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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandout, Study Session of 01/22/02 ~ ,~`~i~f~ -~ ~~ e~ ~7 .a.~.-, ~,.~~-, ~,.,~ t ~? (~ ,~+~ ~ ~ ~a ~~~ BOULDER CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION Do rroT ~n~rovE - PRAB F~le Matenal January 22, 2002 6:00-7:30 p.m. Prairie Dog Management UPDATE AND DISCU5SION ,9.~ City Council Chambers 1777 Broadway, Second Floor NOTE: Public Written Comment for this Session Due by January 21, 2002 to City Council, ATTN: Alisa Lewis. Fax 303-441-4478 or Mail to: P.O. Box 791, Boulder 80306. Email: Council@ci.bouder.co.us No Public Comment Will Be Taken At The Meeting. ~ ~ ~"'"^ TABLE OF CONTENTS ~ I. PURPOSE 1 II. BACKGROUND 1 A. Regulation 1 B. Implementation 2 C. Prairie Dog Relocation Rule and Interdepartmental Policy 2 D. Administrative Changes in Planning and Development 3 Services III. CITY OF BOULDER RELOCATION PROGRAM 3 A. Chronology of Black-tailed Prairie Dog Protection and 3 Management leading to the adoption of Ordinance 7019 (2001-amended Ordinance 7133) B. Colony Mapping 5 -, C. Status of Potential Habitat for the Creation of Artiticial 5 ,,.. Prairie Dog Towns D. Status of Boulder Valley Prairie Dog Occupancy 6 E. Potential Long-term Sustainability of Boulder Valleq 6 Prairie Dogs IV.OVERVIEW 6 A. 2001 Efforts 6 B. Knowledge Gained From Recent Experience 7 C. Status of Regional Efforts and Issues '1 V. NEXT STEPS 8 VI. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 9 ~ ~ MEMORANDUM ~ TO: Mayor William R Toor and Members of City Council FROM: Ronald A. Secnst, C~ty Manager Chnshne Andersen, Deputy City Manager for Env~ronmental Services Jim Cram, Co-director of Open Space and Mountam Parks Mike Patton, Co-director of Open Space and Mountam Parks Jan Geden, Director of Pazks and Recreation Cary Richardson, Open Space and Mountam Pazks Beverly Johnson, Plannmg and Development Serv~ces Ann Wichman, Parks and Recreation DATE: Januazy 10, 2002 SUBJECT: Jattuary 22, 2002, Stady Session on Praine Dog Management I. PURPOSE ~^' The purpose of th~s study sesston is to report back to Council on [he prame dog ~- management and relocation poLcy implementation over the past yeaz. This program mvolves staff from Open Space and Mountam Parks, Parks and Recreation, Plannmg and Development and the City Manager's Office, and includes land acquisrtion, habitat restorahon and property management, coordmation of development acuvines, relocauon and reseazch, pubhc mformation and educauon. Habrtat Preservation is one of the focus areas for the Council Environmental Sustamabilrty Goal, which is to enact and enhance Ctty polictes that cause the Boulder commun~ty to become a nationwide envaronmental leader among commun~ties, and for the C~ty departments to be a role model of exemplary env~ronmental pract~ces. The city's praine dog management and relocat~on pol~cy responds directly [o that goal In programs that mvolve management of natural systems, there are a large number of vaziables, many that cannot be controlled and still retam the "natural" condttrons that are the focus of the program In lookmg at [he crty's pra~ne dog program it is impoRant to understand the context of phys~cal and uncontrolled variables of nature that come mto play. This study session will attempt to pomt out what has been learned and what remams to be understood as we move toward the goal of habitat preservahon and protecnon of the black-tailed praine dog II. BACKGROUND ~ A. Regulation Boulder's mvolvement m regulatmg the management of prairie dogs dates back to the mid-1970s with the adoption of the first Prairie Dog Management Plan m 1976 More ~'""' recently, the loss of praine dog colonies on private development s~tes m the 1990s ~'" prompted commumty concern over the lack of protection for the species on private lands In addition, potenhal federal lishng of the species on the Endangered Species List prompted add~tional commumty concern In early February 2000, the U.S. F~sh and Wildlife Service found that l~stmg the black-tailed prune dog as a threatened species was warranted but the lishng was precluded by other pnorities Under th~s decis~on the agency is mandated to review the status of the species and render a findmg annualiy. Annual findmgs to date have mamtamed the "warranted but precluded" status Staff recerved direction from City Council in August 1998 to address prairie dog protection within the crty In January 2000, Council adopted an emergency ordmance (Section 6-1-11, "Poisomng Animals Prohib~ted," B R C. 1981) and Resoluaon No 842 concernmg the protection and management of black-tailed prairie dogs (Attachments A and B). The ordinance prohibits poisomng of prauie dogs withm Boulder and on all crty- owned or managed properties. After adoption of the ordmance m Januazy 2000, a few mc~dents occuned which tested the effectrveness of the new code. Gradmg acdvrties on some pnvate development sites ~mpacted occupted pra~rie dog habitat; however, ~t could not be proven [hat any praine dogs were actually killed. To address this loophole m the code, Councd adopted Ordinance No 7133 on July 17, 2001, which prohibits the destruct~on of praine dog burrows ~ "" B Implementation Smce [he adophon of the pra~ne dog protection ordmances, staff has worked on implementmg the new ordmances Implementanon has mvolved developmg and admm~stermg the following aspects of the program: • Praine Dog Relocanon Rule and Interdepartmental Pohcy to provide a set of standards for relocation of praine dogs from pnvate and public lands The proposed rule is cunently m draft form and will be published for pubhc comment after the study session • Admimstrative changes m Plamm~g and Development Services to respond to prairie dog issues on pnvate lands. C. Prairie Dog Relocation Rule and Interdepartmental Policy Over the past yeaz, city staff has been follow~ng a set of procedures for relocation of pra~ne dogs. With the expenence gamed from usmg these procedures, an adm~mstrative rule was developed The proposed relocation rule (Attachment C) is mtended as a tool for better admimstration of the praine dog protecuon ordmance The rule establishes protocol for relocation of praine dogs from prrvate and public lands to Open Space and Mountam Pazks properties. If adopted by the city manager, the rule will guide decis~on- makmg and techmcal procedures for relocation from or to city-owned propemes The rule would also apply to private lands withm the city of Boulder ~f the use of city-owned lands or aty serv~ces were requested by the landowner ~ ~ 2 ~ The following are the key pomts m the proposed regulation t`" • Several departments are mvolved m admmistratwn of the relocation