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1 • • 1 24 leadership role in attempting to incorporate diverse opinions in the planning process. Efforts to this end should continue, providing stronger ties among federal, state, and local and private interests involved in the protection or " management of natural lands. 5. Properly manage significant elements of natural diversity within the Rock Creek drainage of Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. The first step in accomplishing this recommendation would be the appropriate designation of the identified conservation site. In doing so, the development of management plans would be a necessary component of the site designation. Several organizations and agencies are available for consultation in the development of Management Plans for significant natural lands (e.g. Colorado Natural Areas Program, Jefferson County Open Space, the Ciry of Boulder, The Nature Conservancy, and the CNHP). We would also encourage the development of partnerships that could research and develop techniques for maintaining or restoring conservation sites to aid in the preservation of rare, threatened, or endangered species or significant natural communities (e.g. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Native Plant Society, The Nature Conservancy, and various academic institutions). Because some of the most serious threats to the Rock Creek ecosystem are off-site (altered hydrology, residential encroachment, exotic species invasion), these partnerships become essential to the long term protection of the area. 6. Conduct further inventory efforts to assess other natural heritage resources. The seep shrublands need to be quantitatively evaluated. The similarity to other plant communities, the range, distribution, and naturalness of this community need to be evaluated. In addition, the area of xeric tallgrass prairie covered with lichen should be documented in more detail. Several rare plants may potentially occur in the area. Field surveys for special concern plants should be conducted in the appropriate season (especially those not already seazched for during the Baseline Biological Characterization (Department of Energy 1992) and by EG&G contractors (1993b). There are several butterflies and moths of special concern known from the region with suitable habitat at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. Preliminary butterfly and diurnal math surveys were conducted at RFETS during the 1991 field season. Results were included in the 1992 Baseline Biological Characterization Report. Several moths and 54 butterflies were recorded, none of which aze known to be raze. In 1994, 190 butterfly species are known from Boulder Counry, 181 butterfly species are known from Jefferson Counry, and 103 species are known from Denver County (Stanford 1994). Although these