February 19, 2016

Media Contact: Vivienne Jannatpour, Parks & Open Space Communications Specialist, 303-678-6277

Prairie Dog Habitat Policy Amendments Public Meeting Feb. 25

Boulder County, Colo. -- Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff will present amendments to the Prairie Dog Habitat Element of the Grassland and Shrubland Management Policy to the Board of County Commissioners in a public hearing at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2016, in the Third Floor Hearing Room, Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl Street. The commissioners will accept public comment and the public is encouraged to attend.

The Prairie Dog Habitat Element of the Grassland and Shrubland Management Policy guides Parks & Open Space in the management of prairie dogs on open space property managed by Boulder County. The element was comprehensively updated in 2012. There are three proposed amendments:

1. The vegetation criteria for relocation site selection were to be studied for three years after the approval of the Habitat Element. Parks & Open Space staff will address the findings of that three year review and changes proposed to the vegetation criteria.
2. The time period during which relocation of prairie dogs is appropriate will be changed to October 15 of each year or later at staff discretion with respect to weather.
3. Boulder County Parks & Open Space no longer uses and no longer permits tenants to use Aluminum Phosphate or “Phostoxin” as a tool for prairie dog management.

Parks & Open Space proposes these changes in order to better manage prairie dogs and prairie dog habitat on Boulder County Parks & Open Space land.

For more information, please visit Boulder County's Prairie Dog Management web page or contact Jesse Rounds, Resource Planner, at 303-678-6271 or jrounds@bouldercounty.org.