rule wiYh Open Space and Mountam Parks m the lead for relocation to Open Space lands • Cntena for relocahon to city propeRies provide a framework For relocation requests • A framework for prioritizmg relocation requests is outlmed. • Diagram 1, the Relocation Calendaz, on page four reflects the time of yeaz m relahonship to relocation achvities The mterdepartmental pohcy (Attachment D) is a supplement to the ordmance and relocahon rule. The pohcy provides addihonal direchon specific to relocation from crty- owned lands and apphes to all city lands or activities. D. Administrative Changes in Planning and Development Services Changes were made m Planning and Development Services last year to resolve conflicts wrth praine dogs on pnvate development srtes. The Landhnk computer trackmg system was mod~fied to prompt staff to rev~ew certam sites for the presence of prairie dogs pnor to issuance of a buildmg permrt. This tool enables staff to be more proactive m workmg with developers early m the process to avo~d direct impacts to prame dog habita[ where possible and to forecast relocation requests that may be needed The followmg ~s a list of addmonal activrties completed m Plamm~g and Development ~,,,,, Services „r • Mappmg of the locat~on of praine dogs throughout Areas I and II and on city property m Area III (part of the city's overall mappmg program) • Response and enforcement protocol for praine dog concerns that establishes contacts and phone numbers for the public (Attachment E) • Mailing to landowners and developers on praine dog ~ssues and regulations (completed Apri12001). III. CITY OF BOULDER RELOCATION PROGRAM A. Chronology of Black-tailed Prairie Dog Protection and Management leading to the adoption of Ordinance 7019 (2001-amended Ordinance 7133) • 1993-1994: ma~or plague d~e-off occurred leavmg many colomes vacant • 1993-1995: Praine Dog Study Committee made up of 17 agenc~es, mstuuuons, non- governmental organizations and members of the publ~c comes up with goals, ob~ect~ves, and assumphons for a Habitat Conservation Plan. • 1996 The Black-tailed Pra~rie Dog Habitat Conservation Plan is wntten and adopted by Open Space; - 5,400 acres of Habitat Conservahon Areas (HCAs) are identified. • 1998: Open Space rece~ves mcreasmg number of requests from private landowners and other crty departments to provide receivmg sites for pra~ne dog colomes m areas of conflictmg land use or areas facmg development, prairie dog population rebounded and abandoned towns are recolomzed a~"'' ",~. ;A"""~ Diagram 1 ~ Relocation Calendar ~~ ~~ ~ O Limited Relocation ~ EvaluationfMorntonng Mapping update ~~ ~rder plants ~ e' ~"~ Cotene observation ~'" Trenching ~- Relocation Evafuate prior year activity identify relocation needs Assess relocation needs Rough estimate of praine dogs to be relocated Assessresource needs Prepare relocation sites (barners) Construct holding pens/ nest boxes Begin observation~ mapping June 1 ~ ~ 4 ~° • 1999~ In response to the mcreasmg number of relocat~on requests from outside the `"'" department, the Open Space Boazd of Trustees adopts a relocation pohcy definmg [he guidehnes for relocahon prionUes and standards . 2000-2001: Crty Council adopts prairte dog ordinances, which form the basis for current policy development. B. Colony Mapping As part of implemenhng the Habitat Conservahon Plan, OSMP has been mappmg praine dog colomes smce 1996. Mapping is conducted annually From 1996-1998, colomes were mapped using aenal photographs and then transfened mto a Geographic Information System coverage. OSMP and Parks and Recreation are now usmg Global Posrtionmg System technology to map colomes 2001 was the first year that all city- owned or managed propert~es and private lands withm the city hmits were mapped This mformation is presented in Attachment F. Work is underway to streamLne th~s effort and mappmg of pra~ne dogs on all city-owned or managed properties and pnvate lands withm the crty limits wdl be completed m 2002 This mformation tool supports the goal to work proactively w~th pnvate landowners and anhcipate potent~al proposed land use conflicts m advance. C. Status of Potential Habitat for the Creation of Artificial Prairie Dog Towns The estabhshment of pra~ne dog habrtat preserves is the basis of the 1996 Black-tailed Praine Dog Habitat Conservation Plan. A habrtat conservation azea (HCA) is defined as ~ an area where praine dogs would be managed so that they may undergo natural processes `" of expansion and decLne, and cause natural shifts m vegetation dominance and animal use Des~gnadon of praine dog HCAs considered a vaziety of factors. For example, fir forest, open water and cl~ff commumhes were excluded Urban edges, roads, and d~stance to nearest neighbors were considered, as was the relahonship of existmg colomes [o one another. This analysis resulted m the idenUfication of approximately 5,400 acres of Habrtat Conservation Areas The analys~s used for the designation of HCAs m 1996 was designed [o iden[ify lazge habitat blocks where pra~ne dogs and associated wildhfe could exist naturally as paR of a funcUomng grassland commumty The analysis that created the HCAs was not designed to, nor is d sufficient, to ~dentify sites that will support the creation of artificial burrows and the mtroduction of new colomes Staff is mee[mg th~s new challenge through a fine scale analysis of mtroduct~on sites that aze most likely to sustam praine dog populat~ons and healthy native grasslands m the long term In addihon to the cntena used m the 1996 Habitat Conservation Plan, s[aff ~s exammmg soil, hydrology, vegetat~on, weeds and other factors m more detail. Land use prachces such as seasonal grazmg regimes and agricultural leases are also bemg evaluated. This evaluation process was started by exammmg the large HCA near the Jefferson County lme. Th~s site has the greatest area of unoccupied habitat. Although staff has not ~ yet been able to mcorporate all of the data, results suggest [hat 1,100 acres should be exammed more closely and evaluated for potential mtroduct~on sites. The analys~s has I'"` not yet begun for other HCAs, however, only 1,700 acres of this is cunently unoccupied Once this analysis of the city's HCAs has been completed, it w~ll be expanded to mclude properties acquired smce, and not mcluded m, the 1996 analysis. As Resolution 842 states, "the city of Boulder . is committed to the long-term management of these areas (HCAs) as functionmg grassland ecosystems." To accomplish this, mtroduction sites must be cazefully selected if mappropriate mtroduct~on sites are chosen, it has been shown that prairie dogs will abandon the site and move elsewhere. This dispersal will decrease their potenhal survival