HomeMy WebLinkAboutENCLAVE AT REDWOOD - PDP210004 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - WILDLIFE DOCUMENTSTo:DHI Communities; Ripley Design, Inc.
From:Cedar Creek Associates, Inc.
Date:May11, 2021
Subject:Enclave at Redwood Project – Prairie Dog Survey Results
Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. (Cedar Creek) was contracted by DHI Communitiestoconduct a survey for black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) at the property just adjacent to the
Enclave at Redwood project (Site). The property (Parcel #9701436901) is contiguous to the western border of the propertyand encompasses a formerly active prairie dog colony, as shown
in Figure 1. Terracon conducted a survey in 2018 as a component of the Ecological Characterization Report (2018) produced for the Enclave at Redwood property, which was formerly known
as a project called ‘The Retreat’. The results indicated that prairie dog colony was inactive at the time of the survey, however additional surveys were determined necessary for the
project to satisfy City of Fort Collins (City)development requirements under Article 3, Section 3.4.1 of the City’s Land Use Code (LUC 3.4.1).
Cedar Creek conducted visual counts, a reliable and relatively rapid means of assessing prairie dog populations, based on methodology and protocol detailed in Monitoring of Prairie Dogs
on Boulder County Open Space (Meany, C. et. al 2001). The Site was visited prior to surveying to assess the extent of the potential colony based on location of burrows and disturbance
patterns.The majority of burrows have been filled in with soil and are covered in new vegetation, however several burrows with open cavities were noted along a small berm in the eastern
corner of the property. Photos of the burrows and potential colony area are presented below. The survey was conducted by Cedar Creek’s Ecologist, Allison Robinson, on April 1st, 2021
at 6:30pm, which began after sitting in the location noted on Figure 1 for 15 minutes, in an effort to minimize the impact of human disturbance on activity. Three visual counts were
completed using binoculars to scan the potential colony.
There are several dogs in the adjacent parcels to the northeast and south of property that were consistently barking throughout the duration of the survey. Severallocations were visitedin
an effort to conduct the survey without noise disruptionfrom the dogs, however this was unsuccessful even at a distance. It was assumed that any prairie dog in the potential colony would
be relatively accustomed to barking and the survey was completed at the noted location. No prairie dogs were observed during the April 1st survey.
During a separate evaluation of the Site that occurred on May 6th, one prairie dog was incidentally observed near the former colony. The prairie dog was located on a small berm along
the neighborhood cul-de-sac located just south of the former colony, as shown on the figure below. No other prairie dogs were observed visually or audibly thatafternoonor during additional
Site visits, potentially due to noise-related disturbance.
Former Prairie Dog Colony - May, 2021
Former Prairie Dog Colony –May, 2021