Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Curecanti National Recreation Area: 2023 field season
Perkins DW . 2025. Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Curecanti National Recreation Area: 2023 field season. Science Report. NPS/SR—2025/262. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2309926
Invasive exotic plant (IEP) species are one of the biggest threats to natural ecosystem integrity and biodiversity, and their control is a high priority for the National Park Service. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) selected early detection of IEPs as one of the 11 monitoring protocols implemented as part of its long-term monitoring program. This report represents work completed during the 2023 field season at Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA). From June 21 to 27, 2023, we recorded 18 different priority IEP species during monitoring. We recorded 1,450 priority IEP patches along 55.9 km (34.7 miles) of four monitoring routes. Canada thistle (Breea arvensis), musk thistle (Carduus nutans), woolly mullein (Verbascum thapsus), and Russian thistle (Salsola spp.) were the most widespread species. Density of invasive plants was higher along the reservoir routes than the trail routes. Along the Blue Mesa Reservoir routes, percent cover of all invasive species combined was 1.41%. The Blue Mesa Reservoir 1 and Blue Mesa Reservoir 6 routes had much higher infestations per kilometer and higher overall percent cover in 2023 than compared to 2014. Large increases were observed in Canada thistle, musk thistle, Russian thistle, and woolly mullein. The number of infestations along the Dillon Pinnacles and Pine Creek trails declined from previous sampling periods.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Perkins, Dustin
- Date of Issue
- 2025-04
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2309926
- Units
- CURE , NCPN , NRSS
- Keywords
- Exotic Species, Exotic/Invasive Species - Plants, Invasive Species, Monitoring, NCPN Invasive Plants Monitoring, Plant Studies
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants