Natural Areas and Trail Maintenance

Trash cans at trailheads and along the trail are emptied twice weekly. Litter on the ground is picked up twice weekly in high-use areas such as trailheads and parking lots, and near shelters, benches, and tables.

Dog waste stations are provided near trailheads and along the trail for dog owners’ convenience. Picking up pet waste helps prevent the spread of disease-causing bacteria. Dog waste stations are stocked with bags regularly.

Port-a-lets at trailheads are open year-round and serviced by a contractor twice weekly.

An inter-departmental team of City staff created the Clean, Safe, and Beautiful Standards, which guide vegetation maintenance for non-irrigated city properties. Natural Areas and Trails follow the standards as outlined below.

During the growing season, a 3-4 ft swath is mowed on both sides of the trail to a height of 6 inches and maintained at no more than 12 inches. This trailside mow is completed on both paved and soft surface trails. This helps with visibility and avoids vegetation on the trail surface. Single-track trails are not mowed.

Native vegetation within the interior of natural areas is typically left standing at its natural height unless management actions (i.e., weed management) dictate otherwise. If you encounter an area that needs attention, please contact the team.

Weed management is performed through proactive and reactive measures to ensure alignment with City goals and state regulatory requirements. The City takes an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to weed management and uses cultural, chemical, mechanical, and biological methods. Spraying herbicide is a normal part of ecological restoration practices and is one of the many methods City staff use to control certain weed species.

Weeds

• A native or introduced species that is defined by the Colorado Department of Agriculture as a noxious weed, or
• One that causes harm to trail users, or
• Poses a threat to native plant species. 

For example, foxtail barley is native to Colorado plains and foothills. Still, City staff actively eradicate it at Rover Run Dog Park because it can harm dogs.

Introduced Species

A species that has been brought into an area in which it did not historically exist. An example of an introduced species in Colorado is kochia, one of the plants that produces tumbleweeds.

Noxious Weeds

Introduced plant species that have been designated as being noxious by regulatory officials because they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Aggressively invades or is detrimental to economic crops or native plant communities
• Poisonous to livestock
• Carrier for damaging insects, diseases, or parasites
• Its presence has a direct or indirect effect on natural or agricultural systems

An example of a noxious weed in Colorado is Canada Thistle. 

The Colorado Department of Agriculture organizes noxious weeds into categories. Weed management activities are regulated by the designated category of each species.

• List A: Designated for eradication on all county, state, federal, and private lands.
• List B: Species whose continuous spread must be stopped. This could be through suppression or eradication.
• List C: Species recommended for management. Type of management is determined by the local governing body. 

Prioritization of Managing Weeds

Because of state requirements, City staff prioritize addressing List A species first, followed by List B, C, and other weeds. Some examples of the List A species that City staff are required to eradicate include purple loosestrife and hairy willowherb.

City staff manage List C species, such as puncturevine, which grow near trail edges because they negatively impact trail users.

Some nuisance weeds, such as Kochia, do not even appear on these regulatory lists. As a result, they are managed as a lower priority than the species that the City is legally required to eradicate. City staff manage Kochia and Russian Thistle along trail edges through chemical application and mowing. Management of these species further from trail edges is dependent on staff availability.

In addition to flooding that may occur following a significant rain or snowstorm, Colorado rivers, creeks, and streams experience seasonal flooding in spring and summer when the mountain snow is melting. Trails near bodies of water may flood or be impacted by mud and plant debris.

Flooding and Trails

For your safety, trails will close if one or more of the following hazards are present:

• Water flowing across the trail more than three inches deep
• Standing water where trail visibility is lost
• Debris creating unsafe conditions
• Erosion that might indicate trail instability
• Emergency equipment access is compromised

Never enter flooded areas! Only a few inches of moving water can knock over a pedestrian or cyclist, and there may be hidden hazards under the water. If you encounter an area that needs attention, please contact us.

How to Stay Safe

• Know before you go - check COTREX for trail closures and alerts before heading out.
• Plan ahead - if you encounter flooding, have a detour route in mind or return the way you came.
• Play it safe – never enter flooded areas.

When developed properties are adjacent to natural areas, the City takes the “good neighbor” approach, mowing vegetation at a height of 6 inches for a minimum of 10 feet from the property line or 30 feet from a habitable structure, whichever is more. The fire mitigation mow is performed twice per year. This standard follows current fire mitigation best practices.

For more information about vegetation management standards, visit the Community Standards and Maintenance page. Natural Areas and Trails also consult with industry experts to explore other fire mitigation practices, such as prescribed burns.

What is a Prescribed Burn?

A prescribed burn is a carefully planned fire conducted under specific conditions to achieve ecological and land management goals. Environmental managers use this proactive approach to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Benefits of Prescribed Burn

• Reduces Fire Risk: Gets rid of built-up fuels that could cause more intense wildfires.
• Promotes Biodiversity: Helps native plants thrive and supports many species of wildlife.
• Creates Fire Breaks: Burned areas slow down future wildfires near trails and homes.
• Cost Effective: A versatile and cheaper way to manage vegetation.
• Firefighter Safety: Provides training for firefighters and makes future fires less severe.

Safety is our top priority. Burning operations will occur as weather conditions permit. Trained and qualified professionals will oversee and conduct the burn to ensure minimal impact on air quality and public safety. Burning operations will only occur if weather conditions and certified staffing are sufficient. We will notify area residents via City social media channels the day of the burn.

City staff remove snow and ice from paved trails according to the below prioritization.

Primary: All school bus stops are cleared by 7:30 a.m. on school days, even if it is actively snowing.

Secondary: Once significant snow accumulation has stopped, paved trail corridors are cleared within 48 hours.

Snow is not removed from soft surface trails or non-paved parking lots and trailheads.