Category: News (Older posts)

Colorado’s Revised State Wildlife Action Plan was approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service on March 30, 2016.

cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx

Here is Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s press release:

April 6, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx

Manda Walters
CPW Communications
303-866-3203 x4608

============================================================

Colorado’s Revised State Wildlife Action Plan approved by USFWS

DENVER – The ** State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) Comprehensive Revision
(http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx) was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a March 30, 2016 memo to
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director, Bob Broscheid. The action follows an effort that spanned nearly two years and involved conservation groups, federal, state and
municipal agencies, private landowners and other stakeholders. œThe State Wildlife Action Plan is an important conservation planning tool for resource and land managers, said Broscheid. œThis revision ensures we are working with the most up-to-date and scientifically-sound information regarding Coloradohabitats and wildlife.

The action plan identifies and prioritizes ** at-risk species
(http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/SWAP/CO_SWAP_Chapter2.pdf) and ** habitats
(http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/SWAP/CO_SWAP_Chapter3.pdf) while outlining ** conservation actions
(http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/SWAP/CO_SWAP_Chapter5.pdf) that help protect and conserve the species of concern. The plan is intended to build consensus and collaboration by identifying the best conservation management practices for federal, state, municipal agencies, as well as conservation-minded non-governmental organizations and others, dedicated to conserving the state’s most vulnerable wildlife.

Approval of the SWAP by USFWS provides CPW access to $1 million in USFWS State Wildlife Grants for programs that benefit at-risk species, such as Gunnison sage-grouse, black-footed ferrets, Colorado river cutthroat trout and many others. Grant eligibility is determined based upon having an approved SWAP.

œThe revised SWAP is more strategic and precise than the previous document, said Broscheid. œPartner agencies, nonprofit groups and interested publics have, and continue to be, important contributors to this effort.

CPW revises the State Wildlife Action Plan every 10 years, as mandated by USFWS. The action plan employs a regional approach to conservation, one that takes into
consideration the complexity inherent to unique landscapes and ecosystems. In addition to the conservation strategies for priority habitats and wildlife species, the comprehensive review also addresses climate change vulnerability and an assessment on conservation of plants, two components that were not addressed in the original 2006 SWAP version.

While the SWAP is not a regulatory document, it does inform conservation priorities. The SWAP is available online at **
http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx
(http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/StateWildlifeActionPlan.aspx)

The Colorado Senate passed 16-160 on March 31, a bill that would try to impose state concurrent jurisdiction over public lands managed by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. It passed on a party line vote 18-17. While purporting to address wildlifes, the language goes much further, providing, “The jurisdictional right of the state and its political subdivisions to mitigate potential risks to life and to the public health and safety should not be fettered by an intrusive and uncooperative federal bureaucracy.” This bill is another attempt (similiar to last year which failed) to embed into law the extreme displeasure by some legislators with federal management of public lands, and therefore, to undermine management of these lands by BLM and US Forest Service.

The bill now moves to the House.

The Colorado Senate passed 16-160 on March 31, a bill that would try to impose state concurrent jurisdiction over public lands managed by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. It passed on a party line vote 18-17. While purporting to address wildlifes, the language goes much further, providing, “The jurisdictional right of the state and its political subdivisions to mitigate potential risks to life and to the public health and safety should not be fettered by an intrusive and uncooperative federal bureaucracy.” This bill is another attempt (similiar to last year which failed) to embed into law the extreme displeasure by some legislators with federal management of public lands, and therefore, to undermine management of these lands by BLM and US Forest Service.

The bill now moves to the House.

Colorado Senate Bill 16-21 would create a Public Lands Day in Colorado on the 3rd Saturday of each May. The bill passed the senate committee unanimously on February 22, 2016 and the full Senate on March 2. Now the bill moves to the House.

