Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

Colorado Fish and Wildlife WHO/WHERE WE ARE

Lakewood, CO: Pam Conservation Office Sponholtz, Project Lead- er; JoAnn Wise, Budget Admin AUGUST 2016 Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, CO: Krystal Phillips, Wildlife Biologist, Dustin Casady, Fish and Wildlife Biologist Partnerships & Accountability

Peterson, Schriever, Army Environmental Database – Environ- ban landscapes. The kids enjoyed and the prescribed burn site to bene- Cheyenne Mtn Air mental Quality. Clark Jones completed looking at the coyote’s teeth and fit Plains Ironweed. Force Bases, Colorado Pueblo Chemical Depot’s annual data learning about how far Canada Geese Springs, CO: Max call to update the Army’s Environ- can migrate. Integrated Natural Resources Manage- Canestorp, Wildlife mental Database – Environmental ment Plan (INRMP) updates. Max st Biologist Quality (AEDBEQ) that reports on Fish Stocking. On August 1 and Aug Canestorp worked on updating the st metrics related to Army compliance, 31 Melissa Whittingslow stocked the INRMPs for Schriever Air Force Base US Air Force Academy, US Air Force Academy Lakes with conservation, and pollution programs. (AFB) and Cheyenne Mountain Air Rainbow trout, which was sure to Colorado Springs, CO: These metrics are some of the prima- Force Station (AFS). make fishermen happy for the Labor Brian Mihlbachler, Bio- ry data sources for Congress and are Day weekend. The Academy has five Fishing Derby. There was a great turn logical Scientist; Diane collected annually at the end of each lakes on base that are open to fishing out at F. E. Warren for the Fishing Strohm, Biological Scien- fiscal year. Specific updates to the for active and retired military, military Derby! Just over 30 people showed tist; James Donahey, AEDBEQ include updates to conser- families, and their guests. up. There were fishing poles and bait vation management plans, planning Forester; Melissa Whit- available for all folks to use and, for level surveys and inventories, threat- tingslow, Wildlife Biolo- this event, people were allowed to ened and endangered species gist fish without fishing licenses. data, wetland and forestry Free burgers and hot dogs Rocky Mountain Na- acreage, as well as additional were also served. There tional Park, Estes Park, metrics related to agriculture were prizes for a number CO: Chris Kennedy, Fish and grazing outleases. of categories including Biologist SCA AmeriCorps Natural Re- "Largest fish", "Smallest source Internship. During fish", "Most fish" etc. Warren Air Force Base, August, Krystal Phillips Cheyenne, WY: Alex worked with SCA, the Ser- Integrated Natural Resource Schubert, Fish and Wild- vice Contracting Office, and Management Plan. Per the life Biologist the COFWCO Project Lead- federal Sikes Act, Krystal er, to successfully prepare continued working on the McConnell Air Force and deliver necessary docu- five (5) year tri-partite Base, Wichita, KS: ments to extend the SCA signatory major revision internship through the end of Laura Mendenhall, Fish update of the Buckley AFB January 2017, thus increasing and Wildlife Biologist INRMP and created a person-power and project Bob Fant, Brian Mihlbachler, and Lt. Col Rollman look out summation sheet of major capacity on military installa- Pueblo Chemical De- over a healthy section of riparian vegetation at USAFA. accomplishments since tions along the Front Range. pot, Pueblo, CO: Clark 2012 and major changes made to the content of the INRMP. Jones, Wildlife Biologist Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Laura USAFA Leadership Briefing. James Do- Specifically, Krystal coordinated with Mendenhall set up some taxidermy nahey and Brian Mihlbachler took the internal Air Force program personnel, displays and talked with children new CE Commander, Lt Col Rollman U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecologi- participating in the big brothers/big on a tour of the natural resource cal Services and Migratory Birds, and sisters for a day event at McConnell issues facing the Academy. Sites visit- Colorado Parks and Wildlife to re- AFB. Mendenhall focused on the ed included past watershed restora- view and update existing language. urban-wildlife interface, using a coyote tion areas along the main stem and The annual tri-partite meeting was skin and skull and Canada goose to tributaries to Monument Creek, fuels established for 21 Sept 2016. exemplify animals that have been able reduction and forest health improve- to take advantage of urban and subur- ment efforts on the west boundary, P A G E 2 More Partnerships... Innovative Invasive Species ly equal quantities of Dalmatian Control Project. The pilot toadflax coverage. The flock Sheep and a phase of the Dalmatian toad- was kept in each plot until the Dalmatian flax control/sheep grazing Dalmatian toadflax was suffi- toadflax research project was com- ciently eliminated. Electric plant pleted this month at FE War- fencing was used to keep the stripped of ren AFB. The sheep arrived sheep in place. After a few its leaves at and were attended by Uni- weeks on base, the sheep FE Warren versity of Wyoming Staff. At were done and then, reluctant- AFB. night, the sheep were kept ly, loaded back into stock on-site in a corral. About trailers, after which they were 100 sheep were used. After taken to their next destination. obtaining sufficient clearance The second phase of this re- from base officials, four 3.5 search experiment is planned acre test plots were de- to be continued in 2017. signed. Each plot had rough- Species Conservation & Management

