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Click on each Action Alert below to learn how you can help or get an update on an issue. October 4, 2005: Contact Arvada City Council Members and Mayor Ken Feldman about wildlife poisoning on Open Space using taxpayers' dollars October 3, 2005: Comment on City of Boulder permit for lethal prairie dog "control" May 1, 2005: Sign the Westminster prairie dog petition February 21, 2005: UPDATE: Foothills Community Park will install prairie dog barrier January 19, 2005: UPDATE: Boulder City Council adopts wildlife ordinance December 21, 2004: Contact Westminster city officials regarding poisoned prairie dog colonies November 26, 2004: Contact Boulder Cemetery manager regarding recent prairie dog poisonings
CONTACT ARVADA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR KEN FELDMAN ABOUT WILDLIFE POISONING ON OPEN SPACE USING TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS The city of Arvada, Mayor Ken Feldman, and the Arvada City Council approved and implemented the massive slaughter of black-tailed prairie dogs and species that inhabit their burrows, including cotton-tail rabbits, Woodhouse's toads, tiger salamanders, and thirteen-lined ground squirrels. The poisoning, which required taxpayer's money easily in excess of $50,000, occurred during the week of September 18, 2005 at one of the last wildlife corridors in Arvada. Bald eagles, golden eagles, Swainson's hawks, red-tailed hawks, prairie falcons, ferruginous hawks, and turkey vultures frequent these prairie dog colonies on Open Space. The area borders Colorado Highway 93 starting at W. 58th Avenue north to Leyden Road, encompassing approximately 10 square miles. Why
was this necessary on a piece of empty, yet wildlife-rich land in
front of Pioneer Sand and Gravel?? MAYBE
THEY KNOW: COMMENT
ON CITY OF BOULDER PERMIT FOR LETHAL PRAIRIE DOG "CONTROL" Recently, The City of Boulder received an application for lethal control of 3-10 prairie dogs on .59 acres of private property in Boulder. The public has a 60-day comment period (9/25-11/25) before the city allows the permit.
We are asking everyone who cares about Boulder's prairie dogs to take a few moments to phone or write to the city representative handling this permit application (Alice Guthrie, 303-441-1915 or guthriea@ci.boulder.co.us) saying you would like to see a non-lethal solution to this situation. The public will not be allowed to know the landowner's name or where the property is, so we can only ask that the landowner be denied the permit, and that humane relocators/ barriers or other non-lethal solutions be found.
Although a small number of animals is involved with this permit, killing prairie dogs in Boulder would undermine all the work we have to done to ensure their safety. It could open the door to more lethal control of Boulder's wildlife.
So please, let
city officials know how you feel about this. The animals appreciate
it. SIGN THE WESTMINSTER PRAIRIE DOG PETITION During the last couple of years, wildlife habitat loss on private and—most disturbing—on city-owned properties (Academy School, Jeffco Standley Lake School, Windsor Park, Cobblestone Park, park site at 115th behind Life Fellowship Church, 120th between Federal and Zuni, the northwest corner of 100th & Wadsworth) have greatly increased. These losses of our local wildlife habitat, including habitat that supports eagles, are NOT acceptable. We believe Open Space should be a safe place for ALL native wildlife and have been greatly disturbed at our city's seeming lack of interest in maintaining or providing protection for these wild residents without a voice. We believe our city has lost touch with the values we want to see represented by our local government. ALL of these animals, from the majestic bald eagle to the humble prairie dog (a keystone prairie species) are more than deserving of our protection. We have placed our trust in our city representatives and feel our interests have not been protected or adequately represented. We ask for greater
protection for our native neighbors, great and small! If you agree
with this, please sign our petition at the petition site:
UPDATE: FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PARK WILL INSTALL PRAIRIE DOG BARRIER Letter from Frank W. Bruno, Boulder City Manager: Dear Neighbor, Construction
of the barrier will begin in the next several weeks and will take
approximately six weeks to complete. The city will monitor the fence's
effectiveness throughout the year. The increase
of approximately $30,000 from the original proposal is due to the
alignment being shifted to the east and leaving both the dog park
and detention pond more vulnerable. A new treatment, welded wire
mesh, will need to be installed around the Dog Park and underground
at the detention pond. The welded wire mesh is more expensive to
install then the metal barrier. However, staff is hopeful that this
new treatment will prove effective and in the long-run might be
a more satisfactory approach to prairie dog mitigation. Again, I would
like to express my sincere gratitude for all neighbors and interested
community members who participated in this process. I truly appreciate
the opportunity to understand the full spectrum of community needs
and issues on this subject. UPDATE: BOULDER CITY CONCIL ADOPTS WILDLIFE ORDINANCE RMAD’s campaign to preserve Boulder's wildlife ordinance has finally come to a close! At the Boulder City Council meeting on 1/18/05, council members voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance that will restrict the killing of prairie dogs and will prohibit bird poisoning.
