Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

AUG/SEPT 2015

 Lakewood: Pam Sponholtz, Project Leader, JoAnn Wise, Budget Admin Leadership in Science and Technology

 Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora: Krystal Phillips, American Fisheries Society meeting: the skills it takes to run an efficient Wildlife Biologist, Dustin Pam Sponholtz attended the Nation- Wildlife Refuge. During the month of Casady, Bio Tech al meeting in Portland, OR and September, Tim learned valuable presented a paper on how U.S. Fish skills conducting three pass depletion  Peterson, Schriever, Chey- and Wildlife Service partnered with fish surveys on the numerous water- enne Mtn Air Force Bases, other agencies and nontraditional ways found throughout the refuge. Colorado Springs: Max partners to restore aquatic habitats He also accompanied Ron Garcia Canestorp, Wildlife after the Colorado flooding events refuge manager on a site visit with Biologist in September 2013. BOR representatives to discuss

 Peterson AFB, Colorado ongoing issues with raptor electrocu- Springs: Shelly Crook, Assis- Kansas State Fair: Laura Mendenhall tions along the power line that tran- tant Fire Management Of- worked alongside Quivira National sects the refuge. A big thanks goes ficer Wildlife Refuge staff to educate out to allowing this career develop- Tributary to Herman Gulch visitors at the 2015 Kansas State ing opportunity as well as the refuge

 US Air Force Academy, Fair. Mendenhall talked with kids staff that shared a wealth of

Colorado Springs: Brian and adults about efforts to manage knowledge. They were great! Thanks Fish renovation in Herman Gulch: Pam Mihlbachler, Biological Sci- the grassland ecosystem and con- Ron, Corinna and Eric! Sponholtz assisted Colorado Parks entist, Diane Strohm, Biolog- serve native wildlife. and Wildlife on a stream renovation ical Scientist, Steve Wallace, in Herman Gulch. This project re- Forestry Technician, Melissa Detail at Baca National Wildlife Whittingslow, Wildlife Biolo- Monarch moved nonnative Colorado cutthroat Refuge: Tim Grosch began his detail catepillar gist trout so that native Greenback cut- at Baca National Wildlife Refuge throat trout can hopefully be stocked located in San Luis Valley of South-  Rocky Mountain National and re-established next year. Park, Estes Park: Chris ern Colorado. This was an excep- Kennedy, Fish Biologist tional opportunity for him to learn

 Warren Air Force Base, Fish movement study: In cooperation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Baca Cheyenne, WY: Timothy National Wildlife Refuge, Pam Sponholtz, Melissa Whittingslow, Dustin Casady Grosch, Fish and Wildlife Biologist and Tim Grosch collected Rio Grande suckers and chubs from Crestone Creek near the Sangria De Cristo Mountains. The purpose of this study is to monitor  McConnell Air Force Base: movement upstream after several culverts are fixed under the National Fish Laura Mendenhall, Fish and Passage Program Wildlife Biologist

 Pueblo Chemical Depot, Pueblo, CO: Clark Jones, Wildlife Biologist Partnerships and Accountability Salvage sign-up at US Air Force Acade- Record of environmental consideration: would not affect any endangered my: Melissa Whittingslow and Brian Clark Jones reviewed an Army Rec- species or their habitats. Mihbachler developed a salvage list ord of Environmental Consideration sign-up for wildlife strikes on the US for a proposed easement to allow Wildland Fire Planning. Max Canestorp Air force Academy. This program is a Black Hills Energy access to a substa- participated in wildland fire planning great way to recover salvageable tion on Pueblo Chemical Depot meetings on Cheyenne Mountain Air meat from car accidence involving (PCD). It was determined that the Force Station (CMAFS) and Schriever game animals. proposed easement was in and Air Force Base (SAFB). P A G E 2 Partnerships and Accountability con’t

Cultural Resource Protection: Diane Open House: Melissa Whittings- Visit to Arapahoe NWR: Pam Strohm met with a group from a low manned a booth at the US Sponholtz visited Arapahoe NWR local historical society to evaluate Air Force Academy fire open to discuss aquatic restoration several trees that may have been house. Melissa described the opportunities with the Refuge culturally modified by Native importance in creating defensible Manager. Over 33 miles of the Americans. The Utes bent, twist- space to home owners living in an Illinois River goes right through ed, and peeled trees for a variety interurban or wooden environ- the Refuge providing essential of reasons, including trail marking, ment, where wildfires could be a waterfowl and native fish habitat. spiritual observance, grave mark- threat to their homes. The open ing and medicinal uses. Two cul- house was well attended by fami- turally-modified trees (CMT) are lies living both on and off base.

located in close proximity to an There were a verity of booths at upcoming utility line project. the open house and plenty of Diane is coordinating with plan- activities to keep the kids enter- ners to ensure protection of these tained. and other CMTs.

