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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 8/2/2022 - Memorandum From Ginny Sawyer Re: Legislative UpdatesNatural Areas 1745 Hoffman Mill Road PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.416.8067 fcgov.com Date: To: MEMORANDUM July 28, 2022 Mayor and City Councilmembers Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Tyler Marr, Interim Deputy City Manager Seve Ghose, Community Services Director From: Katie Donahue, Natural Areas Director Subject: Help Bird Species Recover Best Practices and Gaps The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and City Council with information requested at the June 21 Council meeting. A member of Council asked for further clarification about what Fort Collins is doing to help bird species recover and what more can be done. This memo for future work. Background: Bird Recovery Best Practices There are a variety of actions that communities can take to support bird species. Fort Collins is a leader in most of these conservation practices. The Bird City Designation application provides an excellent roadmap about what a community can do to help bird species recover. Fort Collins application is expected to earn more than double the points needed for High Flyer status (the highest recognition available) which means Fort Collins has an outstanding rate of best practice implementation. Our community is a leader in environmental sustainability, land conservation, and habitat restoration thanks to residents, staff, and Councilmembers who have long prioritized these efforts. Below is a chart demonstrating some of the key bird conservation actions already underway both by the City organization and within the broader community. Some of these actions have a direct impact on birds, such as habitat enhancement, while others have a more indirect impact, such as lowering energy use to meet climate change goals. Best Practice Details Official protection of natural areas Community members in Fort Collins and Larimer County have voted multiple times to tax themselves to fund land conservation and stewardship. These sales taxes have resulted in the creation of 52 official City of Fort Collins natural areas, encompassing 42,770 acres. Twenty-two natural area sites are classified as Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society. Municipal lands managed for habitat All three golf courses, six community parks and Grandview Cemetery managed by the City of Fort Collins are Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries. To earn this certification, each site took stock of its environmental resources and any potential liabilities, and then developed a plan that fits its unique set of circumstances. Enhance avian habitat The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department is actively restoring 18,710 acres of public land to improve habitat. These acres are actively managed for habitat restoration and encompass shortgrass prairie, riparian, wetland, montane forest, and foothill ecological communities. Community organizations such as Audubon Rockies create habitat through Habitat Hero gardens. There are 12 certified Habitat Hero gardens in Northern Colorado including at Lesher Middle School, the Fort Collins Senior Center and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Protect habitat through development review and planning Since 1997 the City has been protecting natural habitats and features on development sites through the use of buffers. Today, the City has over 400 acres of buffers that protect a variety of natural resources such as river and stream corridors, wetlands, shortgrass prairie, riparian forest, bird concentration areas, and nesting/roosting sites. Controlling non- native invasive species and mechanical practices such as aeration, overseeding with desirable grasses, watering only to appropriate evapotranspiration rates, and dropping the height of cut during dandelion season to help remove and mulch flower heads. Invasive species are controlled using an integrated pest management system that includes herbicides. Specific products are used by licensed applicators at minimal rates to achieve specific outcomes. In addition, the Larimer County Weed District is a resource for community members including free presentations and tours. Staff are available to give on-site presentations on noxious weed Best Practice Details identification and management to HOAs, schools, agencies or any other interested groups or organizations. Extending habitat beyond Natural Area boundaries: Encourage landscaping with native plants The Land Use Code encourages the use of native plants an d permits grasses to grow higher than 12 inches in certified natural areas. The City of Fort Collins offers xeriscape demonstration gardens, education programs and an incentive program for residents, HOAs and commercial properties to transform turf to more natural, native and low water use landscapes. Since 2016 this program has converted 23 acres or about 1 million sq ft of turf. The City of Fort Collins Nature in the City program funds community-driven projects that increase the quality of natural spaces for people and wildlife. Over 50 projects have been completed since 2016, including projects at schools, parks, HOAs, and other privately owned land. Urban forest protection through several initiatives. Forestry protects existing tree canopy on proposed development sites by requiring the mitigation of removed trees. Forestry adopted the Emerald Ash Borer Response Plan to strategically select treatment of existing Ash trees and plant shadow trees near Ash trees not selected for treatment. Forestry also provides education and outreach on the importance of the urban canopy and runs the Community Canopy Program to expand our urban forest. Stormwater: Low impact development The City on development sites to restore the natural relationships of water, soil and vegetation to minimize and mitigate the impacts of development on watershed resources. This results in improved water quality and availability, enhanced biodiversity and natural habitats, and reduction in irrigation consumption and pollution runoff within the City. Limiting threats: Cats The City of Fort Collins Municipal Code Sec. 4-93 requires all pet animals, except birds, shall be kept under restraint. In addition, the Natural Areas Department promotes cats indoors via its website, social media, communications, and educational programming. Limiting threats: Window strikes Information is made available to community members so they can help prevent window strikes Colorado https://nationalaudubon.app.box.com/s/kh0bwzd17w00el88ygpc50wf4sh0uoii and https://lights-out-colorado.idacolorado.xyz/faq/ Best Practice Details Limiting threats: Lighting practices In 2016 the City of Fort Collins formed the Night Sky Team to spearhead initiatives that reduce light pollution within our community. The team consists of several departments and agencies, including Energy Services, ice, Natural Areas, Police Services and the National Park Service. Through this effort, the City has raised awareness of lighting best practices and the dangers of light pollution to human health, safety and wildlife. Key initiatives include: retrofitting street fixtures in the right-of way and at City facilities; updated exterior lighting and energy codes for development; public engagement campaigns; the installation of monitors across the City to establish baseline data and develop goals for our night sky over time; organized star gazing programs at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area; and a lighting rebate program to support light fixture retrofits on commercial properties, For more information on our Night Sky Team see: https://www.fcgov.com/nightsky/ Limiting threats: Plastic bags and fishing line This City Council enacted a plastic bag ban on May 1, 2022. Large grocery stores no longer provide plastic grocery bags and charge customers $0.10 cents for each paper bag used. Several signs at parks and natural areas educate the community about discarded fishing line and the dangers to birds from it. In addition, fishing line collection tubes are available at most natural area fishing areas. The fishing line is collected by volunteers and recycled. Sustainability: Energy reduction in municipal buildings The City of Fort Collins employs an energy manager that oversees the energy use (electricity and gas) in all 100 municipal buildings. This person and their team strive towards reducing energy use as a part of their daily operations. Each building must show a 7% decrease in energy use between 2021-2026 according to a newly passed Building Energy and Water Scoring Ordinance. Sustainability: Green transportation The City of Fort Collins has a long history of supporting active, healthy transportation choices. This has led to being designated as one of only five Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Communities in the nation and as a Silver- level Walk Friendly Community. Sustainability: Plan The City of Fort Collins adopted the Our Climate Future Plan in 2021. The Plan centers equity and resilience alongside mitigation. Our Climate Future (OCF) implementation intensifies our community efforts to achieve these three primary environmental goals: Reduce 2030 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2005 baseline levels; Best Practice Details Provide 100% renewable electricity by 2030 with grid and local sources, and Achieve zero waste, or 100% landfill diversion, by 2030. The commitment of the community has, in practice, resulted in ongoing programs, services and initiatives by City departments and partner agencies. The concerted effort to mitigate climate change has produced results. The community achieved its 2020 emissions reductions goal, with a 24.5% reduction compared to 2005 levels Sustainability: Renewable energy There are currently 14 Fort Collins municipal building sites that have solar photovoltaic systems with 3,761,963 kwh production since install. For example, the Nix Natural Area Campus (a collection of several buildings, including historical designation buildings) is a net positive site meaning they produce more electricity than used. Fort Collins residents and businesses can participate in solar incentive programs to reduce their own carbon footprint. Nearly 100 businesses and 3,000 homes have solar systems installed. Renewable sources provided over 50% of electricity to the community in 2021. Sustainability: LEED certification Fort Collins leads by example by designing and building municipal sites to a minimum of LEED Gold in municipal buildings more than 5,000 square feet. In addition, all municipal buildings require disclosure through the Building Energy and Water Scoring Ordinance. Community Engagement: Community science volunteers Fort Collins Audubon Society has sponsored the Christmas Bird Count in the city of Fort Collins for 75 consecutive years. This is the longest running count in the state of Colorado. The City of Fort Collins Nature in the City program has trained over 200 volunteers to conduct bird surveys on public and private property. Over 15,500 birds have been observed since 2016. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is using the power of community science to study Eastern Screech-Owls along the Cache la Poudre River in Fort Collins. In its ninth year, community members are collecting data to inform possible habitat enhancement along the river. The Eastern Screech-Owl is an indicator Best Practice Details of riparian forest health and one of the most common owl species in North America, yet little is known about its ecology. Community Engagement The Education Committee of the Fort Collins Audubon Society (FCAS) gives several presentations a year for students in K-12 schools on bird ecology and how students can help conserve birds. FCAS offers two environmental education/research scholarships each year to college students or K-12 teachers to fund research projects. Community Engagement: Pollinators Colorado State University, one of the largest local employers, has a campus of over 33,400 students and 4,773 acres, and is a Pollinator Friendly Campus and is Bee Campus USA certified since January 2018. In addition, The City partnered on a strategic pollinator education program reaching over 3,000 K- 12 students since January 2020. Community Engagement: City support for bird clubs The City of Fort Collins has long been a strong supporter of the Fort Collins Audubon Society, an active bird club. For example, the city unanimously supported Audubon Rockies and Fort Collins Audubon in the application for the designation of the Cache la Poudre Urban River Corridor Important Bird Area. Another example is how the two organizations have partnered on the development, preparation, and printing of birding checklists for numerous city-owned natural areas and parks. In addition, the city provided space in two trail kiosks for displays created by Fort Collins Audubon. Bird City designation pplication is complete, resolution passed on 6/21/22, on track for designation to be awarded in 2022 pending the timeline of Environment for the Americas, the agency that gives the recognition. Partnerships Fort Collins is home to several bird conservation organizations that support avian conservation and education such as Audubon Rockies, Fort Collins Audubon, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Rocky Mountain Raptor Center, and Northern Colorado Wildlife Center. The City regularly collaborates with these organizations and they were highly engaged in writing the Bird City application and in celebrations of World Migratory Bird Day. Opportunities for Further Action The Bird City Designation application provides an excellent roadmap about what a community can do to help bird species recover. While Fort Collins has implemented an impressive suite of best practices, there is more that could be done. The suggestions below are drawn from the Bird City application criteria. Education Offer the public additional information on how they can control and remove invasive species to improve bird habitat. Identify and promote bird-friendly coffee suppliers. Promote best practices in outdoor lighting and the impacts of lighting on wildlife. Highlight bird collision mitigation techniques including window treatments. Offer additional programming on climate change, energy efficiency, green/bird-safe buildings, and environmental sustainability. Codes and Policies Consider actions requiring additional native planting. Adopt bird-friendly LEED certification for City buildings. Adopt codes addressing bird-safe design, construction and operation guidelines. Partnerships Work with Larimer Humane Society on outdoor cat behaviors and practices.