We're not ecstatic about the details, but it's workable and could've been much worse. Under the new ordinance, landowners must show proof that they have explored non-lethal options, including relocation, when they apply for a permit to kill prairie dogs on their property. The city would then start a two-month-long public comment period, during which time animal advocates including prairie dog relocators can weigh in on relocation opportunities.
At the end of the public comment period, the city manager would decide whether any of those options are realistic. If they aren't, the permit would be approved. If some relocation options might work, the application would be delayed for 12 months. In those cases, which we hope will be all cases, the prairie dogs will receive the 12-month waiting period we’ve been battling to win them. For more information, see the Daily Camera story at www.dailycamera.com/bdc/city_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2422_3481207,00.html (registration required to access the article). Huge thanks to our fearless, brilliant and charming attorney, Ty Gee, who donated his time and worked tirelessly. And huge thanks to prairie dog savior Lindsey Sterling Krank for her cheer and commitment to see this project through and help in any way.
Thanks to Dave Crawford for his thoughtful insights, help and guidance. For all of their recent hard work and critical contributions, thanks to relocation expert Susan Honeycutt and animal advocate attorneys Alan Boles and Jennifer Melton.
For consistently sticking up for our wildlife, thanks go to city council member Crystal Gray and Boulder's Environmental Advisory Board members Dan Ziskin and Randy Weiner. Thanks also to everyone else who wrote letters, attended meetings and otherwise supported this effort. It’s been unexpectedly long and frustrating, but it was a battle worth fighting for, and some prairie and winged lives will surely be saved by everyone’s efforts. Thank you!
RMAD members continue to work to protect the wildlife habitat and prairie dog colony at 28th and Jay Road in Boulder. The property owner, Palmos Development, wants to build a large "big-box" development there. Palmos must first convince the city to re-zone and annex this county property. The city has to be convinced it's "needed." We believe it's not needed and will be extremely detrimental as well. On Dec. 2, RMAD activists spoke to Boulder City Council against the development, but a large number of people spoke in favor of the development, apathetic to the destruction of wildlife and habitat that will ensue from developing the area. RMAD objects to: Habitat and
wildlife destruction Send letters! For a sample letter and council members' addresses, see below. ************************** I am very concerned about the possibility of "extending the urban growth boundary" in North Boulder, North of Jay and 28th. There is a lack of water at that site for further development, and the property is host to a large prairie dog colony. Palmos Construction has already killed thousands of Colorado's prairie dogs with developments. I am a resident of Boulder and do not want to see that happen here. I am sure many people in Boulder would agree with me. I have other concerns as well, including water use, traffic and whether Boulder wants a shopping center in that location. As I drive around town I see several vacant buildings at this time. I would rather see a shopping area placed in a location that would not extend the urban growth boundary. Thank you for considering this important matter. Sincerely, Name Please send letters to: Boulder City
Council Contact Information for Council Members CONTACT
WESTMINSTER CITY OFFICIALS REGARDING POISONED PRAIRIE DOG COLONIES Our sources tell us that both colonies have been poisoned and that hundreds of prairie dogs are sick and injured. The colony at Wadsworth & 104th also is being bulldozed. The only solution is to stop the destruction until the sick and injured animals are relocated to safety. The City of Westminster should find a suitable release site. 1. Please tell Mayor Nancy McNally that you care about prairie wildlife and you want the city to intervene immediately. Mayor Nancy
McNally 2. Please write
a letter to the editor of the Westminster Window 3. Contact Donna Nespoli if you are interested in learning more (moondog27art@yahoo.com). CONTACT
