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Roaring Fork Watershed Measures of Conservation Success he Roaring Fork Watershed is an important T tributary to the Colorado River. It supports large areas of intact riparian forests and wetlands, as well as sensitive aquatic species such as the boreal toads and Colorado River cutthroat trout. An area in need of habitat protection and restor- ation, the Roaring Fork Watershed has been identified by The Nature Conservancy and its partners as a priority landscape for conservation efforts. This document describes the work that these conservation partners are doing to conserve this important area. Our Conservation Vision The Roaring Fork Watershed is a spectacular landscape and outstanding biological jewel. In the future, it will continue to sustain healthy rivers and streams along with the natural processes that support them. The watershed’s rivers and streams will continue to support populations of globally significant native plants and animals, including Colorado River cutthroat trout, boreal toad, black swift, and willow hawthorn. Roaring Fork residents, decision-makers, land managers, and visitors will take pride in and be inspired to work together to protect and, where needed, restore the rivers, streams, riparian communities, and associated species, thereby maintaining the many ecological services that the watershed provides. Roaring Fork Watershed Science guides our work in the information, when available, Project Area Roaring Fork Watershed. This docu- empowers people from all walks of ment highlights several key features life to discuss, interact, and consider of the riparian and aquatic biodiver- alternative ways of acting on behalf sity in the Roaring Fork Watershed, of nature. Nothing could be more the challenges to their successful fundamental to fostering a high conservation, and means of meas- standard of sustainable living and uring the progress toward effective successful conservation than having conservation. The project planning objective status information to process used to generate this report inform individual and group was developed by The Nature decisions. The Nature Conservancy Conservancy based on 50-years offers this informative report in the Map experience in conservation. To fulfill hope that it will inspire you to take To Come our long-term vision and achieve our a strong interest in the ecological goals, the Conservancy employs an health of the roaring Fork integrated conservation process Watershed. Good decisions about called Conservation by Design. This the future will depend on it. living process identifies the key Conservation Planning places where conservation needs to occur (or will be most successful), The Conservancy uses conservation develops strategies, involves taking plans to develop site-specific action, and measures success of conservation strategies and prepare efforts and outcomes. This process is for taking action and measuring adaptable over time and uses the success. These plans follow what measures of success to stimulate we call the 5-S Framework: continued thinking and actions for N SYSTEMS. The conservation Ecoregions conservation. planning team, which included Southern Rocky Mountains Conservation by Design experts from local, state, and n federal agencies and private Utah High Plateau Through Conservation by Design, a conservation organizations, n common vision is created to ensure Colorado Plateau identifies the species and natural the long-term survival of native n communities that will be the species and natural communities. focus of conservation for the This process focuses attention on area. To do so, biodiversity lists key issues including the biodiversity developed during the ecoregional status, degree of threats and progress assessment are modified to toward conservation success. Such include site-specific priorities. Roaring Fork River Photo © TBD CO060712_D053.jpg 2 N STRESSES. The team determines N SITUATION. An understanding of Key Conservation Targets how ecological systems are compro- the cultural, political and economic mised; by habitat reduction or situation behind the threats is RARE ANIMALS fragmentation, or by changes in the essential for developing sound N Colorado River cutthroat trout number or type of species, or by strategies. This human context is N Boreal toad alteration of ecological processes often referred to as the sixth “S”. N Black swift such as fire and hydrology. Bald eagle winter roosts Site Description N SOURCES. The team will then iden- Brown-capped rosy finch N The Roaring Fork Watershed is a large, N tify and rank the causes, or sources, relatively intact landscape, located in (in alpine) of stress for each ecological system western Colorado. The Roaring Fork N Canada lynx habitat or key species. The analysis of River is one of the largest tributaries stresses and sources together make RARE PLANTS of the Colorado River. Much of the up the threat assessment. Willow hawthorn headwaters is managed by the US N N Canyon bog orchid N STRATEGIES. An important step in Forest Service and supports several the process is finding practical populations of rare aquatic species N Hanging garden sullivantia cooperative ways to mitigate or including boreal toads and Colorado N Altai cottongrass eliminate the identified threats and River cutthroat trout. Extensive RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES enhance biodiversity. relatively intact riparian forests, shrub- lands and wetlands can be found along (Unique combinations of forbs, SUCCESS. Each plan outlines meth- N the rivers and streams within the grasses, shrubs, and trees) ods for assessing our effectiveness Roaring Fork Watershed. The Colorado Montane riparian forests in reducing threats and improving N Natural Heritage Program and local biodiversity—usually by monitoring N Willow carrs biologists have identified numerous progress toward established biolog- N Kettle ponds occurrences of rare plants, animals, ical and programmatic goals. and combinations of plants that occur ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS in rare plant communities within this N Riparian system Defining watershed. Historically, much of the the Project N Aquatic system area was in large private ranches. Recently, many private land areas are Using Results Conservation Developing being rapidly developed, while others to Adapt Action Strategies and and Improve Planning Measures are being protected by local and national organizations. Implementing Strategies and Measures The high ranking sources of stress, or “critical threats,” are 1. Inbasin water diversions for 4. Twin Lakes and Fry-Ark agriculture and development trans-mountain water diversions 2. Nonnative fish and whirling 5. Existing roads disease impact cutthroat trout 6. Chytrid fungus–disease of 3. Invasive plant species boreal toads 7. New sub-development 3 Water diversions, both in-basin and Long Term Ecological Goals Critical Threats trans-mountain, pose a serious threat The conservation targets found in the Effectively conserve all existing to downstream biodiversity by altering N Roaring Fork watershed are threatened conservation populations of the hydrologic regime. The native fish by multiple stresses, which can act community and Colorado River cut- Colorado River cutthroat trout and together to effect the viability or throat trout are adversely affected by establish or improve additional integrity of each ecological system. whirling disease and the management populations such that a total of 15 Based on surveys, interviews with land of nonnative fish. self-sustaining populations exist. managers, ecoregional assessment information and personal observations, Some invasive plant species affect N Conserve healthy aquatic communi- riparian areas in the Roaring Fork ties as indicated by the presence of we ranked the main sources of stress for each conservation target (see chart Watershed including Canada thistle, self-sustaining non-game native fish of “Threats to Conservation Systems” absinth wormwood, Dalmatian toad- populations, such as flannelmouth on page 9). flax, oxeye daisy, and tamarisk. These and bluehead sucker. invasive species may have detrimental N Conserve and, where possible, The high ranking sources of stress, effects on native communities by improve/restore at least five viable or “critical threats,” are increasing competition and changing community structure. boreal toad populations. 1. Inbasin water diversions for N Ensure the persistence of all exam- agriculture and development In addition, some threats are localized in scope or only affect one species or ples of rare and imperiled riparian 2. Nonnative fish and whirling group of species. Boreal toads are plant and animal species, such as disease impact cutthroat trout seriously impacted by a single disease, willow hawthorn and black swift 3. Invasive plant species chytrid fungus. The operation of the (see Key Conservation Target list). dam along the Frying Pan River also 4. Twin Lakes and Fry-Ark N Conserve and where warranted, impacts the hydrologic regime down- trans-mountain water diversions improve all occurrences of rare and stream on the Frying Pan and Roaring imperiled riparian plant communi- 5. Existing roads Fork Rivers. ties, including rare willow carrs. 6. Chytrid fungus–disease of Conservation Objectives Protect and, where needed, restore boreal toads N The conservation goals for the Roaring functional riparian connectivity by 7. New sub-development Fork Watershed are to enhance the maintaining or restoring key areas These threats have direct and indirect viability or integrity of the riparian and of willows,

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