Category: News (Older posts)

On January 16, 2024 Governor Polis, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) announced the regional partnerships that are grant recipients for the fall 2023 round of support funding. The Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative began in 2021.The grant awardees are: Eastern Grasslands Coalition (a new regional partnership), NoCoPlaces, Outside 285 in which CWF actively participates, Spanish Peaks Outdoor Coalition (a new regional partnership), and Summit County Outdoor Coalition. Congratulations to these regional partnerships! With the addition of the two new regional partnerships listed above, there are now 18 in our state. Here is the press release that provides details as to the counties within each of these regional partnerships and the amounts of the grants. Regional Partnerships Initiative Grants

On January 3, 2024 Colorado Governor Polis and the Department of Natural Resources have issued the pollinator report, “Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study: highlighting pollinators’ ecological role in Colorado, protecting our pollinators and natural beauty.”

Here is the link to the report that was required by legislation in 2023 SB 22-199, Native Pollinating Insects Protection Study.”   Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced on December 22 that it has released the second gorup  of 5 gray wolves from Oregon into Colorado. All 10 were released onto state-owned public lands in Grand and Summit Counties.

Here is the press release 

On December 18, 2023 Colorado Parks and Wildlife released the initial five gray wolves into Colorado. This release onto state-owned public lands in Grand County has begun in accordance with Proposition 114 which required releases to begin by December 31 of this year. Pursuant to an agreement with Oregon, Colorado may capture up to 10 wolves from that state. The releases on December 18 were of wolves captured in Oregon. Below is CPW’s news release that provides detail, and below that is a link to the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan which we had posted upon its adoption by the Parks and Wildlife Commission earlier this year.

CPW news

CPW Wolf Restoration and Management Plan

Check out the full December 2023 Newsletter here.

BLM has scheduled public meetings for the draft Big Game Habitat Resource Management Plan. Please participate at the in-person or virtual meetings.

Virtual meetings: December 11  5:00-7:00 pm MST and December 18 1:00 – 3:00 pm MST

In person meetings:

Durango December 7   5:00-7:00 pm MST – Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave., Durango 81301

Craig  December 13  5:00-7:00 pm MST – Pavilion, 750 E. 4th Street, Craig 81625

Rifle December 14  5:00 – 7:00 pm MST – Hampden Inn, 715 Megan Ave., Rifle 81650

To register for the virtual or in-person meetings go to this link 

CWF will develop its written comments points this month. If you wish to discuss, contact us at cwfed@coloradowildlife.org.

Deadline for public comments to BLM is February 7, 2024. Comments can be made electronically at the BLM project website  https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY , at a public meeting (orally or on cards that BLM distributes) or via mail. Mailing address is BLM Colorado State Office, Attn: Big Game Corridor Amendment/EIS, Denver Federal Center, Building 40, Lakewood, CO, 80225.

Earlier:

On November 9, 2023 the Bureau of Land Management published its Colorado draft Big Game Habitat Resource Management Plan.

Here is the press release from TRCP, CWF and BHA:

Hunters, Anglers, and Other Wildlife Conservationists Ready to Ensure Colorado Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, and Bighorn Sheep Habitats Are Conserved and Enhanced Statewide

Draft plan provides opportunity for BLM and Colorado to synchronize oil and gas leasing, permitting, development, and mitigation protocols within high priority big game habitat

 (Denver, CO)”Today, the Colorado Bureau of Land Management published their Draft Big Game Corridors Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement. Colorado BLM lands are popular for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and many other forms of recreation. These millions of acres are also critical for the long-term survival of Colorado’s wildlife.

The continued health of migratory big game populations depends on their ability to move between suitable habitats seasonally, year after year. Of the 8.4 million surface acres of BLM-managed public land in Colorado, millions of acres constitute high-priority seasonal and migratory habitats for big game animals such as elk, mule deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep, and these high priority habitats are managed under 16 separate land use plans. This Plan Amendment offers a pathway for BLM to create a standardized approach across relevant field offices that facilitates responsible oil and gas development to avoid the highest value habitats for big game wherever possible, and minimize and mitigate direct, indirect, and cumulative adverse impacts to those species in areas where they cannot be entirely avoided.