CWF had testified in favor of the bill in January but noted it should be amended to include state parks and wildlife areas as welll as public lands managed by federal agencies. That addition now is contained in an amendment made at the February 22 hearing. Unfortunately, another amendment includes extraneous language that, in essence, says the federal land management agencies have done a poor job of managing and regulating the public lands they manage in Colorado.

Colorado Senate Bill 16-21 would create a Public Lands Day in Colorado on the 3rd Saturday of each May. The bill passed the senate committee unanimously on February 22, 2016 and the full Senate on March 2. Now the bill moves to the House.

CWF had testified in favor of the bill in January but noted it should be amended to include state parks and wildlife areas as welll as public lands managed by federal agencies. That addition now is contained in an amendment made at the February 22 hearing. Unfortunately, another amendment includes extraneous language that, in essence, says the federal land management agencies have done a poor job of managing and regulating the public lands they manage in Colorado.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued a press release on February 5, 2016, expressing concern about impacts to wildlife in northwest Colorado from severe winter. Here is the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mike Porras
CPW NW Region PIO
970-255-6162

============================================================

Colorado Parks and Wildlife monitoring severe winter conditions, impacts to wildlife
a concern MEEKER, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers in the state’s Northwest Region say the most recent blast of snow and frigid temperatures has created conditions similar to some of the most extreme winters in the state during the past 35 years. With temperatures dropping well below zero and deep, powdered snow drifts layered over crust limiting big game’s access to available forage, CPW officials say conditions could lead to increased wildlife mortality in portions of the region unless the weather moderates significantly.

The area experiencing the most severe impacts includes Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties. Eagle, Garfield and Jackson counties have developed severe winter conditions more recently and managers in Grand and Summit counties are also expressing concern.”I’ve just returned from a tour of the area and based on what I saw, we will likely see some significant impacts to wildlife,” said CPW Regional Manager Ron Velarde. “But people need to understand that, despite how damaging conditions are right now,wildlife has been experiencing and surviving severe weather for eons without human intervention, so it’s important to have the proper perspective.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northwest Region is home to moose, mule deer, greater sage-grouse, elk, pronghorn and many other species that may be affected; however, the impact to the mule deer population is a specific concern. Over the last decade, the species has seen a continued drop in numbers in parts of Colorado and across the Western United States ** due to a variety of factors
(http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/MuleDeer/ColoradosMuleDeerStory.pdf)
.
Wildlife officials say that many species, especially deer, were in excellent physical condition heading into winter due to good moisture and the subsequent abundance of summer forage, and Western Colorado had been experiencing mild winter conditions until just before Christmas. In addition, CPW’s multi-faceted mule deer management program has been yielding positive results. Although their overall numbers are well below objective, survival rates of adult and fawn mule deer in northwestern Colorado have been very high during the last few mild winters. Nevertheless a drop in numbers where winter conditions are the most severe is expected this year. According to Area Wildlife Manager Bill de Vergie of Meeker, the severe winter has led to numerous reports of conflicts, primarily elk and deer entering private landand causing damage to haystacks and utilizing cattle feed lines. “All we can do is respond as best we can on a case-by-case basis while nature takes its course,” he said. “We can usually influence many of the threats to deer populations using a variety of management actions, but we have no control over weather. In fact it has been the the absence of severe winters and drought that has allowed the deer to obtain good health prior to this winter.”