rates, cause potentially irreparable and unnecessaty damage to sensitive grassland commumues and the wildlife associated with them, waste Snano~al and staff resources that could go toward other relocation efforts, and increases the risk of conflicts with neighbonng land owners Density of ammals withm a prairie dog colony varies tremendously dependmg on the soil types, availability of food, and density of predators. Numbers range from under 25 to greater than 88 prairie dogs per acre. It is therefore impractical to attempt to create a formula to est~mate the acres needed for future mtroduction sites. Attachment G illustrates the range m density indices for local populations at Boulder Reservoir. D. Status of Boutder Valley Prairie Dog Occupancy When the 5,400 acres of HCAs were designated as part of the 1996 Black-tailed Praine Dog Habitat Conservation Plan, Boulder Valley's praine dog populations were ~ust '"' begmnmg to recover from a devastatmg outbreak of sylvatic plague Less than 250 acres ~-~ of Open Space's HCAs were occupied by praine dogs when the Open Space Board of Trustees approved the plan In 2001, there were approximately 2,700 acres of active colomes on Open Space & Mountam Parks properties. E. Potential Long-term Sustainability of Boulder Valley Prairie Dogs OF the three ma~or factors (habitat loss, po~sonmg and disease) tha[ limrt the abundance of prairie dogs today, sylvat~c plague is [he one that is beyond human control. Plague frequently kills more than 99 percent of pra~rie dogs m mfected colomes. In the presence of plague, black-tailed praine dogs are most Lkely to survrve m small colomes greater than three kilometers from their nearest netghbonng colony. Given that all of Boulder Valley's praine dog colomes are currently withm three k~lometers of one another, it is possible all of the animals could be killed dunng a smgle plague epizoohc (Attachment H-Potential Spread of Plague Map). IV. OVERVIEW A. 2001 Efforts OSMP staff relocated prazrie dogs from eight different propeRies m 2001. Five of the removal sites are pnvately owned, and three aze managed by the city of Boulder Wild Places Incorporated retocated praine dogs from three additional sites and re]eased some ~ pra~ne dogs to OSMP land and some to Pazks and Recreahon propeRy. Parks and Recreahon also conducted one relocahon wrthm its property boundaries A tota] of 473 prairie dogs were moved m 2001 and released at five recervmg sites, three sites on OSMP 6 ~" lands and two on PR property For site-specific mformation, post-release momtormg data ```"" and retention rates, see Attachment I. B. Knowledge Gained From Recent Experience Over the past year, the expenence gained from relocation efforts m the city of Boulder and building on the prev~ous yeazs of experience by staff workmg on these programs, have resulted m a better understandmg of prairie dog management and relocation m the followmg azeas. • New methods for mtroducmg new colomes whxch maximize survrvorsh~p and m~miruze ground disturbance • New v~sual bamer cons[rucuon and design techntques • New strategies for leavmg ex~stmg colomes on-srte wh~le allowmg proposed or current land use to contmue • What to expect for future relocations • Changes in plant commumties in occupied versus unoccupied grasslands There is still much to be learned as staff contmues to develop and use the mformation from ongomg evaluation of these activiues, and collaborate and share mformahon with other agencies and orgamzat~ons mvolved m prairie dog preservauon. C. Status of Regional Efforts and Issues On a range-w~de basis there are a number of actrvihes going forward that mclude: ~~ • An 11-state coalrtion of state wildlife management agencies is workmg to develop ' speci5c populat~on/habitat goals and management ob~ectrves for prurie dog recovery throughout its range • Ten of the 11 states have signed a MOU related to prairie dog management and recovery. • Colorado did not sign on to the MOU but opted to develop a separate MOU among affected state agencies and state offices of federal agenc~es • Wrthm the last month, Wyommg has also withdrawn from the coalition MOU • The provis~ons of the "wazranted but precluded" rulmg allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species state-by-state if it feels a particular state is not working toward species recovery. With~n the state of Colorado and the Front Range there aze also a number of issues that the city of Boulder conunues to momtor and stay mvolved with: • In Colorado, recent reports have mdicated that the populahons are higher than previously eshmated. However, the FWS has been cleaz that ~ts ongmal findmg of nsk for the black-tailed prairie dog was not necessarily based on prazne dog numbers but rather on the momentous loss of habitat for the species . Colorado has changed its "season" for shoohng prair~e dogs. The season ~s now closed dunng the sprmg to protect mothers with pups This applies only oa state and federal lands Private landowners may shoot them or hire others to shoot them ~ whenever they choose, but they cannot hold contests. ~, • It rema~ns legal everywhere m Colorado (except withm Boulder's city limits) to po~son prairie dogs However, it should be noted that the US Forest Service and the 7 ~"" Bureau of Land Management have issued moratoria on poisomng on lands under the~r ~unsd~ction • Praine dogs aze shll simultaneously defined as wildLfe and "destruchve rodent pests" by vanous Colorado statutes. • Colorado statutes prevent the relocahon of prairie dogs from one county to another wrthout permiss~on from the receivmg county's board of county commissioners • Guidehnes, regulaUons and the permitting process related to prairie dog relocahon aze established by CDOW • CDOW can deny permits based on the mappropnateness of a receivmg srte V. NEXT STEPS The target of sustamable preservat~on of the black-tailed pra~rie dog is directly ned to grassland habitat preservation The prair~e dog is what is known as a"keystone" species. Literally, keystone means a centra! suppornng elemenr The ecosystem of the praine grassland ~s therefor directly Imked to the survival of the praine dog The city of Boulder by v~rtue of the long-standmg Open Space acquisition program has more acres of grassland habrtat than any other municipality m Colorado. This has created the opportunity for the city to be a leader m praine dog preservahon efforts At the same time, it is not possible for the city of Boulder to smgle handedly preserve the spec~es This is a range-wide effoR that the city is part of and the focus on partnerships, shared learnmg, cooperative research efforts and outreach ~s cntical to the ultima[e success of sustamable preservarion of praine dogs "'" There are several areas of research and mveshgahon tha[ are important to contmue to learn more about mcludmg• • Understandmg the impacts of visual barriers to other wildlife • Understandmg the funcuon of the habitat comdors that Boulder is workmg to enhance throughout the urban area as they relate to praine dogs and other wildlife • Understandmg the level of praine dog populat~on that is sustamable on city lands without unacceptable degradahon of pra~ne ecosystems • Dealmg with balance and compahbiLty issues related to compehng urban and rural land uses As ~mplementahon of the city of Boulder policies, programs and management of prauie dogs moves forward, these areas will conhnue to be a focus for further ~nveshgahon and understandmg. Staff will work to ensure that Councd is kept appr~sed of the evolurion of these programs and look for contmumg partnership oppoRuruties with the other agencies and orgamzahons m the Front Range ~„~'' +w.. ~ ~. IV. