A management plan outlines the path that you will take to get from point A (what your property currently looks like) to point Z (what you want your property to look like). The management plan is a guideline to help you stay on your path and to provide direction.

A management plan should change and evolve as time goes by. The plan is never set in stone. As accomplishments are achieved, adjustments should be made to the plan to reflect the growth of the project. Remember at all times the management plan is a living document.

A plan typically has 5 components:

Part 1: Describe what your property currently looks like. Include buildings, trees, number of acres, pastures, water, livestock, etc. anything that you feel is relevant to you. Consider taking before pictures. This way you can remember where you started and see the progress being made.

Part 2: This is where you get to dream… what do you want the property to look like? Include vegetation, buildings, trees, fences, use of the property. Do you want to train horses? Create a country oasis? Raise cattle? Have a garden? This part will help you determine what steps need to be taken to get from point A to point Z.

Part 3: Write down what you have. Break this into two categories. The positive resources on the property you want to keep and the negative resources that you need to address. Positive resources could be trees, house, barn, fences, grasses, etc. Negative resources typically are noxious weeds, but could be fences, trees, old sheds, etc.

Part 4: For each negative resource write down how you are going to address it. This should include what it is, what will be done and a time frame to do it in. For help on controlling noxious weeds, visit the “List” pages for control options or contact us for help. When selecting an herbicide to treat a noxious weed it is important to verify that it is the best possible chemical for the plant and location of the infestation.

Part 5: Monitoring or follow-up is essential for the plan to be successful. Vegetation will take several years to get under control or to establish if planting grass. Be sure to evaluate your successes and if something isn’t going as planned or working as well as it should consider making changes.

If you would like help in developing a management plan or identifying the vegetation on your property please call 970-304-6496 ext. 3770 to make an appointment. The service is free to all landowners in unincorporated Weld County.

The following link is to a blank management plan form for you to use or create one that meets your needs.

Landowner Management Plan (Microsoft Word)
Landowner Management Plan (PDF)

If you have any questions or need help in identifying the weeds on your property, please call 970-304-6496 ext. 3770 to schedule a farm visit free of charge.