Survey of Critical Biological Resources of Pueblo County, Colorado
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Survey of Critical Biological Resources of Pueblo County, Colorado Colorado Natural Heritage Program Colorado State University 254 General Services Building 8002 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-8002 Survey of Critical Biological Resources of Pueblo County, Colorado Prepared for: Pueblo County Planning Department Pueblo, Colorado Prepared by: Susan Spackman Panjabi, Botanist John Sovell, Zoologist Georgia Doyle, Wetland Ecologist Denise Culver, Ecologist Lee Grunau, Conservation Planner May 2003 Colorado Natural Heritage Program Colorado State University 254 General Services Building 8002 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-8002 USER’S GUIDE The Survey of Critical Biological Resources of Pueblo County was conducted one year after the Survey of Critical Wetland and Riparian Areas in El Paso and Pueblo Counties. The projects, both conducted by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, are two distinct projects that are highly integrated with respect to methodology and fieldwork. Both projects utilized the same Natural Heritage methodology that is used throughout the globe, and both searched for and assessed the plants, animals, and plant communities on the Colorado Natural Heritage Program’s list of rare and imperiled elements of biodiversity. Each report prioritizes potential conservation areas based on the relative significance of the biodiversity they support and the urgency for protection of the site. All information explaining Natural Heritage methodology and ranks is repeated in each report, so that each report can stand alone and be used independently of the other. This report, Survey of Critical Biological Resources of Pueblo County, presents all potential conservation areas identified in Pueblo County that support rare and imperiled plants, animals, and significant plant communities, including wetland and riparian areas. The Survey of Critical Wetland and Riparian Areas in El Paso and Pueblo Counties presents results of surveys within wetland and riparian areas in both Pueblo and El Paso counties. The wetland and riparian report differs from the more comprehensive Pueblo County report in that it includes wetlands and riparian areas in El Paso County, and includes an assessment of the restoration potential and the wetland functions performed at each site that was surveyed. Functional assessments are intended to provide the user with a more complete picture of the value wetlands and riparian areas provide to El Paso and Pueblo county residents. To obtain a copy of the Survey of Critical Wetland and Riparian Areas in El Paso and Pueblo Counties, please contact the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Financial support for this study was provided by the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO), the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Pueblo County, the City of Pueblo, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We greatly appreciate the support and assistance of Joan Armstrong, Matt Sturgeon, Kim B. Headley, and Ann Cotton of the Pueblo County Planning Department, Scott Hobson with the city of Pueblo, Mary Gunn with the Packard Foundation, and Erik Brekke with the BLM. This project would not have been possible without the help of many dedicated individuals. We appreciate the support of the Pueblo County Commissioners and Planning Department. We express our sincere appreciation to the private landowners who allowed us to survey their properties and shared their rich history of the land. We were welcomed onto many ranches and truly enjoyed spending time with and learning from these generous land stewards. Special thanks to Gary and Georgia Walker, and the Thatcher, Hudson, Hobson, and Blake ranches for allowing us to survey their lands. Colorado Division of Wildlife provided expertise on the wide range of wildlife species in the County. Gary Dowler and Jim Melby, Division of Wildlife Aquatic Biologists provided information on the native fishes. Land managers, including Max Canestorp of Pueblo Chemical Depot and Duke Phillips of the Chico Basin Ranch were very helpful in allowing us repeated access to their properties and providing valuable local insight. Steve Kettler and Julie Farrell of the southeastern office of The Nature Conservancy provided much appreciated support in countless ways; sharing of local expertise, discussing ecology, and providing lodging at the Bohart Ranch. Tass Kelso, professor of Botany at Colorado College, provided many leads on locations of botanically and ecologically interesting areas in the County and generously shared her expertise. Rich Rhodes of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Scott Cotton of Pueblo County Colorado State University Extension Service were extremely helpful in getting us oriented to the County. Laurie and Greg Clark provided an excellent camping location, which assisted greatly with our fieldwork. Our staff in Fort Collins, including Jodi Peterson, Renée Rondeau, Jodie Bell, Jeremy Siemers, Jill Handwerk, Amy Lavender, Alison Loar, and Tara Santi, all worked with us patiently. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS USER’S GUIDE .................................................................................................................. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................. v LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 3 CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT................................................................................... 5 Significant Landscapes in Pueblo County ...................................................................... 5 Rare Plant Concentration Area ................................................................................... 5 Shortgrass Prairie/Wetland Complex.......................................................................... 6 Prairie Canyon Landscape .......................................................................................... 7 Potential Impacts to Biodiversity in Pueblo County....................................................... 8 Hydrological Modifications........................................................................................ 8 Development............................................................................................................... 9 Livestock Grazing....................................................................................................... 9 Logging....................................................................................................................... 9 Recreation ................................................................................................................... 9 Roads......................................................................................................................... 10 Non-native Species ................................................................................................... 10 Fragmentation and Edge Effects............................................................................... 11 Conservation Strategies ................................................................................................ 11 THE NATURAL HERITAGE NETWORK RANKING SYSTEM ................................ 16 What is Biological Diversity?....................................................................................... 17 Colorado’s Natural Heritage Program .......................................................................... 18 The Natural Heritage Ranking System ......................................................................... 19 Legal Designations........................................................................................................ 22 Element Occurrence Ranking ....................................................................................... 23 Potential Conservation Areas........................................................................................ 24 Off-Site Considerations ................................................................................................ 25 Ranking of Potential Conservation Areas..................................................................... 25 Protection Urgency Ranks ............................................................................................ 26 Management Urgency Ranks........................................................................................ 27 PROJECT BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 28 Location and Physical Characteristics of Study Area................................................... 28 METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 33 Collect Available Information ...................................................................................... 33 Identify Rare or Imperiled Species and Significant Plant Communities with Potential to Occur in Pueblo County................................................................................................ 33 Identify Targeted Inventory Areas...............................................................................