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS A) Section 6-1-11, "Poisoning Animals Prohibited," B.R.C.1981 B) Resolution No. 842 C) Administrative Rule for the Relocation of Prairie Dogs D) Interdepartmental Policy on Prairie Dog Relocation E) Response and enforcement protocol for prairie dog concerns F) 2001 Prairie Dog Colonies G) Density Indices for Boulder Reservoir Colonies H) Potential Spread of Plague Map I) 2001 Relocation Update J) OSMP Naturally Article "Golden Waves- Boulder's Magni6cent Grasslands" r ~.. ~ ~ Attachment A: Section 6-1-11, "Poisoning Animals Prohibited," B.R.C.1981 ~ ~~ 6-1-11 Poisoning Prairie Dogs Prohibited (a) No person who ~s not a certified operaror licensed by the State of Colorado pursuant to Sect~on 35-10-114, C R S, shall knowmgly poison a black-taded pra~ne dog (Cvnomvs ludov~cianus) or place any po~son m a pra~ne dog b~rrow (b) No person shal2 h~re any ceRified operator Lcensed by the State of Colorado pursuant to Sechon 35 ] Oll4, C R 5, to knowmgly poison a black-taded praine dog (Cynomvs ludovic~anus) on land withm [he ~unsdicnon of the c~ty. A landowner who or which is also a certified opera[or shall be responsible under th~s subsechon for the dec~sion to hire him, her or itself (c) If the city's assemon of home rule authonty m subsecuons (a) or (b) above ~s not sustamed, it is a specific defense to a chazge of vioiahng th~s sechon that the person who poisoned or haed the po~soner was a certified operator regulazly e~gaged m the busmess of fum~ganon or pest extermmauon and so licensed by [he State of Colorado pursuant [o Secuon 3510114, C R S, and d~d so only after [he applicator or [he landowner gave [he crty manager fifreen months' advance not~ce of mtent [o do so, engaged m good farth consul[anon with the manager concernmg alternahves, and made a good fauh effort to relocate the an~mals (d) It is a specific defense ro a charge of violaung this sechon that the person who poisoned ihe ammal owned or was respons~ble for a dam, or acted at the direchon of such a person, and that removal of [he ammal was necessazy to protect [he dam and to comply wrth the Dam Safery Manua! published m Jarmazy 1988, by the Colorado State Engmeer's Office, or any successor edihon Ordinance No.7133(2001) 6-1-12 Killing Prairie Dogs Other Than by Poisoning and Damaging Burrows Prohibited (a) Except as pernutted by Secuon 6-1-11, "Pmsomng Pra¢~e Dogs Proh~bited;' B R C 1981, no person shall knowmgly lnll any black-ta~led pra~r~e dog (Cvnomvs ludov~ctanus) (b) No person shall damage any praine dog burrow It is a spec~fic defense ro a chazge of violahon of this subsecuon [hat (1) The burrow was umnhabrted because the praine dog mhabmng rt had d~ed before tFie burtow was damaged, (2) The pra~ne dog mhabmng the burrow had been telceated by a wddhfe relocaton c~ensed by the state, or that a wddlife rebcator licensed by the state had made a good faith effor[ to relocate all the prau~e dogs m the colony or m the azea mtended for construcuon, whether or not all had been capmred, (3) The burrow was m or neaz a dam, airport runway or [axiway safety azea, or o[her ex~shng structure whose safety, or the safety of the users of the svucture, is threatened by the hole, or (4) The burrow was on the propeRy on which the person resides (c) If [he city manager has reason to beheve that work pursuant to any permu or other approval wdl damage any prame dog burrow not sub~ect to the defenses m subsechon (b) of th~s section, [he c~ty manager shall deny the perrrut or approval or condrt~on its exercise on lawful relocatwn of the ammals Appeal from such a demal or conditional approval shall be m accordance with the prov~sions for demals of such permrts or approvals Ordinance No. 7133 (2001) ~ ~..~- Attach,nent B: Resolution No. 842 ~„° r..+ RESOLUTION NO. 842 A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF BLACK•TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS. WHEREAS, the C~ty of Boulder, Colorado, recogmzes tha[ the black-tailed prame dog (Cynomys ludovuaanus) is a vrtal and ~mportant spec~es to the grasslands of the Boulder Valley, and WHEREAS, the City of Boulder values praine dogs as a vual element m grassland ecosystems, and WFIEREAS, black-tailed pra~ne dog populahoos aze declimng throughout theu range due to the rapid loss of grassland habrtat and are, therefore, a species of local concern, and WHEREAS, the C~ty of Boulder is commi[[ed to the protecuon of praine dogs and the~r habrtat withm the Bou(der Valley, and WHEREAS, the C~ty=s goal ~s to effectively eLmmate any need for pmsonmg or extermmauon of pra~ne dogs on pnvate and pubLc lands in Boulder and on C~ty-owned lands m the Boulder Vatley, and WHEREAS, the C~ty of Boulder, tluough ~ts Open Space and Mountam Parks programs has set aside over 5000 acres of pubhc land as Praine Dog Habuat Conservauon Areas and ~s committed to the long-term management of these azeas as funchomng grassland ecosystems ~ NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOULDER, `"° COLORADO, THAT 1 The City Council direcu the C~ry Manager ro establish polic~es that will emphasize pra~ne dog habrtat protechon as a prionty on all publ~c and prrvate lands, unless the presence of prau~e dogs is m conflict with the existmg or planned use of the srte, or the publ~c heal[h and safety on or neaz the srte is m ~eopazdy due [o the presence of prav~e dogs 2 The Cuy Council directs the City Manager that when the protecuon of praine dog habttat ~s m contlict with the mtended use of the sue, relocanon will be the method for removmg the prav~e dogs from the srte 3 The C~ty Council dvects the City Manager to estabhsh pol~c~es such tha[ the City of Boulder wdl accommodate all prame dog relocauon needs of pnvate and pubLc landowners m