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ATTACHMENT A <br /> Wildlife Specialties LLC CAW J4 <br /> "Practical, science-based applications for wildlife and ecological studies <br /> benefiting all clients" <br /> May 5,2017 <br /> Drue DeBerry <br /> Colorado Field Supervisor <br /> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br /> Ecological Services <br /> Colorado Field Office <br /> PO Box 25486,DFC (65412) <br /> Denver,CO 80225-0486 <br /> Attention:Ms.Alison Michael <br /> RE: Coulson Excavating Company, Inc. Stroh Pit—Larimer, CO <br /> Dear Mr.DeBerry: <br /> The purpose of this letter is to request concurrence that Preble's meadow jumping mouse <br /> [Preble's (Zapus hudsonius preblei) conservation measures proposed in 2008 for the Coulson <br /> Excavating Company (Coulson) Inc. Stroh Pit in Larimer County Colorado are still valid and <br /> agreeable to the Service. The approximately 256 acre Stroh Pit is located due east of the <br /> Interstate 25 (I25) frontage road with the northwestern corner located at the Big Thompson <br /> River&125 Bridge(Figure 1). The Stroh Pit lies within portions of Sections 14, 15,and 23 of <br /> Township 5 North Range 68 West of the 6 h Prime Meridian within unincorporated Larimer <br /> County. The Big Thompson River generally forms the northern boundary of the Stroh Pit as it <br /> flows from west to east. <br /> The 2008 proposal called for the creation of a permanent 300 foot buffer from riparian habitat <br /> along the southern edge of the Big Thompson River and this letter requests the same setback. <br /> On May 3, 2017 I visited the project area and walked the entire southern riparian habitat <br /> border and recorded the border via Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Figure 2 <br /> shows the southern riparian boundary and the associated 300 foot buffer. The riparian habitat <br /> along the southern edge is very narrow and in many areas still shows signs of the damage <br /> from the September 2013 flood. Most of the southern riparian habitat is sparse with a very <br /> limited shrub community with just a few small willow (Salix spp.) and plains cottonwood <br /> (Populous deltoides) trees growing (Photo 1). The line between the riparian habitat and <br /> adjacent smooth brome (Bromus inermis) dominated mowed or grazed grasslands is very <br /> abrupt and well defined (Photos 2 & 3). There is no suitable PMJM habitat south of the <br /> riparian boundary; it is likely that few small animals use these uplands. Oftedahl (1976) <br /> determined cover amount and height to be important in small mammal population regulation <br /> and reported that overgrazed areas with short vegetation and bare ground favored the deer <br /> mouse(Peromyscus maniculatus) and areas that were not overgrazed had a greater occurrence <br /> of voles(Microtus spp.)and other species. <br /> www.Wldlifespecialtesllc.com <br /> 303.710.1286 <br />