Integrated Vegetation Management Plan

The Integrated Vegetation Management Plan looks to:

• control weedy species to prevent spread onto adjacent properties
• control brush species to assist with road maintenance and improve traffic safety by improving sightlines
• achieve the above with minimal impacts on the adjacent lands and the entire environment
• reduce the use of herbicides where possible
• carry out this Plan under the guidelines set forth by the Industrial Vegetation Management Association of Alberta in compliance with the  Lacombe County Weed and Brush Control Policy ( pdf AG(02) Weed and Brush Control (36 KB) ).

To achieve this Plan, two roadside herbicide application units and three roadside mowers, all equipped with GPS tracking and recording capabilities, cover all areas of the County. The County is then divided into two areas:

1. Full Cut areas, which are designated to minimize herbicide use to protect sensitive agricultural operations; and
2. 2. Spray areas, which take advantage of the cost-effective herbicides for vegetation management.

Both herbicides and mowing are used within each area, while full-cut mowing is timed to achieve the greatest impact on Canada Thistle. The schedule is adjusted based on weather conditions to allow for sufficient time to complete the entire program.

There are three types of herbicides used by the County:

• Target specific (e.g. Garlon for brush control)
• Broad-spectrum residual (e.g. Tordon for tough to control perennials)
• Low impact (e.g. Milestone for environmentally sensitive areas)

While County staff mow the area or apply herbicide, information such as the herbicide name, spray rate, weather, application speed and area covered is gathered using GIS and GPS equipment. This information is then used to analyze and make improvements to the program.

The corner brushing program is designed to keep clear sightlines for municipal road intersections. Landowners can sign a brushing agreement, our brushing crew will go out and brush the initial full-grown trees, and then poplar regrowth will be mowed and spray when needed to keep the sightline clear as long as the agreement is current.

pdf Brush Control Agreement (124 KB)

Landowners can designate their lands 'No Spray' areas by completing the No Spray Form and submitting it to the Environmental and Protective Services department prior to April 1 of the current year. The  Lacombe County No Spray Areas Policy sets out the terms for these agreements. Please read this form carefully before submitting it to the Agriculture department.