the ciry Further, that City acceptance of relocated praa~e dogs is based upon the cond~twn that the landowner of the property where pra~ne dogs are to be removed wdl take the respons~bdity for all costs of relocahon and rece~vmg sue prepazaUOn Open Space propert~es will be the pnmazy source of recervmg sites for relocated prau~e dogs, although other C~ty-owned lands may recerve praine dogs ~f appropnate sites aze available, 4 The City Council dvects the Crty Manager and the Open Space Department ro take the lead m findmg and prepazmg rece~vmg sites on Open Space propert~es The C~ty Manager and the Open Space Department are further dvected to work ro msure that appropnate ecolog~cal condmons are presen[ for successful relocat~on When, however, events ocwr where relocahon is reqmred and appropnate ecolog~cal condihons are not present on Open Space property, the Department w~ll take reasonable extra measures to accommodate relocauon needs, cecogmzmg the relocation effort may be less successful than under more ophmal condit~ons INTRODUCED, READ, PASSED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of January, 2000 ~"'~ ~ Wdliam R Toor, Mayor ~"" Attachment C: Administrative Rule for the Relocation of Prairie Dogs v~.. City of Boulder, Colorado Administrative Rule for the Relocation of Prairie Dogs A. Application and Responsibilities A 1 This rule appLes to all acuvihes mvolvmg pra~ne dog relocahon from pnvate land wuhm the c~ty onto land managed by the C~ty of Boulder, Depaztment of Open Space and Mountam Parks (OSMP), and from one site on city-owned land to another site on c~ty-owned land A 2 The OSMP will be pnmazily responsible for admimstenng th~s rule and m managmg all relocation achvihes mvolvmg OSMP properhes The OSMP will determme the spec~fic locauon and methods of relocat~on and sue preparahon for receivmg praine dogs on OSMP properties from other sites A 3 The OSMP will be respons~ble for mappmg and mamtammg a map of all known prauie dog colony locat~ons withm the city A 4 The Planre~ng Department w211 be responsible for prov~dmg suppoR through commumcadon and ,,,.., coordmatwn with pnvate landowners and other governmental agencies The Plamm~g Department ~ w~ll also assist m mamtaimng and updanng the pra~ne dog colony locauon map A 5 All costs assoc~ated with the relocatwn of prauie dogs, mcludmg labor and other expenses, shall be the responsibiluy of the landowner and shall be agreed upon m wrmng pnor to the m~hahon of any work by the crty These costs shali mclude, without limitation, all costs assoctated with trappmg pra~ne dogs, transporhng praine dogs, recervmg sde preparanon and restoranon, and visual barner placement These costs may also mclude survival monitonng ro determme relocahon success and mamtenance of visual bazners A 6 The c~ty manager shall be responsible for approvmg, approvmg w~th condit~ons, or denymg all relocahon actrvmes affechng city-owned properhes B. Criteria for Relocation B 1 The crty may accommodate prauie dog relocahon needs for pnvate landowners w~thm the c~ty if any one of the followmg condmons apply For pro~ects requsmg sue review the Plann~ng Board has approved a s~te plan and the planned development would have a direct ~mpact on the pra~ne dogs currently mhabi[mg the site, For pro~ects meeeng by-nght development s[andards a buddmg permrt apphcahon is under rev~ew by the city and Ihe proposed development would have a d~rec[ impact on the pra~ne dogs currently tnhabi[mg the s~te, or The praine dogs aze causmg d~rect harm to a bmldmg, strucmre, uuhry mfraswcture, or pose an immment [hreat ro pubhc safety ~"". ~... C. Accommodation of Prairie Dogs on OSMP proper[y ~""" C 1 Pnor~ues for relocatron from public and pmate lands to OSMP property are as follows ~ a Fust pnonty is grven to public or pnvate lands upon which conshucuon and/or development is ~mmment, prauie dogs are causmg ~mmedtate damage to a pubhc fac~lity, or there is an immed~ate threat to pubhc safe[y b Second pnonty is g~ven to Iands owned by other c~ty departments upon wh~ch development plans are approved or there aze unmanageable conflicts wuh the exishng or planned land use, and relocat~on has been directed by the c~ry manager c Th~rd pnon[y ~s gven to relocauon of praine dogs from removal sctes on OSMP propeRy as spec~fied m the Black-[ailed Praine Dog Habitat Conservahon Plan d Other pnonhes w~ll be considered on a case-by-case bas~s, and m the context of Secnon 8 6 2 of the Black-tailed Pra~ne Dog Hab~tat Conservanon Plan (see below) 8 6 2 Praine Doe Remtroducuon Many of the grassland preserves and praine dog Habuat Conservauon Areas aze wrrenUy umnhab~ted because of the widespread and devastatmg ~mpact of sylvahc plague epizoohcs upon the prauie dog populauons of the Boulder Valley from 1993-1995 Relocanon of pra~ne dogs from other locahons may be necessary ro mamtam prame dog populations throughout the Open Space grassland preserve system Praaie dogs for relocanon may become available from pnvate property where landowners are seekmg to develop uses mcompahble wi[h prame dogs Pra~ne dogs may need to be moved from other areas of Open Space m accordance with th~s or other management plans Dunng umes of h~gh populahon, praine dogs may need to be reloca[ed from Open Space ro other pubhc or prtvate lands such as the Rceky Mountam Arsenal Nai~onal Wildlife Refage, land managed by Mountam Parks or Boulder County Open Space Cuaently, pra~ne dogs are relocated after bemg capmred by Irve trappmg or the use of burrow tlushmg To facditate the relocanon of praine dogs, the wildhfe b~olog~st wdl work ~,,,,,, wuh the Colorado Drv~sion of Wildlife to secure the necessazy hcenses and permtss~ons ro ~ allow for the transport and reioca[wn of prame dogs (1) o~to Open Space from other lands, (2) from one Open Space property to another, and (3) from Open Space to other properties At [he d~screhon of the wildLfe bwlogist, Open Space staff will relocate praine dogs as necessazy to stay m comphance with this or other management plans approved by the Open Space Boazd of Trustees D. Standards for Relocation D 1 The standazds ouUmed m this secuon apply to all ciry relceanon efforts and for all pnvate relocahon onto land managed by the OSMP D 2 All vappmg and retocation achvihes shall be prov~ded by [he OSMP or contracts adrtumstered solely by the department ~f the pra~ne dogs will be relocated to OSMP property D 3 All relocauon acnvuies shall be perrtut[ed by the sta[e and shall adhere stncdy to sta[e permtt reqwrements and gwdehnes as spec~fied m the CDOW Admmistrauve Duechve W-17 on the Capture and Relocaaon of Pra~ne Dogs (March 9, 2000). D 4 Pra~rie dogs shall only be relocated between June 1 and Ocrober 15 and when favorable weather and ecolog~cal condrt~ons aze present Relocat~on efforts begun pnor to October 1 may be comple[ed under approprtate condiuons beyond October 15 No relocanon efforts shall begm after October 1 or before June 1 (NOTE Although the Colorado Division of WildLfe allows relocahon dunng the Mazch 1[o June 1 ume penod, the burrows must be fuaugated ~mmediately after relocatwn achv~hes to ensure that young praaie dogs aze not left behmd [o starve Fum~gation or poisomng of pra~ne dogs wrthm the ~r~. cuy, however, ~s prohibited by ciry ordmance ) ~w..