County Lands News - May 2025

May 3, 2025

May 03, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

To welcome springtime along the Wasatch Back and celebrate the return of green to our hillsides, we pulled together some details on upcoming community events and opportunities for you to engage with your county lands, as well as some tips to identify and mitigate noxious weeds as they creep back into view.

Roots of Conservation: Growing the Conversation 

  • Topic: Weed Wise

  • Date & Time: Tuesday, May 29, 5:30 - 7:30 PM 

  • Location: Richins Building (1885 W Ute Blvd.)

  • Hear from these noxious weed gurus:

    - Dave Bingham - Summit County Weed Superintendent

    - Sara Jo Dickens - Ecology Bridge

    RSVP HERE

Birding on the 910

The birds are back, and so are we! Join the County Lands and Natural Resources Dept. for a guided morning walk and birdwatch on the 910 Ranch! Limited to 15 participants. RSVP required here.

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 AM
Location: 910 Ranch (parking and meeting location will be sent after sign-up)

*Reminder: The 910 Ranch is closed to the public! Summit County is in the management planning process, so public access is still limited to East Canyon Rd.

Volunteer Ambassador Dave Hanscom leading a birding activity on the 910 Ranch in 2024. Photo: David Jackson | Park Record

Trails, Trash and Tunes

Join us for the 4th Annual trash cleanup and weed pull. New location, same vibe.

When: Saturday, May 31
Time: 12pm - 4pm
Where: Silver Creek Park “Loomis Park” in Silver Creek Village.
Register here! It is not required, but much appreciated so we know how many people to expect.

Activities include:
- Live Music!
- Picking up litter and waste
- Promoting recycling and sustainability
- Pulling invasive weeds
- A kids corner hosted by Summit County Library
- Food truck, beer garden and live music
- A chance to win prizes from great local sponsors
- Educational booths by local organization

Upcoming Restoration Events

If you’re interested in supporting volunteer stewardship and restoration events on County conservation lands, please let us know here! You’ll be the first to get the registration information once dates are released.

Noxious Weeds: Your Responsibility — Everyone’s Problem

How do I know if I have noxious weeds?
For more information on noxious weeds in Summit County, please visit here or check out summitcwma.org

You can also contact Dave Bingham, Summit County Weed Superintendent [email protected]

Weed of the Month: Dyer’s Woad

What’s the history behind Dyer’s Woad? It is native to Europe. It was brought here for the production of textile dyes. It thrives in waste areas, gravel pits, roadsides, roadside pastures, and any disturbed soils.

What does Dyers Woad look like?
Dyers Woad can be a biennial, short-lived perennial, or winter annual. It has a thick, deep tap root and is common in heights of 1 to 3 feet. The leaves are blue-green with a whitish midrib. Large plants can produce up to 100,000 seeds, which turn black to dark brown when mature. At its mature stage, Dyer's Woad has a bright yellow bloom that is highly visible in late spring.

What is the best way to control Dyer’s Woad? Bio-control rust fungus and other agents are under research. Herbicide offers good control if applied at the proper time of year and when applied in rosette to pre-bloom stage.

Did you know Summit County provides FREE weed-spraying equipment to all residents? Learn more here.

Wildlife Watch

Let’s talk turkey!