Habitat Conservation and Management

Falcon Trail Restoration: The Stu- cold storage, where seed will dent Conservation Association remain viable for many years. The Interns worked with the Melissa Academy has established a seed- Whittingslow to fix bridges on the bank from a variety of elevations Falcon Trail by replacing old to produce well-acclimated seed- boards and reinforcing supports. lings for future reforestation The SCA Interns also redirected a needs. small part of the Falcon Trail that was washed out during high rainls Monument Creek Watershed Resto-

ration Plan team: Brian reviewed contractor proposals to study the Burrowing owl surveys: Student watershed, identify projects, and Conservation intern Jacquie Tom SCA interns reinforcing a bridge on prioritize future actions to address the Falcon Trail, which was damage conducted burrowing owl surveys regional flooding and stormwater during the high rainsfall. to try and count the number of management problems affecting Plant Health Inspection Service juvenile burrowing owls present the watershed, and especially the (APHIS) personnel regarding on Buckley Air Force Base. Air Force Academy. A $600K Bird/wildlife Airstrike Hazard

cost-share grant from the Colora- (BASH) concerns as they relate Ponderosa Pine Cone Reconnaissance. do Department of Local Affairs is to tallgrass prairie management. Diane evaluated a developing funding the work through the ponderosa pine cone crop for Fountain Creek Watershed and Prairie dog surveys: Max Canes- collection opportunities upon Greenway District. Other part- torp conducted prairie dog sur- maturity in September. Ponderosa ners include the City of Colorado veys on SAFB and GPS’ed the “bumper” crops average every five Springs, El Paso County, and Colo- colonies. Two burrowing owl years, and this year promises an rado Springs Utilities. The Plan nest sites active earlier this year excellent yield in higher elevations will be completed by December were identified during the prairie of the Academy where seed has 2016. dog surveys, bringing the known been in short supply. Cones will number of burrowing owl nests be collected and sent to a USFS Tallgrass prairie conservation: Max on SAFB in 2015 to three. nursery for seed extraction and Canestrop met with Animal and

COLORADO FISH AND WI L D L I F E P A G E 3 Species Conservation and Management

Cutthroat trout populations at Lawn & Spruce Pawnee Montane Skipper Surveys at Lakes: Chris Kennedy conducted mark- Buckley AFB: Endangered Species recapture population estimates on cut- Act (ESA) - Pawnee Montane New COFWCO throat trout populations at Lawn and Skipper Surveys. Pawnee Montane Spruce Lakes within Rocky Mountain employee: Skippers are listed as threatened National Park. Fish in both lakes were under the federal Endangered found to be abundant with several year Shelly Crook Species Act and are found in South classes present. joined the FWS Platte Canyon River drainage system in Colorado. In partner- Bear Awareness at US Air Force staff as the new ship with the USFWS, Ecological Academy: Brian Mihlbachler dis- Assistant Fire Services, Colorado Field Office, tributed Bear Aware information Krystal, Dustin, and Student Con- to base residents and staff in Management servation Association interns preparation for the upcoming season of bears preparing for Officer. Shelly is volunteered one field day to sur- vey known skipper transects with- hibernation. A lack of mast and currently sta- in the Pike National Forest in fruit production on trees and shrubs may cause higher than tioned out of the Deckers, CO managed by the US Forest Service. normal bear activity and more Air Force Acade- trash management conflicts this fall. Cutthroat trout from Lawn Lake. my and is respon- sible for an ex- tensive area of the country, in- cluding the mid- Habitat Conservation and Management west and part of the Rocky Moun- Air Force Natural Resource Funded moval areas; ensured native seed was Douglas fir tussock moth. Diane met tains. Shelly will Field Surveys. Several Buckley Air broadcast in ground disturbed areas with representatives from the Acad- Force Base natural resource pro- along fence lines; confirmed invasive emy, Cheyenne Mountain AFS coordinate wild- jects to include: Wildlife Barrier vegetation in identified areas were (CMAFS) and Peterson AFB to fire and fuel miti- Fence; Invasive Spp. Mgmt; and discuss the current situation and gation programs Mgmt Habitat Shortgrass Prairie, potential management options in were awarded to the Fish and response to growing Douglas fir across 21 states Wildlife Service in FY15. In order tussock moth and western spruce and 28 Air Force to assure project completion, budworm populations. The tussock bases. She brings Krystal spent time in the field moth has caused significant damage visiting project site footprints and to Douglas and white fir on CMAFS. a wealth of fire evaluating project efficacy. Specifi- Managers from CMAFS and the experience from cally, Krystal evaluated wildlife Academy are working closely with her years with barrier fence installation and re- Before Moving After Moving US Forest Service entomologists on the U.S. Forest this issue. Larval samples collected Brian and Melissa unsuccessfully in August showed presence of the Service. Wel- attempted to prevent sediment in nucleopolyhedrosis (NPV) virus, come Shelly! the Black Forest Creek channel predicting a likely collapse of the from re-directing flow through a tussock moth population in 2016. population of the state rare South- Western spruce budworm activity ern Rocky Mountain Cinquefoil was detected at Farish and along the (Potentilla ambigens). Channel western Academy boundary this erosion and sediment from east of summer, although defoliation to Interstate 25, due to excessive date has been minimal.

