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Parks and Open Space <br /> Boultit der , 5201 St Wain Road •Longmont, Colorado 80503 <br /> LL County 303 678.6200• Fax 303 678.6177•www.bouldercounty.org <br /> i <br /> �I <br /> September 6, 2016 <br /> TO: Michael Cunningham, Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety <br /> CC: Aggregate Industries <br /> FROM: Michelle Durant, Wildlife Biologist, Boulder County Parks and Open Space <br /> Susan Spaulding, Sr. Wildlife Biologist, Boulder County Parks and Open <br /> Space <br /> SUBJECT: Northern Leopard Frogs and Bat Species: Historic and Current use of <br /> Retention Pond and Pools at Aggregate Mine Site on Hall II. <br /> OBJECTIVE: <br /> The Hall II property was acquired by Boulder County Parks and Open Space in 2011. <br /> Baseline wildlife surveys began in spring of 2012 to assess wildlife diversity, abundance, and <br /> habitat quality. During the 2012 field season, biologists began perimeter searches of pools <br /> and ponds following a 2011 report of auditory recognition of calling Northern Leopard Frogs <br /> (Lithobates (=Rana)pipiens) (NLF) on the Hall II Aggregate mine site. A breeding <br /> population was confirmed in August of 2013 upon the discovery of 13 recently <br /> metamorphosed and one adult Northern Leopard frog in the mine retention pond. Species <br /> and age class of the frogs was confirmed by a CU graduate student (Max Joseph, Small Grant <br /> Recipient, 2013) following an evening visual encounter survey to locate adult frogs for <br /> telemetry studies. <br /> Surveys for bats at the Hall II property were initiated in 2013, as part of BCPOS's small <br /> grant program. Dr. Rick Adams, University of Northern Colorado, has conducted bat surveys <br /> (acoustic, mist-netting, pit-tagging, telemetry) for 18 years in Boulder County. Biologists <br /> with BCPOS solicited Dr. Adams's assistance with inventorying Hall II for bat use in <br /> advance of the management planning process for the property. Hall II contains extremely <br /> valuable habitat for a wide range of bat species. These bats are utilizing the water sources on <br /> Hall II (retention pond and others) in large numbers. Additionally, the presence of a large <br /> maternity colony(several hundred individuals) of little brown bats (Mvotis lucifugus) was <br /> discovered and the individuals from this colony visit the water on Hall II immediately after <br /> their night emergence from their maternity roost site. <br /> i <br /> • BCPOS has an interest in maintaining the availability of suitable habitat for Northern <br /> Leopard frogs and the several bat species on the Hall 2 property. <br /> Northern Leopard Frog Status Summary: <br /> Northern Leopard Frog is considered a sensitive species by United State Forest Service <br /> (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a Colorado Natural Heritage Program "SY <br /> (vulnerable) and a Species of Concern by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Also, <br /> Colorado's Wildlife Action Plan designates northern leopard frog as a `Tier 1' species, of <br /> I <br /> I <br /> I Cindy Domenico Count; Cc>,missioc,�r Deb Gardner C)Lir. ry Ccommrss,..oer Elise Jones county C rr.r,r,?;rpnc <br />