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<br />San Luis Valley Projects <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />II <br />II <br />- <br /> <br /> <br />... <br />..J <br />J <br />] <br />~f <br />J <br />] <br />D <br />o <br />~ <br /> <br />The Partners for Wildlife program in Colorado had its beginning in the San Luis Valley as the <br />result of tar sighted efforts by the Alamosa-Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge managers and <br />staf1~ The program in the San Luis Valley is one of the strongest nationwide and been very <br />successful in addressing regional waterbird needs and in working with landowners. The San Luis <br />Valley is a former lake bed approximately 100 miles from north to south and 50 miles wide. The <br />area supports many valuable wetland areas on both public and private lands and is key to Fish and <br />Wildlife Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife and Ducks Unlimited management plans. The <br />Partners program in the San Luis Valley has focused on two critical elements tor waterbird <br />habitat: winter food and nesting habitat. <br /> <br />The winter food supply program was developed as a response to high avian cholera mortality on <br />the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge and other areas. High concentrations of wintering birds <br />increase their susceptibly to this and other diseases. The program makes hail damaged and <br />unharvested grain available to wildlife by providing incentive payments to farmers. These <br />payments reimburse the farmers for costs and time associated with NOT fall plowing their fields, <br />By locating these fields around the San Luis Valley winter bird distribution is managed resulting in <br />less crowding on the refuge, Since this program was started, avian cholera mortality has dropped <br />from tens of thousands to a few hundred birds lost each winter. The payments to farmers are <br />based on a one year agreement to not fall plow or harvest hail damaged grain. During the grant <br />period eight agreements of this type were signed leaving 1160.5 acres of grain stubble available <br />to wildlife. <br /> <br />The second type of project is just as <br />successful in establishing nesting cover. In the <br />San Luis VaHey Baltic rush is the preferred <br />nesting substrate for many waterfowl and <br />shorebirds. Because of the flat topography, <br />many acres of extremely shaHow wetland can <br />be produced with very little earth moving, <br />Projects are designed to provide average <br />water depths measured in inches, which <br />stimulates growth of Baltic rush and other <br />emergent wetland vegetation, Figure 12 <br />shows a typical shaHow wetland project in the <br />San Luis vaHey. The refuge staff completed <br />thirteen Wildlife Extension Agreements for wetland projects. These projects resulted in 1,508 <br />acres of wetland created, restored or enhanced. San Luis Valley projects have considerable <br />support from FWS, Colorado Division of Wildlife and Ducks Unlimited. The high value to <br />breeding and migrating water birds coupled with the low cost of projects per acre will keep the <br />San Luis Valley Partners for Wildlife program a high priority for future funding. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />Figure 12: San Luis Valley wetland Project <br /> <br />il <br />o <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />8 <br />