Innovative Solutions for County Weed Management
Weeds at a Major Airport Get Special Treatment
Controlling invasive weeds at Denver International Airport
BACKGROUND
Denver International Airport (DIA), spanning 52 square miles of prairie along Colorado’s Front Range, grappled with a major invasive weed issue. These opportunistic plants pose a challenge, making effective control just as crucial at an airport as in any other environment.
THE CHALLENGE
Despite being the fifth busiest airport in the country, DIA had a restricted budget for vegetation management. Historically, they relied on mowing as their primary management strategy, which was both time-consuming and resource-intensive. Additionally, high staff turnover made it difficult to maintain an effective management strategy year over year.
THE SOLUTION
Rachel Seedorf, a Masters Student in the Colorado State University Weed Research Lab, developed a targeted invasive weed management program at DIA for her thesis work. She turned to AgTerra’s MapItFast and SprayLogger to aid in her project. These tools allowed her to map activities and electronically fill forms from the field, ensuring data accuracy and efficiency.
Being able to go into the MapItFast system and easily click on a point, line or polygon…. being able to GPS where we had been and take notes… all of that was super user friendly…. Drawing polygons for area estimation was great. It helped us determine how much product should be used for applications.”
IMPLEMENTATION
Under the direction of Scott Nissen, a Weed Science Professor and Extension Specialist at CSU, Seedorf outfitted a UTV with a SprayLogger E3B unit and deployed it to the airport grounds. The first year of the project involved initial mapping and treatments to understand the scope of the program needed. MapItFast helped her quickly survey, map, and record test treatments of the property, forming the groundwork for future applications.
To have that information logged… to see who sprayed what and when… for a group like DIA who do not have a year-round program, that information is useful.
RESULTS
• Efficiency: The integration of MapItFast and SprayLogger eliminated the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and saving time. Applicators were able to GPS and draw points, lines, polygons, and geo-photos from the app or desktop to create detailed maps with corresponding reports.
• Collaboration: The mobile app screen provided a visual representation of all team activities, allowing team members to see mapped sites, add new sites, and fill out forms directly from the app.
• Flexibility: The system’s flexibility allowed the team to capture various types of data and attach multiple forms to mapped objects, enhancing their ability to track changes over time.
• Accountability: Active Map Triggers helped keep track of project status by automatically updating the styling of map objects when a form entry was submitted.
• Collaboration: The mobile app screen provided a visual representation of all team activities, allowing team members to see mapped sites, add new sites, and fill out forms directly from the app.
• Flexibility: The system’s flexibility allowed the team to capture various types of data and attach multiple forms to mapped objects, enhancing their ability to track changes over time.
• Accountability: Active Map Triggers helped keep track of project status by automatically updating the styling of map objects when a form entry was submitted.
CONCLUSION
The implementation of MapItFast and SprayLogger has transformed DIA’s approach to managing invasive species. The ease of use, efficiency, and improved collaboration have made these tools essential for their operations, allowing them to maintain their competitive advantage and stay ahead of the curve.
FUTURE PLANS
Seedorf submitted her work to DIA, hoping to demonstrate that a targeted land management program can be effective without the need for a permanent staff. Both Seedorf and Nissen believe that utilizing and customizing additional tools offered by AgTerra, such as Strider Forms and Reports, will make future programs even more effective for target organizations.