Board of Supervisors

It's that time of year for residents of Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Gilpin Counties to consider planting native grasses on sites disturbed by home building, road construction, and other kinds of activities. The Jefferson Conservation District is now taking orders for native grass seed mixes designed specifically for our mountains and plains areas.  These mixes are more drought tolerant than mixes containing non-native species.  The native grasses create a natural look and provide general revegetation.

The "Front Range Mix," utilizing seven native species, has been developed for use in our mountains--altitudes 6,000 to 10,000 feet.   The "Flatlander Mix," is designed specifically for altitudes of 5,000 to 6,000 feet and utilizes six native species.  See "JCD Grass Seed Mix" below for species.  In addition, specialists from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service work cooperatively with the District and can design custom mixes for such things as Xeriscapes, wet meadows, pastures, cover for sewage disposal systems, old mines, very steep or rocky sites, etc.

Until now, it's been difficult to find a native grass seed mix appropriate for use in our area. Most of the commercial mixes rely on non-native species that don't always fit well into our natural ecosystems. Non-native (alien) species can pose threats to native plant communities and the native wildlife which depend on them. One of the ways alien plants are introduced to new areas is in revegetation of disturbed areas with introduced species. Another source of aliens is in the variety of horticultural plants used in home and commercial landscaping, especially in areas near natural environments.

The Jefferson Conservation District hopes to reverse this trend by making it easy to buy a native grass seed mix designed specifically from species indigenous to our area. It is available at our office, conveniently located in Lakewood. 

For information about this program and to order seed call Sally at (720) 544-2870.