BOULDER CEMETERY MANAGER REGARDING RECENT PRAIRIE DOG POISONINGS The cemetery manager denied plans to expand or develop the field, which hosts five human graves in a far corner and lies directly east of the main cemetery. He said they poisoned to protect existing graves from prairie dog colonization. It appears that
the prairie dogs have migrated onto the cemetery property from a
nearby colony and will continue to do so. We have also documented
a handful of survivors, and a large flock of (protected) Canada
geese, who tried to walk toward the prairie dog colony while we
were there. Please call
Cemetery Manager Michael Greenwood and encourage him to: Contact Cemetery
Manager Michael Greenwood: SIGN
A PETITION TO RETURN THE BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG TO THE ENDANGERED
SPECIES CANDIDATE LIST WANT TO SEE PRAIRIE DOGS RELOCATED TO PAWNEE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS? TAKE ACTION ON THIS ALERT! (Great
info from Linn Barrett. She's done the hard part. Now it's up to
us! Please take 5 minutes and act. Thanks!) On January the 28th I met with Steve Currey and Beth Humphrey, Rangers of the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG), to discuss the possibility of relocating prairie dogs to the PNG. Mr. Currey informed me that he needs to complete an Environmental Assessment (EA) before he can make a decision to relocate prairie dogs to the PNG. Funds for the EA must be allocated into the budget by James Bedwell of the Forest Service. Unfortunately at present, Mr. Bedwell is not willing to allocate funds for an EA on the Pawnee National Grassland. Perhaps this is because Mr. Bedwell is not aware that the public WANTS an EA and wants to open the grassland to relocated prairie dogs. Let's make Mr. Bedwell aware that we care. Please use the letter below. Copy it into a word processing program, fill in your name, address, and date, print the letter, and mail it to Jim Bedwell (address is on the letter). I also have
an electronic version of a petition available, if you would like
to collect signatures. Please let me know. LETTER James S. Bedwell [Today's Date Here] Re: Request for Funding to Survey the Pawnee National Grassland Dear Mr. Bedwell, The Pawnee National Grassland contains 193,060 acres of prairie and offers ideal habitat for black-tailed prairie dogs. However at present, prairie dogs inhabit only 1,659 acres of that habitat. Surely, the Pawnee National Grassland can render more than 1,659 acres to prairie dog habitat! I write this letter to ask you to fund the completion of a Prairie Dog Management Plan for the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG). Steve Currey, District Ranger of the Pawnee National Grassland, is willing to consider relocation of prairie dogs onto the grassland but only after he has completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the entire grassland. Mr. Currey would like to complete an EA and write a Prairie Dog Management Plan to discuss management of prairie dogs on the entire Pawnee National Grassland, with relocation being a piece of that management. As you know, scientists estimate a 98%-99% decline in historic black-tailed prairie dog acreage. At the same time, the rate of land development in Colorado is steadily increasing and urban sprawl is taking its toll on the prairie dog ecosystem. Across the Great Plains, habitat destruction (including urban sprawl, coal-bed methane, and continued conversion to cropland), and prairie dog shooting and poisoning are degrading natural grassland ecosystems. Hundreds of prairie dogs are exterminated each day. Live relocation has become nearly impossible because pristine prairie acreage has become more difficult to locate. In view of this situation, the black-tailed prairie dog is clearly at risk for extirpation or worse yet, extinction! As an advocate for conservation of the black-tailed prairie dog, I turn to you for help and I ask you to open the Pawnee National Grassland to prairie dogs relocated from sites that imperil them. As the new fiscal year approaches, please allocate funds sufficient enough to allow for a thorough, grassland-wide analysis in order to determine what portions of the grassland would be suitable to receive relocated prairie dogs. Thank you. Sincerely, [Your Name and Address Here] download a Word.doc version of this letter
View or download RMAD's Prairie Dog Action Packet in PDF form and learn about many ways that you can help. To learn more about PDF docs, click here. Home
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