Weed Management

Weed Management

Red Deer County employs a hands-on approach to weed management within the County, through various Weed Inspection and Weed Control programs. By using multiple control methods such as mechanical mowing, hand-pulling, herbicide application, seeding, and weed inspections, as well as actively involving landowners and maintaining weed management records, the County can limit the spread of invasive weeds in an efficient and proactive way.

Herbicide Application

prohibited-noxious and noxious weeds

Under provincial legislation, the Weed Control Act identifies weeds of concern as either Prohibited Noxious or Noxious, requiring eradication or control. All public and private landowners, including the County, have an obligation to prevent the growth, propagation and spread of these weeds. 

  1. Prohibited-Noxious
  2. Noxious
  3. Locally elevated to Noxious

Prohibited Noxious - These restricted weeds pose a serious threat to agriculture and the environment and as such, must be eradicated. These weeds are capable of very rapid spread, are extremely competitive and can quickly destroy native
vegetation and crops.

Bighead Knapweed
Orange Hawkweed
Himalyan Balsam
Spotted Knapweed
Flowering Rush
Purple Loosestrife

Weed Inspectors

weed inspection programs

Red Deer County actively works to detect and control invasive weeds in the County and to educate residents on control measures. Some of the ways we do this include:

  1. Weed Inspectors
  2. Weed Reports
  3. Weed Notices
  4. Inter-Municipal Inspections
  5. Seed Cleaning Plant
  6. Report a Weed

Each summer, Red Deer County appoints four Weed Inspectors who conduct weed inspections and investigate complaints, while increasing awareness of invasive weed species and weed management in the County. Each Weed Inspector is responsible for a different section of the County. 

Weed Inspectors have the ability to enter onto land at a reasonable time to monitor compliance with the Weed Control Act. It is an offense to willfully obstruct or delay them while they are exercising their duties. Weed Inspectors are looking for noxious or prohibited noxious weeds as defined in the Weed Control Regulations. The goal is to create awareness about weed concerns and educate residents on why these weeds are of concern. 

Roadside Weed Control

weed control programs

Weed control is a very important focus for Red Deer County. Through various programs, we provide comprehensive weed control in the County to ensure invasive weeds do not negatively impact agricultural production. These programs include:

  1. Roadside Weed Control
  2. Vegetation Agreements
  3. Shoreline Weed Control
  4. Fence Line Weed Control
  5. Eradicable Weeds Program

The Roadside Weed Control Program controls undesirable weeds and brush in ditches throughout Red Deer County. The program ensures that vegetation in all county ditches is controlled through herbicide applications, mowing, hand-picking, and competition by ensuring bare areas are seeded to grasses.

The goal of this program is to control vegetation and reduce the spread of weeds, and also to improve sight-lines and reduce snow drifting in the wintertime, especially near intersections.

3,100 kilometers of roadside weed control is completed by Agricultural Services staff each year.

Municipal Maintenance 1
Open Spaces

Municipal Maintenance


Red Deer County maintains playgrounds, trails, day use sites, boat launches, and municipal reserves for residents and visitors to enjoy throughout the year.

Maintenance activities include; prohibited-noxious and noxious weed control in County owned areas; nuisance weed control (i.e.: dandelions) in ballparks and on trail systems; inspection and maintenance of playgrounds and equipment; maintenance of trail surfaces and for tree care (removal, planting, clean-up of debris etc.) on County owned lands. 

The Bridge Vegetation Control Program is also part of Municipal Maintenance. This program ensures that County bridges, culverts and guardrails are mechanically maintained to control undesirable vegetation such as weeds, grass and trees. This program reduces the spread of weeds through our waterways, improves sight-lines, reduces snow drift in the wintertime, and reduces the risk of fire by removing fuel from around wooden structures. Some sites are visited two and even three times throughout the growing season. 

Additionally, Municipal Maintenance oversees the contract mowing of County owned Open Spaces, over 286 acres. Some boulevards and ditches are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner; for further information on mowing in the County and who is responsible, click here

How We Can Help

Agricultural Services is available to work with residents to prevent and resolve weed management issues. We can assist by identifying plant species and presenting solutions based on resident and County experience, along with research results using various weed control methods.


Fence Line Weeds

CONTACT US IF YOU:

  • are interested in participating in any of our weed management programs
  • have concerns about weeds on a property
  • would like a consultation on weeds on your property
  • would like to drop off a weed sample for identification
  • would like to rent any of the County's available weed control equipment.

Note: Red Deer County is not responsible for weed and vegetation control on primary and secondary highways that run through the County; however, we will happily pass along weed or vegetation concerns to Mainroad