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<br />r~ <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />RECEIVE'® <br /> <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FEB i 3 2001 <br />VDIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />Division o/Mineral a~t~l ~ I <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNBY EMPLOYER ~Le~l~~~ ~~~~ <br />Russell George, Director ~d ~J L9'! <br />Gunnison ervlce Center ~~~~~~. ~C~~ ~®~~ <br />300 W. New York <br />Gunnison, CO 81230 ~4~~: {1.0 - ZOO J - I l 3 <br />~97a,641-060 ~6 u ~~~elISewJ)t,.a~~ R~~, w~ <br />~tYl~tlvr ~b T~ : /~~~~~".,1 L0 w <br />For Wildlife- <br />For People <br />Date: February 10, 2002 <br />R~~ei~~a- <br />Reference: File No. M-2001-113 (Sea Horse Ranch West Gravel Pit) <br />,iBob Oswald ~`~~ Y 2 ~~ <br />701 Camino del Rio room 125 <br />Durango, CO 81301 ~~'/s/tea ~e ~ ~eo <br />Deaz Bob Oswald, ogy <br />On behalf of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment <br />on this application. I have reviewed the materials that have been provided and have made a visit to the <br />site. <br />The property appeazs to be wet meadow pastureland that provides feed for livestock. The applicant's <br />assessments that the major use by wildlife species such as rodents and other ground dwelling organisms, <br />along with pronghorn antelope aze mostly correct. However, predator species such as fox, coyote, bald <br />eagles and other birds of prey use the property to hunt the ground species that dwell there. I observed a <br />bald eagle hunting on the property while I was there. I would suggest that the United States Fish and <br />Wfldlife Service (USFWS) be contacted for comments on the potential impact to this threatened species. <br />In addition, this property lies within severe winter range, nesting and brood rearing habitats of the <br />Gunnison Sage Grouse (GSG). This grouse species is a candidate for listing under the Endangered <br />Species Act. Again, I would advise consulting with the USFWS about potential impacts. <br />Since this property is located close to other habitat azeas, the impact of this project to most wildlife <br />species should not be significant. In regard to GSG, impacts can be minimised through restoration <br />actions. Examples aze: revegetating the upland wet meadow interface (the azea along the southern <br />boundary where the sagebrush meets the meadow) with a high percentage of native forb species and <br />eliminating trees of any kind. These actions will increase important forage plants and will eliminate roosts <br />for raptors that prey on sage grouse and their young. Other conservation measures can be found in the <br />Gunnison Sage Grouse Conservation Plan. <br />Again, I thank you for the opportunity to comment on this application. If you have any questions <br />regarding these comments please call or write. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg Welcher, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Charles Lewis, Chav; Mark Le Valley, ViceChair; Bernard Black, Secretary; Rick Enstrom, Member; Marianna Raftooulus, <br />Member, Philip James, Member; Amold Salazar, Member, Robert Shoemaker, Member <br />