Although wildlife managers are using limited amounts of hay and other types of feed to bait wildlife away from livestock feed grounds on private property, the agency has received numerous inquiries from the public suggesting that a large-scale feeding program be implemented to address potential starvation. “By policy, certain conditions have to be met before an emergency feeding program can be considered and we are not there yet,” said Velarde. “But what is very important for the public to understand is that, although we may see short term effects from feeding, our experience has shown that it has had limited long-term benefits overall.” Velarde adds that feeding operations in areas where chronic wasting disease has been detected, including many areas within the Northwest Region, can only be approved by the CPW Commission. It limits emergency winter feeding for mule deer to those areas where winter mortality of adult female deer is expected to exceed 30 percent. According to Senior Terrestrial Biologist Brad Petch, the agency is monitoring adult doe and fawn survival with several hundred radio-collars. In addition, CPW personnel are conducting extensive visual observations of herds and inspections of carcasses to determine body condition and cause of death. Based on current observations, mortality is less than 10 percent. “That percentage can certainly change quickly under such conditions,” said Petch. “Our personnel are keeping a very close watch on conditions and mortality, and we will continue to do so through the rest of the winter.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds the public that feeding wildlife at any time can be very detrimental to their long-term survival, in addition to being illegal. Some non-natural foods can lead to severe digestive ailments that can cause death in ungulates like mule deer and elk. Feeding concentrates wildlife, increasing thelikelihood of disease transmission. In addition, it can lead to a dependency on human-provided foods, change natural migration patterns and attract predators. “We understand that people want to help in situations like these,” said Velarde. “But feeding should only be done by professionals, if it’s done at all. If people take matters into their own hands, it will likely do more harm than good, leading to wildlife deaths, and can also result in citations and fines.” Velarde adds that the most effective way for people to help wildlife stressed by winter conditions is to limit activities on winter ranges, where deer and elk are finding shelter and foraging for what food remains available. Human-caused disturbance leads wildlife to expend critical energy necessary for survival during the coldest time of the year, he said.

To learn more about mule deer and Colorado’s effort to address their decline, see** Colorado’s West Slope Mule Deer Strategy
(http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/CO-WestSlopeMuleDeerStrategySummit.aspx)

Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued a press release on February 5, 2016, expressing concern about impacts to wildlife in northwest Colorado from severe winter. Here is the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mike Porras
CPW NW Region PIO
970-255-6162

============================================================

Colorado Parks and Wildlife monitoring severe winter conditions, impacts to wildlife
a concern MEEKER, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers in the state’s Northwest Region say the most recent blast of snow and frigid temperatures has created conditions similar to some of the most extreme winters in the state during the past 35 years. With temperatures dropping well below zero and deep, powdered snow drifts layered over crust limiting big game’s access to available forage, CPW officials say conditions could lead to increased wildlife mortality in portions of the region unless the weather moderates significantly.

The area experiencing the most severe impacts includes Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties. Eagle, Garfield and Jackson counties have developed severe winter conditions more recently and managers in Grand and Summit counties are also expressing concern.”I’ve just returned from a tour of the area and based on what I saw, we will likely see some significant impacts to wildlife,” said CPW Regional Manager Ron Velarde. “But people need to understand that, despite how damaging conditions are right now,wildlife has been experiencing and surviving severe weather for eons without human intervention, so it’s important to have the proper perspective.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northwest Region is home to moose, mule deer, greater sage-grouse, elk, pronghorn and many other species that may be affected; however, the impact to the mule deer population is a specific concern. Over the last decade, the species has seen a continued drop in numbers in parts of Colorado and across the Western United States ** due to a variety of factors
(http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/MuleDeer/ColoradosMuleDeerStory.pdf)
.
Wildlife officials say that many species, especially deer, were in excellent physical condition heading into winter due to good moisture and the subsequent abundance of summer forage, and Western Colorado had been experiencing mild winter conditions until just before Christmas. In addition, CPW’s multi-faceted mule deer management program has been yielding positive results. Although their overall numbers are well below objective, survival rates of adult and fawn mule deer in northwestern Colorado have been very high during the last few mild winters. Nevertheless a drop in numbers where winter conditions are the most severe is expected this year. According to Area Wildlife Manager Bill de Vergie of Meeker, the severe winter has led to numerous reports of conflicts, primarily elk and deer entering private landand causing damage to haystacks and utilizing cattle feed lines. “All we can do is respond as best we can on a case-by-case basis while nature takes its course,” he said. “We can usually influence many of the threats to deer populations using a variety of management actions, but we have no control over weather. In fact it has been the the absence of severe winters and drought that has allowed the deer to obtain good health prior to this winter.”