~ D 5 The OSMP shall be non5ed m wntmg by Mazch 1 of requests to relocate pra~ne dogs onto land managed by the OSMP between June and October of that same yeaz If reques[s aze not subautted ~ by the Mazch 1 deadlme, the c~ty manager may deny the request or reqmre a higher fee for serv~ces The March deadhne is necessary to allow for adequate plannmg of resources and receivmg srte preparatwn D 6 No trappmg or releasmg shall occur durmg inclement weather Inclement weather mcludes, wrthout hm~tatwn, penods when temperatures aze above 90°F or below 35°F This may also mclude days when heavy precip~tahon ~s occurrmg, has occurred recendy, or is expected to occur D 7 OSMP shall determme the specific lceauon and methods of relocahon and site prepazahon for rece~vmg pra~rie dogs on OSMP properties from other sites D 8 Whenever possible, rece~v~ng sites shall be previously ocwpied pra~ne dogs towns If pre- exisung buaows aze not available, the ciry department rece~vmg the pra~ne dogs will take exVa measures [o accommodate relocahon needs The OSMP shall deternune the method and t~mmg of relocat~on and s~te preparahon when OSMP property is used as a receivmg site The OSMP wdl be available to provide techmcal ass~stance for aU c~ty-related relocahon achvmes D 9 Generally, pravie dogs shall not be relocated m[o azeas affected by the plague for approx~mately two yeazs aRer the plague event Prauie dogs shall not be relocated mto these azeas for a mmimum of one yeaz after the plague event unless the c~ty manager grves approval afler consultahon with the OSMP If prairie dogs must be relocated ro an mfec[ed azea m less than one yeaz, precautwns shall be taken to mm~m~ze potenhal impacts of the plague mfestat~on D 10 The OSMP shall make the final determmahon that praine dogs have been substanually cleared from a srte when relceated to OSMP properues ~„'. D 11 Followmg a relocat~on effort, all machve burtows wuhin the azea from wh~ch prair~e dogs were ~ removed sha(1 be bac~lled and plugged to keep any remammg dogs out of the area The use of temporazy or permanent bamers may also be required to keep ad~acent pra~ne dogs out of the conswcuon or removal azea as deternuned by the OSMP wildlife ecologist A~"` ~ ~ Attachment D: Interdepartmental Policy on Prairie Dog Relocation City of Bouider Interdepartmental Policy On Prairie Dog Relocation Background The City Councd adopted an ordmance and resolution on January l8, 2000 (Boulder Revised Code, SecUOn 6-1-11 and 6-1-12) expressmg the commitment of the c~ty to the pro[ection of the black-tailed pra~ne dog and rts habitat withm the city and on crty lands throughout [he Boulder Valley The mtent behmd the praine dog protection ordmance is to protect praine dogs and the~r habi[at w~thm the c~ty hmits, w~th pr~mary emphas~s on ptotechon of mdividual pra~ne dogs The C~ty of Boulder Prau~ie Dog Relocaaon Rule prov~des specific dvecuon on relceahon to or from city-owned properhes The mle serves as the overarchmg pol~cy for all pnvate and pubhc relceat~on mvolvmg ciry lands The Gty of Boulder Interdepartmental Policy on Pra~ne Dog Relocanon ~s a supplement ro the ordmance and relocahon rule Th~s poLcy provides addmonal direchon specific to relocaUOn from city-owned lands and appLes to ,~^° all c~ty lands or actrvihes ~ Interdepartmental Policies on Prairie Dog Relocatian 1 City departmen[s shall be respons~ble for managmg pra~rie dogs on city land managed by the depaztment 2 The City of Boulder, Department of Open Space and Mountam Pazks (OSMP) shall be pnmanly responsible for providmg techmcal assistance as needed 3 The OSMP shall be responsible for mamtammg maps of praa~e dog locations throughout the Boulder Valley All city departments must provide the OSMP with mforma[ion related to prau~e dog Iceahons on property they manage. Mappmg costs shall be borne by the city department convolhng or managmg the property 4 The City of Boulder, Plamm~g Department shall be responsible for prov~dmg support through commumcation and coordmahon between depaztments The Plannmg Depaztment shall also assist m mamtammg and updahng the pra~ne dog colony Iceat~on map 5 A[l costs associated with relocanoa aze the responsibility of the sendmg depaztment and shall be agreed upon, m wntmg, pnor to the start of work Costs mclude, wuhout limitatwn, labor and expenses for trappmg, transport of pra~ne dogs and receivmg sue prepazahon Costs may also mclude v~sual barner placement and mamtenance, survival (relocanon success) momrormg and recervmg srte restorauon 6 The city manager shall be respons~ble for approvmg, approvmg wi[h w~dmons, or denymg all relocahon acnvmes affectmg c~ty-owned propemes 7. For praine dogs on c~ty-owned lands, relocation shall only be considered if any one of [he following /r^ crrtena are met ~y~. a There ~s an approved development plan that ~s scheduled to begm consVuctwn wuhm a one year r~'"""" a..~ Ume penod, b Protect~on of the habitat on the site is mfeasibte, as deterrtuned by the city manager, due to unmanageable confl~cts telated to development or public safety, c There ~s a legally substanuated or ~mirunent threat to publw safety resultmg from the presence of prame dogs, mcludmg w~thout limuahon, a threat from burrowmg m or azound a dam d The pra~rie dogs are causmg dcrect harm to a bwldmg structure or uhLty mfraswcture and all o[her altemahves to m~hgate the ~mpact have been exhausted 8 City depaztments shall seek ro accommodate prauze dogs by first evaluahng all poss~ble opuons for managmg praine dog populauons and theu assceiated ha6rtat on the stte where they ocwr 9 The depaztmen[ managmg the site shall develop long-term management plans for protected prame dog colomes on c~ry propernes with the mput from the OSMP 10 If pubhc safety ~s a concern, the c~ty manager shall make the final dec~swn on relocahon after consultauon w~[h the C~ty Attorney's Office and the OSMP wildLfe ecologist 11 C~ty depaztmen[s shall fas[ consider propernes under their own management for relocahon If appropnate sites are not avadable, prauie dogs shall be relocateA to OSMP propemes For mter-depaztmental relocauon, rec~procal agreements between departments may be arranged 12 All