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Current focus
Seeds
The native seed bank is the land's memory and its future. We oppose treatments that stop seeds from ever sprouting.
What we protect
Healthy land starts from the ground up.
Decisions about our public lands shape them for decades. We show up, ask hard questions, and bring residents together around four things that can't speak for themselves.
Current focus
Soil
Living soil holds water, carbon, and microbial life. We push for protection from persistent chemicals.
Ongoing
Wildlife
From pollinators to elk, wildlife depends on intact habitat and clean water. We speak up for the species that call these lands home.
Ongoing
Lands & Water
Open space belongs to all of us. We call for public data, real alternatives, and management that reflects residents' values.
Current campaign
What you can do
The county has resumed plans to spray indaziflam. It's still not OK.
Last winter, enough of us spoke up that Boulder County paused its plan to spray Rejuvra (indaziflam) across our open space. That pause is over. The county now intends to spray this November.
This isn't about fighting one chemical in one instance. It's a call for the County to listen to its constituents' values, be transparent about how it makes decisions, and clearly explain why it chose these chemicals over other alternatives.
200+acres of county open space
3+ yrsthe herbicide can persist in soil
Nov.planned drone spraying
A "modified plan" with small buffers still means the core decision hasn't changed: spray now, keep studying later.
Why we're concerned
What indaziflam does, and what we still don't know.
Indaziflam, sold as Rejuvra, is a pre-emergent herbicide. It doesn't kill existing plants. It stops cheatgrass (and other) seeds from germinating, and it's designed to bind to soil more strongly than most herbicides.
01
It's built to persist.
Once sprayed, indaziflam stays in the soil for at least three years. How it moves through water and how it affects native seeds are still not well understood.
02
It's already changing our soil.
Multi-year studies on our own open space found that while cheatgrass dropped, soil microbial communities shifted, nitrate levels rose, and organic matter declined. We're still learning what that means for the long-term health of this land.
03
The "forever chemical" question is unresolved.
Indaziflam contains a fluorinated carbon bond like those found in PFAS. U.S. regulators use a narrow PFAS definition that excludes it; broader European and international definitions would likely include it. Indaziflam is not approved for use in the European Union.
In early 2026, independent testing by the watchdog group PEER reported PFAS detections in Rejuvra formulations. That question should be answered before spraying continues.
04
Our ecology is fragile, and the public hasn't seen the data.
Cheatgrass is a main target, but with ongoing drought its growth is down. The County hasn't publicly shared why these sites were chosen or why this approach beats the alternatives, despite requests.
Take action
We changed their minds before. Let's do it again, louder and clearer.
When enough residents raised their voices, commissioners listened and changed course. That matters, but it isn't finished. Here's what you can do right now, while the fall plan is active and spraying hasn't started.
1
Contact your County Commissioners
A short, specific email or call goes a long way. Start from our template and make it your own.
Get the email template2
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Get notified about public meetings, volunteer opportunities, and the next steps in this campaign.
SubscribeWhat we're asking for: We're not asking the county to ban all pesticides or ignore wildfire risk. We're asking them to prove, with thorough, publicly shared data, that this strategy is necessary and the best of the many options they've considered.
Get involved
Stand with us for seeds, soil, wildlife, and lands.
Indaziflam is our focus right now, but it won't be the last decision that affects the land we share. Add your name as a supporter, and follow us on Substack for updates.
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Sources & further reading
- PEER: New testing detects toxic PFAS in herbicide applied across public lands (2026)
- PEER fact sheet: Problems with Indaziflam
- "A Potential New Herbicide for Invasive Annual Grass Control on Rangeland" (2016)
- "Effect of Indaziflam on Native Species in Natural Areas and Rangeland" (2019)
- Boulder Reporting Lab: County pauses Red Hill drone herbicide spraying again (Feb 2026)
- Boulder Reporting Lab: Commissioners revive disputed herbicide project at Red Hill (May 2026)
- Grounds for Action: Boulder County resumed plans to spray indaziflam this fall (Sept 2026)