The Draft Plan Amendment’s action alternatives direct BLM to consider alternative locations for oil and gas operations to either avoid impacts to specified high priority habitat where feasible or minimize adverse impacts through surface disturbance limitations, and/or by paying for compensatory mitigation to offset disturbance, habitat loss, or habitat degradation. It would also prohibit surface occupancy and surface disturbance within bighorn sheep production areas and within 0.5 miles of CPW-mapped big game highway crossings and migratory pinch points.

Our organizations urge the BLM to incorporate into the final plan and analysis additional conservation and mitigation measures and a more comprehensive analysis of up-to-date science on the impacts of BLM’s range of programs and land uses on deer, elk, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. We look forward to completing an in-depth analysis of this draft plan and engaging during the comment process to advocate for BLM oil and gas management that works seamlessly with the State of Colorado’s regulatory system, and effectively avoids and actively reduces direct, indirect, and cumulative adverse impacts to Colorado’s iconic big game herds.

œThe BLM should ensure strong conservation and mitigation protocols are included in their Final EIS and Plan Amendment to ensure they’re consistently conserving and restoring key remaining big game habitats according to current data and science, while still allowing for economic activity on BLM land, said Liz Rose, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s Colorado field representative.

This is an important opportunity for the BLM and State of Colorado to better synchronize oil and gas leasing and permitting to provide more consistent and efficient cross-jurisdictional processes and successful conservation of habitats most important for the long-term viability of big game populations in the state. Currently, companies that seek to develop oil or gas resources on BLM-managed land in Colorado must complete federal leasing and permitting processes that differ from one BLM field office to the next, and which may differ significantly from requirements issued through individual county permitting processes. This is on top of a state permitting process administered by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission.

œBy updating BLM plans with the best available science and management practices and providing more regulatory consistency across the state, the BLM can better conserve Colorado’s iconic big game species, while supporting the responsible use of Colorado BLM lands and resources, said Bryan Jones, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ coordinator for Colorado and Wyoming.

œColorado Wildlife Federation appreciates that 13 of BLM’s resource management plans in Colorado would be amended under its action alternatives, said Suzanne O’Neill, Colorado Wildlife Federation’s executive director. œWe favor closing those big game high priority habitats to new leasing that have only low, moderate or no-known oil and gas development potential. We continue to be disappointed that BLM has declined in this amendment process to address future siting and management of recreational and renewable energy development to reduce harm to big game habitats and connectivity.

The BLM’s original goals for this Plan Amendment were œto evaluate oil and gas program and other management decisions across existing BLM Colorado RMPs to promote conservation of big game corridors and other important big game habitat on BLM-administered land and minerals in Colorado. While the Draft Plan Amendment would update the science and management practices in BLM’s oil and gas planning and management processes, other land uses outside of the scope of this plan amendment also have significant impacts on the survival of big game species – such as roads, renewable energy development and authorized and unauthorized recreational trail use. If not properly managed, these activities will continue to pose significant threats to big game species and their habitats. We encourage the BLM and the State of Colorado to address these other management challenges on BLM lands while the Plan Amendment process for oil and gas advances.

Today’s publication of the Draft Big Game Corridors Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement kicks off a 90-day public comment period that will close on February 6, 2024.

SIGNED:  

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Colorado Wildlife Federation

CONTACT:  

Liz Rose, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Colorado field representative, lrose@trcp.org

Bryan Jones, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, chapter coordinator (CO, WY), jones@backcountryhunters.org

Suzanne O’Neill, Colorado Wildlife Federation, executive director, cwfed@coloradowildlife.org

The Summit was very good October 16-17 and so we want to share the highlights written by Kara van Hoose of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. CWF participates in the Wildlife and Transportation Alliance. Wildlife & Transportation Summit highlights the successes of recent policies and projects

