Pulling together in the Estes Valley, Colorado: A case study of a weed management area

Weed Management Areas (WMAs) are an important approach for managing invasive plants. This qualitative study investigated the Estes Valley WMA, located in and around Estes Park, Colorado. This case study examined early community support, why the Estes Valley WMA did not continue, and on-going activities. The analysis uncovered four factors explaining why the collaborative group did not continue: group structure, boundary definitions, funding, and motivation. Recommendations are suggested for the re-establishing of a collaborative weed management group in the Estes Valley.