HomeMy WebLinkAbout20060211.tiff United States Forest Pawnee 660"O"Street
Department of Service National Greeley,CO 80631-3033
V Agriculture Grassland (970)353-5004
File Code: 1950/2620
Date: January 4, 2006
WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
P.O. BOX 758
GREELEY, CO 80632
Dear Gentlemen:
On November 10th I mailed a letter requesting comments on my proposal to relocate three prairie
dog towns to alternate locations on the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG). Relocation was
being considered for prairie dog towns located in the Halter Allotment in the Crow Valley Unit,
the Sumner, Box, and Rim Allotments in the Pawnee Unit, and the Fiscus Allotment in the
Pawnee Unit. I was considering moving the prairie dogs to two large, unoccupied towns in the
West Stoneham Allotment.
Relocation of the prairie dogs was needed to alleviate concerns from adjacent landowners that
prairie dogs are moving from the PNG onto adjacent private land. The main concerns were
related to resource damage, primarily the loss of forage for livestock, and damage to soils, and
concerns with prairie dogs digging in a nearby cemetery.
I have decided to not do the prairie dog relocation. My decision is based on the following:
• The concerns of adjacent landowners that prairie dogs are moving from the PNG onto
private land have been alleviated or reduced due to an outbreak of plague.
• The prairie dog towns in the Sumner, Box, and Rim allotments have experienced
an outbreak of plague, which has nearly eliminated the prairie dog population in
these towns.
• The prairie dog population density in the Halter town has reduced by about 50-
60% in the past couple of months. We suspect that plague may be the reason for
the reduction in prairie dog numbers on the Halter Town, and we are working
with Mike Antolin from Colorado State University to verify this.
• Plague research being conducted by Mike Antolin indicates that the most likely
town to plague next is the prairie dog town in the Fiscus Allotment.
2006-0211
/� Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recyde0 Paper
( Chm .�/Csiztt S
• The relocation would have severely impacted several aspects of Mike Antolin's plague
research on the PNG.
• Mike has been conducting plague research on the PNG for many years, and this
research is providing valuable information that will be used in the future
management of prairie dogs on the PNG. I do not want the proposed relocation to
negatively affect this research.
• I would like to allow the public more time to consider, and comment on the topic of
prairie dog relocation.
• The topic of relocation elicits great passion from those both in favor of and
opposed to relocation. I would like more dialog to occur on this subject.
I am committed to the long term management of prairie dogs on the PNG, therefore I am moving
forward to complete a Grassland-wide Prairie Dog Management Plan for the black tailed prairie
dog on the PNG. This plan will address more than encroachment of prairie dogs onto adjacent
lands. Some of the topics the plan will address are relocation, plague,poisoning, fencing,
incentives, and prairie dog acreage numbers. I'd like to finish the plan by the end of December,
2006.
I appreciate your interest in the management of black-tailed prairie dogs on the PNG and I will
keep you informed and solicit your involvement as I move forward with the Prairie Dog
Management Plan in 2006.
Sincerely,
$ r
i.STEVEN R. CURREY
District Ranger
Hello