stormwater runoff, is creating an Sedimentation of the Black Squirrel Creek aggraded and braided stream. channel is re-directing flow through an Preliminary estimates indicate over important rare plant site. 90% of the cinquefoil, in one of the largest populations (1000+) re- moved effectively; and surveyed new areas for invasive species removal. Area along Academy boundary cleared

COLORADO FISH AND WI L D L I F E P A G E 4 Species Conservation and Management

The Rio Grande sucker and Rio attached to the fish, was used to released in Utah. A small popula- electronically capture fish move- Grande chub runs through tion of Scaled Quail was discov- Crestone Creek within BACA ments as they move through National Wildlife Refuge. Old scanning devices. Fish movements ered in southeastern Utah in 2007 culverts inhibit these fish and and population estimates, before and was supplemented with 200 others from traveling upstream. and after the culvert instillation, birds from Colorado in 2014. The The Colorado Fish & Wildlife will be analyzed to determine the project is in its second year with effectiveness of the project. Office developed plans to install another 200 birds captured in new culverts that will enable fish September planned for release this passage. Prior to the installation Scaled Quail Trapping: Clark Jones month. Each bird is screened for of the culverts, fish populations coordinated with Colorado Parks disease prior to being transported and movements needed to be and Wildlife to trap Scaled Quail documented to track the success- to Utah. at Pueblo Chemical Depot in fulness of the culvert instillation in improving fish movements. Dustin September. As part of an intro- Casady aided Pamela Sponholtz duction effort in the state of with sampling pool sites along this Utah, Scaled Quail are trapped at creek. Fish were captured using several sites in Pueblo County, electrofishing and seining equip- CO (including the depot) and ment. Pit tags, a device that is

Habitat Conservation and Management

Pinecone Collections: Melissa Whit- tingslow assisted Diane Strohm Yellowstone National Park Lake Trout: with pinecone collection using a Melissa Whittingslow, Greg, and bucket truck on September 25th. Brain Mihlbachler assisted the The pine cones will allow the US Lander office capture lake trout Air Force Academy to have a cash from Lewis Lake in Yellowstone of seeds that are suitable to grow National Park using gill nets and on the US Air force academy. electro fishing. Lewis Lake brook These seeds will be used if there is trout where collecting and males any disturbance, in which new pine Melissa Whittingslow collects pine and females were separating. The trees are needed to rehabilitate an cones from the top of a healthy, high last day the eggs where collected area. elevation ponderosa pine on the Academy and fertilized, ovarian fluid was also collected at this time. Over 60

breeding pairs where collected during this survey, which was

Cheyenne Mountain AFS & Air Force above the target of 50 breeding Wildland Fire Center Coordination: pairs. The eggs will allow Saratoga Shelly Crook attended a meeting NFH to replenish their broodstock with the Peterson AFB Media and infuse some wild genes from a Manager, FWS Natural Resource specific shallow water spawning Specialist, and CMAFS staff to strain of lake trout. discuss the coordination of CMAFS wildland program with the Air Force Wildland Fire Center. Topics discussed were: CMAFS Wildland Fire Management Plan; Tussock Moth Infestation; Treat- ment of over 1000 small hand piles as a result of thinning for hazard- ous fuels mitigation; Off-site/ Interagency Wildland Fire Deploy- ments

Together again Brian and Greg enjoying the many amazing sights at Yellowstone COLORADO FISH AND WI L D L I F E