c~ty trappmg and relocaaon acuvmes mvolvmg OSMP propernes shall be provided by the OSMP or contracts admm~stered solely by the department 13 City trappmg and relocahon actrv~hes not mvolvmg OSMP properties may be conducted by other quaLfied c~ty staff or an outside consultant peraut[ed by the state after coordmanon w~th the OSMP and approval by ~,..., ~ the c~ty manager Best Management Practices for Activities in Prairie Dog Habitat The followmg best managemant prachces apply to c~ty achvmes that are shor[-term m durahon and do not requae prauie dog relocation or permanent habitat desuuct~on These polic~es shall be rev~sed as prachce and research presents new mformation 1 Consult with the OSMP plant and wildhfe ecolog~sts pnor to begmmng the pro~ect and for post-pro~ect reclamahon 2 Avo~d all conswchon acuvihes m pra~ne dog towns from March 1 to June 1 unless 1) The namre of the work would cause mimmal d~smrbance to the pra~ne dogs or the~r hab~tat, 2) Requued relocaUOn efforts have been completed, 3) The constmcnon ac[~vity durmg this pertod ~s cnt~cal for the ~mmed~ate publ~c health, safety, and welfaze of the commumry 3 Flag all burrow holes and the approximate extent of the burrowmg system Concentrate achvity around the penphery of prarne dog towns [o the extent poss~ble 4 Mamtam the structural mtegnty of burrow entrances near the cons7ucuon acuvity by placmg dramage p~pe ms~de the bucrow hole and ex[endmg rt several feet above ground ro prevent [he burrow from cavmg m from heavy eqmpment movmg m the azea 5 Overall d~sturbance to the azea where prairie dogs aze located shall be mmiwzed, Keep vehicles and conswcnon eqmpment as far away as poss~ble from the praate dog [own f"^`~ 6 Eazth-movmg eqwpment should progress through the area at as slow a rate as possible [o avo~d d~rect ~,,, m~ury or mortality However, the pro~ect should be completed as qutckly as prachcal Attachment E: Response and enforcement protocol for prairie dog concerns ~ ~ City of Boulder Contact List for Prairie Dog Concerns Apnl 2001 Issue or concern from the public I Who should be contacted? Illegal grading or building-related problem Illegal poisoning, or habitat destruction General prairie dog nuisance complaints Weekdays: General comolamts Plannmg and Development Services (Pro~ect Review/Engcneermg), 303-441-1880 Weekends: PoLce Depar[ment,303-441-3333 Ammal Control, 303-441-3380 on onvate nrooertv withm the c~tv Ammal ConVOI, 303-4413380 on Parks and Recreahon prooertv Puks and Recreahon Envaonmental Resources (Ann Wichmann, 303-413-7230) on Ooen Soace nrooertv Open Space and Mt Pazks, ~ '"" 303-441-3440 ~ ReqUestS fOr reloCation Citv Deoartments Open Space and Mt Parks (Bryan Pntchett,303-441-3440) Prrvate oropertv Plannmg and Development Serv~ces (Bev 7ohnson,303-441-1880) General information about prairie dogs Ocen Soace and M[ Parks (Cary Richazdson, 303- 441-3440) Plannmgand Development Services (Bev Johnson, 303-441-1880) Citv of Boulder websues httn //www ci boulder co us/ooensoace/namre/ndoes ht m httb //www c~ boutder co us/Plamm~e/PravieDo s/~ mde !"', ~ ~, Attachment I: 2001 Relocation Update ~.~.- In 2001, OSMP relocated colooies from eight different pioperties, five pnvate and three managed by the city of Boulder These mclude Boulder Commumty Hospital, Boulder Municipal Auport, Micro Motion Incoiporated, University of Colorado, 6899 Wmchester Circle, and Boulder Reservoii (both North and South dams) and Tom Watson Park OSMP staff moved piairie dogs [o the Gilbert, Flahrons Vista, and East Varra properties ~ W~ld Places Incorporated relocated prairie dogs from thiee additional sites (Valmont Park, Bou(der Reservoir north dam, and Dakota Ridge/ McCabe property) and released them to the Kelsall propeity on OSMP and the 515f Street Horse Pasture on Parks and Recreahon property. Parks and Recreation staff moved prurie dogs from the west gate of Boulder Reservoir to the 5151 Street Aeromodel field A total of 473 prune dogs were moved dunng 2001 and released at six different receivmg sites Two of these sites made use of existmg abandoned burrows that were satelhtes of the mam colony, three sites were trenched by Wild Places Incorporated, and one was created using a new combination of inethods (Transitional Holdmg Pens) m an area with some evidence of a previously existmg, small colony. Post-release momtonng data is available for two sites Release Site & Release Method #Animals Released # Observed 1 mo~th post- release % Retained I on Site after ' 1 month Gilbert (OSMP)- Natural burrows 70 23 33% Flat~rons Vista (OSMP)- Natural burrows 12 Not avazlable Not available East Varra (OSMP)- Transirional Holdm Pens 136 47 35% Kelsall (OSMP)- Trenches 152 Not avazlable Not ava~lable S ls` Street Horse Pasture (P&R)- Trenches 93 Not available Not avazlable Sls` Street Aeromodel Ai ort (P&R)- Trenches 10 Not available Not available TOTAL 473 The Transitional Holdmg Pen method uses a combmation of double-door trenches, wire acclimahon cages, and fenced enclosures It is based on two assumptions 1) that most mortahty associated with relocahon occurs m the first two weeks oF relocahon and is the result of dispersal and predation, and 2) that m areas with appropnate soil types and food sources, that praine dogs are adept and digamg bunows and creatmg natural colonies The goals of th~s new method aze to maximize potential survrval rates and allow for successful reproduction withm one year, and to create colomes that are sustamable over time while mimmizing ground disturbance and negative impacts to grassland commumties Evaluating the Success of a Relocation- Retention Rates OSMP percent retention are based on the highest count of prairie dogs recorded durmg 12 hour visual counts which take place over a period of three days (Count techmques are ~ based on a design by Anne Ruggles from 1998 Specific protocol is available upon request ) The maximum coun[ made dunng any count per~od yields a rtummum ll ' ~ - I • • • • - ~ ~~ . .~~~ . ~ . t ~ ~~~~ ~~: . ~- ,~,,, ; A~ ~ ~ .:r,!F' F;i~ ,~.~ _'~ . . ' * y~ ~, ~ ,,~` ~k ~ ,^ +• ~' ~ ~. 3 '. ; .+! ~ - ~ .,: .,~ ~~' ~ , ti ~ ~ ' ~ ~, i , ~ .~ „ ' y ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ . d'~~~ ~ .~ ( ~ i y ~~ • '~ ~ ~ . ~ 1 ~ '~~ ' ~ ~ ~ - „ • . ~~-~~~~'~ ~~ f ~ ~' ~ f s ~ , ` • 4:,+, • L +~ r~ J ~ .~ a ,~:' ~~~.,, ~ 1 '~ ~ ` ~ ~ ~ ~,. . . ~ ~~ ... ., ,,~ y , ~. r ~- ~,s~ ` , ~ . ~ .;; .~ ~'~"- .. ~ r' '~o-,,,~P,~".,.,. .~ . ~ . f . ~ . . . . ~ .a . . ....~rw . ,. ,~ -.~",." . ~ .. >~i ... ~ ~ , ~ ..,~.~ ~,..~,~. . ,.., ~ ~:_. '~ ,+k. " ^i4 ,4. ~~~x ~ ~ . . , ~~ ~~ ` rv y. , • ~.. . ..., ~ ~ , P ~ w i ~ .~. ,i. ~ ,' ~} , ...' / . .,,{. ~: . ~ " .~:;:, ~ „~ ~ ~ ~ t~z :~.~:•::~ +~ '9 -,~v}!' ~ A ~ ~ ~ ~ a '~~ ~ ' . ..