Rocky Mountain NP Fish Popula- nights. The group successfully wildlife through the conservation Estimate. Chris Kennedy trapped one Hispid Cotton Rat tion of invertebrates and their completed mark-recapture (Sigmodon hispidus) on the third habitats. population estimate at Fern Lake night of trapping. The goal of within Rocky Mountain National trapping small mammals is to Sensitive species status determina- Park. Three hundred and thirty- establish baseline knowledge of tion. Max Canestorp confirmed nine fish were marked over five the species inhabitating 4 differ- the presence of plains ragweed days. The estimate has not been ent habitat types on base. Fol- (Ambrosia linearis), a species calculated as of yet; however, lowing this, Mendenhall will considered sensitive by the Fern Lake has a very healthy redeploy the traps in a wetland Colorado Natural Heritage cutthroat trout population with setting during the next new Program, on Schriever AFB.

“Three hundred an abundance of fish. moon. Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse and thirty-nine fish Buckley Air Force Base Natural Pollinator Short course. Clark Survey. Small mammal trapping were marked over Resource Report Reviews. Buckley Jones attended a pollinator along Crow Creek and Diamond five days[…]Fern Creek on F. E. Warren AFB was AFB contains a variety of species short course in Pueblo, Colora- completed this month. Crow Lake has a very and natural resources so in do held by the Xerces Society Creek supports the primary healthy cutthroat order to develop and periodical- and the Natural Resource Con- corridor of habitat suitable for trout population ly revise the Integrated Natural servation Service. This course Preble’s by providing stands of […]” Resource Management Plan, was designed to teach concepts biological surveys are carried willow with scattered cotton- that promote and protect polli- out to establish and update the woods, marshy areas, and her- nator populations, especially natural resources status on baceous communities character- bees, in managed settings. It BAFB. Krystal reviewed and ized by sedges, Baltic rush, and focused on best practices for provided substantial comments several grasses. Adjacent up- the creation and protection of on the following in-house re- lands support true grasslands. habitat as well as pest manage- ports in August, Songbird Re- Small mammal surveys were ment approaches that protect port, Raptor Pole Report and designed primarily to determine Monarch Butterfly Point Paper. pollinators. It also included the presence or absence of discussions on protecting and jumping mice species. As in Small Mammal Trapping. Laura promoting monarch butterfly previous years, the researchers Mendenhall, Taylor Cassidy, and populations, as well as infor- concentrated trapping efforts on Tina Seemayer (MAFB) began mation on pollinator biology, Crow Creek where suspected small mammal trapping on the economics, and field identifica- Preble’s have been most reliably airfield at McConnell AFB. The tion. The Xerces Society is an captured in the past. group deployed 40 Sherman international nonprofit organiza- traps in a grid for 3 consecutive tion whose mission is to protect

COLORADO FISH AND WI LDLIFE CONSERVATION OFFICE P A G E 3 Habitat Conservation & Management

Stormwater Projects. Brian is evaluating traps are a trial to see if they help preliminary stormwater projects iden- reduce the population of beetles in our tified and prioritized by the Monument woodlot. Creek Watershed Flood Restoration Master Plan Team. Many of the 200+ projects are either on Air Force Acad- emy property or immediately adjacent to the base. The project types include riparian restoration, stream channel stabilization/restoration, flood risk reduction, and water quality/ stormwater detention. The final project list and Master Plan will be available by November 2016. A shot of a beetle infested Noxious weed surveys. Max Canestorp tree at USAFA as taken from initiated noxious weed surveys on Austin the UAV. Fish relocation at Baca NWR. Reed, both Cheyenne Mountain AFS and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring. Chris Kenne- CSU- Schriever AFB. Canestorp mapped dy replaced water temperature loggers Pueblo Stream Vegetation Buffers. Laura Canada thistle stands on Schriever. at fifteen locations (Arrowhead, Ad- holds a Mendenhall and Taylor Cassidy com- Cassin’sams, Ypsilon, Caddis, Upper Hutche- Musk thistle control. Max Canestorp pleted a walking photographic survey of Sparrowson, Lower Hutcheson, Pear, Fern and implemented musk thistle control by the new stream buffers at McConnell capturedSpruce Lakes, Paradise (2), West, Cony removing the plants on Cheyenne AFB. Cassidy collected photos to docu- at Pueblo(2) and Ouzel Creeks) within Rocky Mountain AFS and Schriever AFB. ment plant diversity and improved ChemicalMountain NP. These loggers are de- erosion control. Mendenhall mapped Depot. ployed in cutthroat trout populations the locations of 2 invasive plant species to assess temperatures for recruitment and documented 24 native plant spe- and detect changes associated with cies, including some excellent pollinator climate change, wildfire and beetle kill. plants like Mint-leaf Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa), Common Evening Primrose Fish Passage Efforts on Baca Wildlife (Oenothera villosa) Black-eyed Susan Refuge. The National Fish Passage Pro- (Rudbeckia hirta), and Illinois Bundle- gram, a voluntary, non-regulatory initia- flower (Desmanthus illinoensis). Cassidy tive in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service located a patch of Erect Dayflowers (USFWS) provides funding and tech- (Commelina erecta), a plant that blooms nical assistance to reconnect aquatic A bountiful haul of musk for only several hours per year and is habitats. The Colorado Fish and Wild- thistle at Cheyenne Mountain considered “true blue”, a color rare life Office has been assisting Baca Wild- AFS. among flowers. It is encouraging to see life Refuge under the Fish Passage Pro- McConnell AFB hosts a variety of gram, improve habitat for Colorado Pest Management. James Donahey plants that both facilitate erosion con- native fish, Rio Grande sucker (state conducted several sweeps of the trol and provide food for native pollina- endangered), Rio Grande chub (state Academy’s road systems for bark tor insects. species of concern), fathead minnow, beetles, he also met with representa- and longnose dace, within the refuge tives of Colorado Unmanned, an Un- through their efforts to construct safer manned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) compa- barriers to allow a more efficient pas- ny who performed a trial flight of a sage for these native fish. Pam Spon- stand with their drone. In just a few holtz, USFWS, Taylor Cassidy, SCA minutes they had spotted a tree infest- AmeriCorps, and Krystal Phillips, ed with bark beetles. James Donahey USFWS spent three field days on Baca constructed and installed several Lind- Wildlife Refuge documenting and relo- gren funnel traps to trap Ips beetles in cating native warm water fish into the woodlot. The traps have a phero- other native areas to prevent injury/ mone to lure Ips beetles, and once death during the construction of three inside the beetles cannot exit. The new fish passage structures on the Erect Dayflower (Commelina refuge. erecta).

