HomeMy WebLinkAbout20053410.tiff RESOLUTION
RE: EXPRESSION OF CONCERN REGARDING RELOCATION OF PRAIRIE DOG
COLONIES TO PAWNEE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS PROPERTY NEAR NEW
RAYMER, COLORADO
WHEREAS,the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to
Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of
administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and
WHEREAS,the Halter prairie dog colony is located on 142 acres of Federal land and 20
acres of land owned by Mary Kanode, and the Sumner prairie dog colony is located on 337 acres
of Federal land and 86 acres of land owned by Charlotte Norgren, Lendyl Walker and Jay Littlefield,
and
WHEREAS,the Board of County Commissioners has been informed that the U.S. Forest
Service has determined, contrary to the Board's desires, not to poison said colonies, but will
relocate the colonies to Pawnee National Grasslands property near New Raymer, Colorado, and
WHEREAS, according to an article, "The Prairie Dog Story: Do We Have It Right?,"
published in the July, 2004, issue of BioScience, Vol. 54, Number 7, pp. 689-695, by Lance T.
Vermeire, Rod K. Heitschmidt, Patricia S. Johnson, and Bok F. Sowell,there exists substantial
evidence to support the conclusion that prairie dog colonies can reduce carrying capacity for
livestock, with the amount of reduction varying dependent upon habitat type, prairie dog density,
colony age and the proportion of area colonized, and
WHEREAS,according to the article, "Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage- 1994,"
prairie dogs feed on many of the same grasses and forbs that livestock feed on, and their burrows
increase soil erosion and are a potential threat to livestock, machinery,and horses with riders;said
article being written and published by the Cooperative Extension Division, Institute of Agriculture and
Natural Resource, University of Nebraska- Lincoln; the United States Department of Agriculture,
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control; and the Great Plains
Agricutlural Council, Wildlife Committee, and
WHEREAS,the Board wishes to express its concern that said prairie dog colonies, once
relocated and if not contained,will allow proliferation of the prairie dogs in areas which will increase
the likelihood of migrations to adjacent properties where damage like that described above may
occur.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld
County,Colorado,that it hereby expresses its concem that said prairie dog colonies,once relocated
and if not contained, will allow proliferation of the prairie dogs in areas which will increase the
likelihood of migrations to adjacent properties where damage like that described above may occur.
2005-3410
BC0035
00 1 eA , wq-P la-ae-oc—
RE: EXPRESSION OF CONCERN REGARDING PRAIRIE DOGS
PAGE 2
The above and foregoing Resolution was,on motion duly made and seconded,adopted by
the following vote on the 23rd day of November, A.D., 2005.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
I . / t WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
ATTEST: aidi'/ -;A , 4
� d C Fliam H. erke, Chairman
Weld County Clerk to the - ''e
. i e, o-Tem
BY: , .L.L..� Q r '� `:: �:w✓
Dtiputy CI1k to the Bo- ,• _ .1
Da yµ E. Lo‘
%ney
Rsdeni
lenn Vaad
Date of signature: 11(446
2005-3410
BC0035
teas United States Forest Pawnee 660"O"Street
Department of Service National Grasslands Greeley,CO 80631
Agriculture Voice: (970)346-5000 TDD: (970)346-5015
Web: www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf
Fax: (970)346-5014
File Code: 1950/2620
Date: November 10, 2005
WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
P.O. BOX 758
GREELEY CO 80632
Dear Gentlemen:
Proposed Action
The Pawnee National Grassland (PNG) of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests is
requesting your comments on a proposal to relocate three prairie dog towns to alternate locations
on the Grassland. Relocation is being considered for prairie dog towns located in the Halter
Allotment in the Crow Valley Unit; the Sumner, Box, and Rim Allotments, and the Fiscus
Allotment in the Pawnee Unit. The prairie dogs would be moved to two large unoccupied towns
in the West Stoneham Allotment located within the Pawnee Unit (see attached map).
The prairie dog colony on the Halter Allotment (Township 10 North, Range 64 West, Section
30) is approximately 142 acres in size, the Sumner, Box and Rim Allotment(T. 8 N., R. 58 W.,
Sections 14 and 23) colony is approximately 337 acres in size, and the Fiscus Allotment (T. 8 N.,
R. 58 W., Section 27) colony is approximately 180 acres in size. All prairie dogs on these
colonies would be trapped and moved by professional wildlife relocators to the two towns on the
West Stoneham Allotment.
Purpose and Need
Relocation of prairie dogs is needed to alleviate concerns from adjacent landowners that prairie
dogs from the PNG are moving onto adjacent private lands. Concerns are related to resource
damage, primarily loss of forage for livestock and damage to soils, and concerns with prairie
dogs digging in a nearby cemetery. These issues would be resolved in these areas if relocation of
prairie dogs was done.
As a result of a dramatic increase in the acreage of black-tailed prairie dog colonies on the PNG
over the last six years, concerns from adjacent private landowners and local ranchers have
become increasingly evident. Expansion of prairie dog colonies onto private lands has occurred
on several towns, with hundreds of acres becoming established over a relatively short period of
time in some areas. This expansion of prairie dog colonies has not been seen within the past
century and is looked upon as a threat to forage resources by ranchers and private landowners.
Ranchers and adjacent landowners have asked the PNG to take responsibility for expansion of
these towns onto their private lands.
p -
Caring for the Land and Serving People 2005-3410
(7n CAL
The PNG has maintained the position that as "a good neighbor", it would take responsibility for
expansion of prairie dogs onto adjacent private lands with a long-term goal of completing a
District-wide management plan for black-tailed prairie dogs on the PNG. This plan would
address more than encroachment onto adjacent lands, providing a project-level, site-specific
evaluation of black-tailed prairie dog management actions on the Grassland. This plan is
scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2006. As an interim measure, the PNG is
proposing to address key areas where prairie dog encroachment from the Grassland onto adjacent
private lands is occurring by relocating the three prairie dog colonies described above.
Request for Comments
At this time, the Pawnee National Grassland requests your response to this proposal. Comments
must be specific to relocation of prairie dogs from the Halter, Sumner, and Fiscus Allotments to
the West Stoneham Allotment. Please provide your comments by November 25, 2005. Address
your comments to:
Steve Currey,District Ranger
Pawnee National Grassland
660 O Street
Greeley,Colorado 80631
We appreciate your interest in the management of black-tailed prairie dogs on the Pawnee
National Grassland and hope you take advantage of this opportunity to submit your comments on
this proposal. If you have any questions,please call Steve Currey or Beth Humphrey at (970)
346-5000.
Sincerely,
j 4 G Piri PL �J}& __
STEVEN R. CURREY
District Ranger
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