~ ..v~.r: ~ ~.:_.~.; , _ • ~ ~ •- _ . ,~ ~ . ~. ~ • ~ , , . ~ , - ~ ~' ~ - ~ ., . . ~ _ - ~ .,` • - .. . ~ ~ ~ \ ~ •~ ~ ~ ~ 8 , /~ ` ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A'i ~~ e.., ~ ~ ~ V l: .''^'"~' ~ ~ y; ~ . . ~ ~..~~~.j ~~1~., •~~ . . ~ ~* -~%~~ . ~ ' ` :::~. ,.+' .. ~ , r~ 7 . ~ . ' '.'.' '.~.':. • _ ~:J~~: ~ , ~ ~' , ., ~ \ 4~' ` '' ,~ - ~ „~:~'~' ~ ~~'~'; .~ Jr .~ ~.,, ~ .~.. ,.~ , y ~ ~. . ~»;~ ~ - ~ `.`a- .. . U: w . . . ,,~ . '.1.: . •. .. . ,. A It~r~ ~ ~ ^` ~ x ~ ' ' . Y, y ~ ' µ~!I''f~(1~ ; M~9H. ~~ ' ;~~ J ~J, . . , . .. ,x ~ ~ . ~ , 1 +~ ~ .L~~ il.'.J . ~ . ,. . . \ \ \ Habitat Conservation Area - Active Prairie Dogs 2001 ~~ OSMP, City, and County OSMP Property Lakes ~ ~~~+ Boulder City Parks -uJ~;:~. ~;,, Highway Boulder County Open Space Arteriai 0 1 2 3 4 I Miles ' . 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ v ~ ~ ~ - ~ _ ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ 0 ~ ov 0 ~ ~ sz ~ ~ ~o r~ ~ ~ ~ C 0 ... ~ Attachment J: Newsletter Article (7PEN-SPACE MO UNT'AIN PARKS... Boulder's Magnificent Grasslands ~ lose your eyes and imagine the Great Plains in the year 1800. An inland ocean of waving grass extended from the Rocky Mountains eastward for over a thousand unbroken miles to Illi- nois. The prairie provided lush forage for vast herds of bison, elk, deer and pronghorn. Prairie dogs, black footed ferrets, badgers, wolves, eagles, prairie chick- ens and sharp-tailed grouse made their homes among [he rustling blades. When Euro-American settlers amved on the prai- rie, they encountered open spaces and fertile soils. Within about 150 years the plow and bulldozer trans- formed the prairie into neat crop rows, subdivisions and expanses of pavement. Today a mere 2% of the original tallgrass prairie remains. Few other ecosys- tems have suffered such complete and total oblitera- tion. Much of the original flora and fauna are gone or confined to protected areas, where remnant popula- tions hang on among the splinters of what used to be one of the planet's greatest ecosystems. TIZE'YG' CCZYI ~7E' )l0 "afze .size,fits all, " or "one s~~c>cies " ap~»°oacla to ~rrasslcz~d manugeyrre`zt. ~~~hat's gUDC~ fOY OYIE? :S~2CIE'S ~11U1' ~Je ~~etrintental to cc ho,st of vtlters. Open Space and Mountain Parks preserves some of the few remaining patches of native prairie in Colorado - a living treasure trove of national importance. About one third of OSMP's more than 41,000 acres is comprised of prairie grassland dominated by native species. Although some of this land has been degraded or overgrazed by previous owners, OSMP is gradually restoring the land to its former splendor. Ar•e Created Equa1 Depending on available moisture, soil, and other factors, OSMP's prairie grasslands fall into severai distinct types, each with its own associated plants and animals. • Shortgrass: True shortgrass prairie exists in the driest regions ofthe Great Plains and is dominated by blue grama and buffalo grass. • Mi.aced grass: Comprising most of the OSMP grass- lands, mixed grass prairie contains short, mid-, and tallgrass species - often in surprising and rare combina- tions. Mixed grass prairies often support highly diverse communities of plants and animals. • Tallgrass: The rarest grassland type in Colorado and all of North America, tallgrass flourished here as the last Ice Age ended when the climate was moister and cooler. Pro- tected by Boulder's foothills and plough-breaking rocky soil, a few pockets oftallgrass prairie have survived the millennia since the glaciers melted. (Continued on page 2) C~Olde~'1 WaVeS Not All Grasslands Q .~ ~~ ~~. s Balancing .Needs of All S~ecies The OSMP grasslands are highly fragmented and have diverse histories. Some are recovering from years of overgrazing, mining, noxious weed invasions or intense recreational use. Because ~SMP's grasslands contain so many kinds of plants and animals, preserving them is a complex and difficult task. Each specific habitat patch within the larger grassland mosaic has its own special needs. There can be no "one size fits all," or "one species" approach to grassland management. What's good for one species may be detrimental to a host of others. Fur- theimore, some species are very particular about their habitat. A tiny difference in moisture, slope or soil can have profound effects on species make-up. Some grassland species thrive on disturbance. When prairie dogs move into an area, their burrowing and grazing can transform the grassland type to favor short grass species like blue grama and buffalo grasses, fringed sage and globe mallow. Other animals like bad- gers, burrowing owls and rattlesnakes move into the dis- turbed habitat created by prairie dogs. But some grass- land species require the greater cover and structural di- versity of grassland without prairie dogs. OSMP must balance the needs of all native grassland species. Since prairie dags can change grasslands in profound and un- predictable ways, OSMP must be very careful when re- locating these animals to newly created colonies. The Re~urn of the ~'rairie With all this diversity and complexity, restoring degraded prairie is no quick and easy task. It will take many years of patient study and hard work. OSMP uses a variety of tools for restoration: reseeding and replanting, no~ous weed control, prescribed fire and grazing (see "Grass- land Factoids" below). In a few areas staff is testing methods to re-create the prairie. Several hundred acres at Gunbarrel Hill are part of the federal Conservation Reserve Program - a partnership to restore old crop- land to native grassland. The prairie will never again ripple for a thousand un- broken miles. But with diligent effort and your support, this once vast ecosystem may be restored to some of its original glory. ~ ~ ~ .xt~~ pj'~~Y d ~ ~ ~~~ L~t3 ' . ~ ~ • Our native grasslands are ecological treasures of na- • Boulder's talJgrass and mixed grass communiti tional importance. Management planning and stew- some of the best remaining examples of native ardship must refIeet the eomple~city of our prairies lands in Colorado. Some have been designatec and our multiple demands on them. Colorado Tallgrass Prairie State Natural Area. • OSMP protects over twice the area of mixed and -• Prairie plants co-evolved with grazing an.imals tallgrass prairie compared to the average mid-west- bison, elk, prairie dogs, grasshoppers and anfs ern prairie preserve. Only a portion of the diverse some of its grasslands, 05MP uses grazing to OSMP mixed arass communities nrovides a-uitable mate the ecolo~ical effects of the lon~-vanishe~ O Prairie dogs' grazing and burrowing create habitat for some grassland species at the expense of others.