Although wildlife managers are using limited amounts of hay and other types of feed to bait wildlife away from livestock feed grounds on private property, the agency has received numerous inquiries from the public suggesting that a large-scale feeding program be implemented to address potential starvation. “By policy, certain conditions have to be met before an emergency feeding program can be considered and we are not there yet,” said Velarde. “But what is very important for the public to understand is that, although we may see short term effects from feeding, our experience has shown that it has had limited long-term benefits overall.” Velarde adds that feeding operations in areas where chronic wasting disease has been detected, including many areas within the Northwest Region, can only be approved by the CPW Commission. It limits emergency winter feeding for mule deer to those areas where winter mortality of adult female deer is expected to exceed 30 percent. According to Senior Terrestrial Biologist Brad Petch, the agency is monitoring adult doe and fawn survival with several hundred radio-collars. In addition, CPW personnel are conducting extensive visual observations of herds and inspections of carcasses to determine body condition and cause of death. Based on current observations, mortality is less than 10 percent. “That percentage can certainly change quickly under such conditions,” said Petch. “Our personnel are keeping a very close watch on conditions and mortality, and we will continue to do so through the rest of the winter.” Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds the public that feeding wildlife at any time can be very detrimental to their long-term survival, in addition to being illegal. Some non-natural foods can lead to severe digestive ailments that can cause death in ungulates like mule deer and elk. Feeding concentrates wildlife, increasing thelikelihood of disease transmission. In addition, it can lead to a dependency on human-provided foods, change natural migration patterns and attract predators. “We understand that people want to help in situations like these,” said Velarde. “But feeding should only be done by professionals, if it’s done at all. If people take matters into their own hands, it will likely do more harm than good, leading to wildlife deaths, and can also result in citations and fines.” Velarde adds that the most effective way for people to help wildlife stressed by winter conditions is to limit activities on winter ranges, where deer and elk are finding shelter and foraging for what food remains available. Human-caused disturbance leads wildlife to expend critical energy necessary for survival during the coldest time of the year, he said.

To learn more about mule deer and Colorado’s effort to address their decline, see** Colorado’s West Slope Mule Deer Strategy
(http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/CO-WestSlopeMuleDeerStrategySummit.aspx)

Colorado College released its annual State of the Rockies Project poll on January 11, 2016 finding that, “Three-in-five voters in the West reject the sale of ‘signficant holdings of public lands (60% oppose – and in Colorado 59% oppose). Just one-in-four (26%) would support this even though it was framed as having the goal to ‘reduce the budget deficit.’ ” The poll also found that, “A solid majority of voters (58%) oppose giving state government control over national public lands to allow the state to decide the future management of the lands if taxpayers have to ‘pay all the costs, including the cost of maintenance and preventing and fighting wildfires.”

Link to the Poll:

www.coloradocollege.edu/dotAsset/e8c3962b-df68-4aa9-8039-73bd379f9022.pdf

Colorado College released its annual State of the Rockies Project poll on January 11, 2016 finding that, “Three-in-five voters in the West reject the sale of ‘signficant holdings of public lands (60% oppose – and in Colorado 59% oppose). Just one-in-four (26%) would support this even though it was framed as having the goal to ‘reduce the budget deficit.’ ” The poll also found that, “A solid majority of voters (58%) oppose giving state government control over national public lands to allow the state to decide the future management of the lands if taxpayers have to ‘pay all the costs, including the cost of maintenance and preventing and fighting wildfires.”

Link to the Poll:

www.coloradocollege.edu/dotAsset/e8c3962b-df68-4aa9-8039-73bd379f9022.pdf

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved the agency’s strategic plan at its meeting on November 19, 2015. CWF had made extensive comments in April in advance of a plan draft and again in September as to the draft plan.

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/About/StrategicPlan/2015CPWStrategicPlan-11-19-15.pdf