. Biological Control. <br />F. Biological Control <br />Biological controls involve using a weed's natural insect predators or grazing <br />animals to control the weed. <br />Biocontrol Insects for specific noxious weeds are reared by The Colorado <br />Department of Agriculture's Insectary. Most are available free -of -charge or <br />for a small fee. <br />1. Beneficial Uses of Insects <br />a. Controls infestations that are not easily accessible to people <br />and equipment <br />b. Controls very large and dense infestations where other control <br />methods would not be cost effective <br />c. Controls low priority List C species in which budget and time <br />may not be available for other control methods <br />2. Limitations of Insects <br />a. May reduce but not eradicate a weed infestation (Colorado <br />Natural Areas Program, 2000) <br />b. Limited availability <br />c. Lack of biological control insects for all noxious weeds <br />d. Variable successes (Colorado Natural Areas Program, 2000) <br />e. Difficulty and length of time to establish <br />f. Although low, risk of insects attacking native vegetation <br />g. Difficult to integrate with some other control methods <br />3. Methods <br />a. There are dozens of different insects that specialize in <br />consumingcating different noxious weeds. <br />Specific to Open Space, livestock can be used to help control noxious weeds <br />by limiting seed production and depleting nutrient reserves. The use of <br />livestock requires the supervision of a knowledgeable herder who can manage <br />the duration and intensity of the grazing so as not to damage the landscape and <br />native vegetation. Associated costs can vary widely depending on the person <br />contracted to manage the grazing and the infrastructure required. <br />Integrated Weed Management Plan 10 <br />14 <br />