Park board discusses weed invasion, new signs

The Hill County Park Board held lengthy discussions Monday concerning invasive weeds in Beaver Creek Park.

Conrad Nystrom of the Hill County Conservation District said that the parks board has given the conservation district permission to move forward with the weed removal process.

Nystrom’s group is seeking ways to fund this project and remove a variety of weeds on the park such as houndtongue. Jennifer Kenck, conservation district administrator, has been working on the matter.

“There are literally thousands of foundations out there that you can do letters of inquiry to,” she said. “I’ve identified about 12 of them that might be interested in funding a project like this.”

Kenck also said that for three years, the total cost for the project, inlcuding hiring two temporary employees to remove the weeds, would be a little more than $235,000.

“The goal would be to take those existing infestations down by 75 percent in three years, which is realistic because it can take six to seven years to completely deplete a seed source once (it gets) going,” she said.

Chad Edgar, Beaver Creek Park superintendent, said he is working on putting new signs up at the park.

“Most of the cabin road signs are complete. I made a sign for Rotary Falls. I made a direction sign for Camp Kiwanis that’s really nice. I made six new campground signs, and I made one for the nature trail and the Adopt-a-Highway sign for the (Friends of Beaver Creek Park) and a few other signs,” he said. “You’re going to see quite a few sign changes this summer, hopefully this spring.”

The next park board meeting is scheduled for April 6.