COLORADO FISH AND WI LDLIFE CONSERVATION OFFICE More Habitat Conservation & Management... P A G E 4

Wetlands Assessment. Laura number of codominant species Prescribed Fire Planning. James Mendenhall, Taylor Cassidy, and growing in the wetland jumped Donahey and Samuel Urffer con- Tina Seemayer (McConnell AFB) from 2 in 2014 to more than 7 in tinued their efforts to work on a used the California Rapid Assess- 2016. Plant codominance is a burn plan for approximately 500 ment Method to reassess 7 wet- metric in the CRAM scoring sys- acres of habitat improvement lands following 2 years of manage- tem, so improvements were docu- prescribed burns. They narrowed ment changes, including the addi- mented at several of the wetlands. the focus to grasslands or forests tion of riparian buffers. In general, Once scores are compiled, with primarily a grass understory. wetlands along the stream corri- Mendenhall will create a report to James Donahey prepared an 813 dors with newly-established ripari- distribute to several interested for the environmental review of an buffers had much greater plant parties around base. the project and worked with diversity. At one location, the Samuel to write the burn plan. Leadership in Science & Technology

Threatened Plant Survey. Bonnie NEPA Environmental Assessment. USA- lo Chemical Depot in August. Sever- Heidel of the Wyoming Natural FA Natural Resources staff meet al technicians worked to capture Diversity Database along with with a Petersen AFB contractor to prairie dogs and other small mammals “The F.E. Warren several assistants spent a week discuss scoping for a supplemental to determine if sylvatic plague vaccine surveying Colorado butterfly AFB populations of NEPA environmental assessment of distributed on prairie dog colonies plants at F. E. Warren Air Force the base’s Integrated Natural Re- earlier this summer was consumed by Base. This species is listed as Colorado Butterfly sources Management Plan. The prairie dogs and other mammals threatened under the Endangered supplemental EA will provide an within the study area. A biomarker plant are the only Species Act. The F. E. Warren improved, detailed analysis of the (Rhodamine B) within the vaccine bait AFB populations are the only populations known current program activities, and great- is used as method to determine if the populations known to occur on er opportunity for tiering and expe- federally-owned land and are animal consumed the bait. When the to occur on federally dited environmental compliance in among the largest populations in biomarker is consumed, it is incorpo- the future. -owned land[…]”. existence. This year's survey rated into the animal’s whiskers and

marks the 29th consecutive year teeth. By taking a whisker sample, Sylvatic plague vaccine study at Pueblo that these surveys have been researchers can determine if the Chemical Depot. The USGS National conducted at F. E. Warren AFB. vaccine was consumed by that partic- Wildlife Health Center continued This is the longest running dataset ular animal. their study of sylvatic plague at Pueb- gathered for the species.

Refurbished boat.

Boat Repair. Alex Schubert (FWS) and Shain Wright (DoD) got the USFWS boat operational at F. E. Warren. It has been at least a decade since the motor had been started. The boat will be useful in the future for per- forming fish surveys and water quality measurements, as well as ensuring Julie Poje and Katie Richgels (USGS) preparing to sample a that the base lakes' aerator systems desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) are functional.

COLORADO FISH AND WI LDLIFE CONSERVATION OFFICE