HomeMy WebLinkAbout20011701.tiff 4 OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
res915 STREET
P.O.O. BOX 758 758
file
GREELEY, COLORADO 80632
WEBSITE: www.co.weld.co.us
PHONE: (970) 356-4000,
4200
(970)FAX: 352-0242
COLORADO
June 18, 2001
Robert M. Zebroski
Soil Conservation Service
1313 Sherman Rm. 219
Denver, CO 80203
Nick Hoban, District Manager
West Greeley Soil Conservation District
4302 W 9th St. Rd.
Greeley, CO 80634
Re: Response to Conversation of June 4, 2001, Regarding Black-Tailed Prairie
Dog/Shortgrass Prairie Voluntary Incentives Program
Dear Messrs. Zebroski and Hoban:
The Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, wishes to thank you for
your presentation on on June 4, 2001, regarding the Colorado Division of Wildlife's proposed
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog/Shortgrass Prairie Voluntary Incentives Program.
Although we understand the intended purpose of the program is to avoid the listing of the
black-tailed prairie dog on the Federal list of threatened species, the Board does not wish to
avoid or compromise its responsibility to hear and consider the approval or disapproval of
intra-county transfers of prairie dogs,pursuant to C.R.S. § 35-7-203. The same goes for
inter-county transfers, pursuant to the current Division of Wildlife policy of requiring county
commissioner approval prior to transfer.
If you should have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to call me at(970) 356-
4000, ext. 4200, or Bruce T. Barker, Weld County Attorney, at(970) 356-4000, ext. 4390.
Sincerely,
BOARD Co, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
M.J. Geile, Chair
pc: Clerk to the Board
0O7. j Q Bruce T. Barker
�1Z 2001-1701
Co/ac/D/
STATE OF COLORADO
Bill Owens, Governor i}
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES GOO
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE s o ;�
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ^! I ;,I r,. .� J, a 4W
Russell George, Director N0pv1�
6060 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80216 �L�,, For Wildlife-
,.(303) 297-1192 For People
June 11, 2001
Jo Ann Bantin
2542 171° Ave Ct.
Greeley, CO 80631
Dear Ms. Bantin
Thank you for your letter regarding Prairie Dog relocation in the Greeley Area. As the Front Range
continues to grow, management of prairie dogs becomes more important. I appreciate your concerns
about extermination of prairie dogs and your efforts to find a suitable relocation site.
The Division of Wildlife is currently engaged in both long-term large-scale and short-term localized
management and relocation efforts to ensure that healthy, viable populations of black-tailed prairie
dogs continue to exist in Colorado. I will attempt to address both of these long and short-term
efforts.
Since the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service designation, significant efforts have been made at the
Division. For the larger long-term work here in Colorado, the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the
Colorado Wildlife Commission have taken strides to protect and restore this species as well as many
other species. For instance, a Department of Natural Resources study indicates that black-tailed
prairie dogs occupy approximately 214,000 acres east of the Continental Divide; the recreational
shooting season has been closed for the species; and wildlife regulations have been changed to clarify
and strengthen our relocation policy. Also, the Division of Wildlife has assembled a group of
stakeholders to develop an incentives program, which will protect black-tailed prairie dogs and
associated species on private lands. Representative from the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, the
Colorado Farm Bureau, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the National Wildlife Federation,
the Boulder Nature Association, the farming/ranching community, the Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife are involved in this effort. The Division will also
be working to develop a comprehensive, multifaceted, strategic management plan for black-tailed
prairie dogs. The approach will be centered around the conservation of short grass prairie ecosystem,
with an emphasis on black-tailed prairie dogs and associated species.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg E.Walther, Executive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Rick Enstrom, Chair•Robert Shoemaker, Vice-Chair•Marianna Raftopoulos, Secretary
l7ccizi a' e.orieb Members, Bernard Black•Tom Burke•Philip James• Brad Phelps •Olive Valdez
O/ Ex-Officio Members, Greg E.Walther and Don Ament
Since black-tailed prairie dogs are animals of the Eastern Plains, successful long-term, large-scale
management will ultimately depend on the cooperation of private landowners, local county board of
commissioners and voluntary landowner incentive programs.
For the more localized short-term efforts, state law has empowered our agency to issue permits to
persons wishing to trap and relocate prairie dogs, however other state laws must be followed as well.
The relocation of any wildlife species is often times very complex and difficult. When moving animals
from one geographic location to another, many hurdles--sometimes biological, sometimes legal, and
sometimes political-must be addressed. These hurdles certainly exist for the black-tailed prairie dog.
As you may have found out, it can be very difficult to find land on which to relocate black-tailed
prairie dogs. Permission from the receiving landowner is always required. Concerns from adjoining
landowners and communities are also very valid considerations. Furthermore, the biological
requirements of the black-tailed prairie dogs place additional constraints on relocating the species.
Through the help of local district wildlife managers, area wildlife biologists, local governments and
private citizens, we were able to successfully approve approximately 30 relocation permits for black-
tailed prairie dogs last year in the Northeast portion of the state alone.
Banner Lakes State Wildlife Area currently is not prepared to accept relocated prairie dogs. Habitat
work has been initiated through the planting of native, warm season grass communities that may be
suitable to sustain prairie dogs three to five years from now.
I urge you to continue to encourage and support the efforts of the Division of Wildlife and all of the
many partners from the agricultural community as well as the environmental organizations you speak
of in your letter who share a genuine desire to protect and manage prairie dogs. Thank you for your
continued interest in the protection and management of Colorado's wildlife.
S' ce ly,
Russell George
Director
cc: S. Norris
S. Hoover
J. Goodyear
Weld County Board of County Commissioners
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