Oct. 18, 2023   2023 Fall Wildlife on the Move: Wildlife & Transportation Summit highlights the successes of recent policies and projects   CASTLE ROCK, Colo. ” As snow storms begin to develop in the high country, big game herds will move to lower elevations seeking vegetation and water sources. These movements across Colorado’s terrain mean wildlife will be crossing roads and highways more frequently as they push toward their winter ranges.  Motorists need to be more diligent when driving, especially between dusk and dawn, when wildlife-vehicle collisions are more likely to occur. While motorists can make a difference by being more conscientious when driving, the Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Alliance is also working to resolve conflict between animals and vehicles. This week, the Alliance brought together like-minded partners from several agencies, municipalities, tribes and organizations at the 2023 Wildlife & Transportation Summit held in Douglas County. œIt was exciting to see the diverse partners come together and hear about their interests, passions and commitments to help the state of Colorado address the drastically high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions, said Dan Gibbs, executive director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. œLet’s harness the energy in this room to continue to identify opportunities for projects and hone in on the highway sites that will best benefit from mitigation features like overpasses, underpasses and high wildlife fencing. A highlight of this year’s summit was a field trip to two of several wildlife underpasses recently built along the Interstate 25 corridor between Colorado Springs and Castle Rock. œPrior to these wildlife features being built and included in the I-25 Gap project a few years ago, this was one of the last areas remaining on the front range where we could connect large animal movements from the plains, across this corridor, to the Rocky Mountains, explained Chuck Attardo, CDOT I-25 South Corridor Environmental Manager.  œSo this I-25 corridor is the link right here, it was an important missing piece. This is where we absolutely had to enhance the highway system for the benefit of big game and small mammals to maintain their movements from prairies to mountains, while at the same time reducing animal hits. Aside from the site visit, the summit also included educational and informational presentations which reinforced the benefits of federal and state initiatives aimed at improving safety for wildlife and motorists and improving habitat connectivity. In the six years since the first Wildlife & Transportation Summit in 2017, the Alliance is proud of the progress those initiatives have made in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Policies and initiatives include the 2018 U.S. Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order to improve the quality of big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat, a 2019 Executive Order by Colorado Governor Polis to conserve Colorado’s big game winter range and migration corridors, a Memorandum of Understanding between CDOT and CPW aimed at increasing collaboration and coordination between the two agencies and the 2022 CO Senate Bill 151 which created the state’s first wildlife mitigation fund for wildlife crossing projects. œIt’s critical to demonstrate to our federal and state leaders the incredibly beneficial impact these initiatives have on safe passage for people and wildlife, said Michelle Cowardin, Wildlife Movement Coordinator for CPW. œOur goal is to capitalize on the momentum of these recent measures and to continue to identify the needs, gaps, and opportunities for long-term and proactive approaches to maintain healthy wildlife populations  in Colorado and at the same time build successful partnerships at local, state, and federal levels. The two-day Summit wrapped up with a discussion on what’s next for wildlife and transportation in Colorado. In addition to seeking additional funding for the Wildlife Mitigation Fund created by Senate Bill 151, the Alliance was encouraged to continue to support implementation of on-the-ground projects. Participants highlighted the need to build on work with partners, specifically with county decision-makers who can help the Alliance achieve its goals at the local level. Wildlife stakeholders in attendance at the summit were individuals from several local municipalities and counties, state and federal agencies including CDOT, CPW, Federal Highways Administration, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. As well, representatives from the fields of academia, nonprofits, and engineering also participated in the summit. # # #  About CDOT The Colorado Department of Transportation’s mission is to provide the best multi-modal transportation system that most effectively and safely moves people, goods and information. CDOT maintains more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,400 bridges and 35 mountain passes. Our team of employees works tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. CDOT leverages partnerships with a range of private and public organizations and operates Bustang, an interregional express bus service. Learn more about CDOT’s Wildlife Program. About Colorado Wildlife Transportation Alliance  The Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Alliance was formed as a result of the 2017 Wildlife and Transportation Summit in Silverthorne. In 2018, the Alliance was established as a statewide partnership between the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), federal, tribal, academic, nonprofit, biologist, and engineering partners. The Alliance’s mission is to provide safe passage for people and wildlife in Colorado. Media Contacts: Kara Van Hoos‹e, CPW Northeast Region Public Information Officer 303-829-7143, Kara.VanHoose@state.co.us  Lisa Schwantes, CDOT Southwest Regional Communications Manager 970-749-2015, Lisa.Schwantes@state.co.us PHOTO CUTLINES: Top left: Traffic zooms by on I-25 near Castle Rock, above wildlife underpasses as attendees of the 2023 Wildlife & Transportation Summit make their way under the structures. Top right: The damp ground near the I-25 wildlife underpass shows evidence of the crossing being used safely by both big game and small mammals. Bottom left: When natural cover is limited in wildlife habitat, brush piles (or windrow features) are built to provide habitat connectivity. Bottom right: Tree limbs and branches assembled into brush piles create safe cover for small mammals, reptiles and amphibians when natural vegetation is limited.

On October 6, 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that it will reintroduce its initial source population of gray wolves from Oregon.  Proposition 114 requires reintroduction beginning by December 31, 2023. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Game and Fish entered into a one-year agreement in which Oregon will supply up to 10 gray wolves for reintroduction into Colorado. Below is the Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release.

CPW news release 

The Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) approved unanimously Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) high priority habitat maps at its rulemaking hearing on October 5, 2023. The particular maps in this year’s maps rulemaking are big game in the northeast region (of CPW) and statewide grouse and raptor maps. CWF was a party to the rulemaking proceedings in conjunction with TRCP, Audubon and BackCountry Hunters and Anglers. We all were represented pro bono by Joro Walker of Western Resource Advocates. We are pleased with the ECMC Commissioners remarks as to the detailed process CPW follows in developing its maps.

Testimony for CPW was provided by Dr. Karen Voltura and Shannon Schaller. TRCP’s Jon Holst testified for our groups as to the practices followed by CPW for developing their high priority habitat maps when he had formerly served as its southwest energy liaison.

Next year’s rulemaking will address the northwest region High Priority Habitat updated maps for big game.

Great news! Vail Town Council voted 5-2 on October 3 to acquire the bighorn sheep essential severe winter range in East Vail. The price is approximately $17.5 million for the 23-acre parcel.

Earlier this year, Eagle County District Court Chief Judge had granted the Town of Vail immediate possession of the parcel following a lengthy dispute with Vail Resorts, ruling that the Town has authority to condemn the parcel “for a public use and purpose” and that there “is a necessity to acquire the subject property for that public use or purpose.” This small parcel is severe winter range for the bighorn sheep herd. The Town’s petition in condemnation filed in October 2022 culminated in a three-day hearing in May. The outcome flowed from a long dispute that began a few years ago before the Town’s Planning and Environmental Commission, and progressed to Town Council twice. The second time, in May of 2022, the Council voted to condemn the Booth Heights parcel as negotiations with Vail Resorts were unsuccessful. Vail Resorts had intended to construct housing there in the face of expert opinion by three highly credible independent wildlife biologists (two of whom had retired from CPW and one had retired from the US Forest Service as its bighorn sheep expert) that were repeated multiple times during the process. Of course, Vail needs additional affordable housing, no one has disputed that need, and the Town had urged Vail Resorts to consider alternative building sites. The issue was the critical location of this small parcel of severe winter range. Severe winter range, defined by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, is that part of the winter range where 90% of the individual animals are located when the annual snowpack is at its maximum and/or temperatures are at a minimum in the two worst winters out of 10. The Town is required to make a deposit of $12 million and in September the District Court will hold a hearing to determine compensation to Vail Resorts for the parcel.

During the past several years CWF had participated in Town of Vail hearings before its Planning and Environmental Commission and before the Town Council in favor of conserving the parcel for the herd’s necessary severe winter range. CWF also had submitted an amicus curie brief in an earlier lawsuit before the court. We are very pleased with the Court’s order. For more information, read the piece in the Vail Daily.