HomeMy WebLinkAboutPARAGON POINT PUD FINAL - 48 91B - CORRESPONDENCE - CITY STAFFI
Comma, y Planning and Environmental _ _,rvices 4�) recycled paper
Natural Resources Division
City of Fort Collins
Jim Sell
Jim Sell Design
117 E. Mountain Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Dear Jim:
P-/1c: ,Y`9/
/Qs,
iN G
April 2, 1993
Well, I have finally found someone who has some knowledge of
revegetating prairie dog grasslands! Information is definitely
lacking on revegetating a prairie dog grassland to enhance the area
for these animals. But interest in this is increasing, so results
of your experimental revegetation work will be very valuable.
The following are the recommendations of Beth Painter,, botanist at
CSU who has studied prairie dog grasslands, assisted by Clint
Wassar, retired CSU range scientist. I've also included some of
their general comments concerning the experimental area.
Low Area (most of the experimental prairie dog area)
General Comments:
Grassland currently is in poor shape for prairie .dogs, and not
optimal habitat due to higher water table. Contains only a
few active burrows.
Suggested revegetation method and plants:
1. Double disc the site; disc around (i.e., do not disc over) the
few active burrows present.
2. Drill in grass and forb seeds. Mix should, be 50% grasses and
50% forbs. Suggested species are:
Grasses
1. Western wheatgrass (AAcropyron smithii or Pascopyrum
smithii); cool season, sod -forming grass; available from
GR, GS, NP, PS, SB, SI, WR (codes for seed companies
listed at end of letter).
2. Inland saltgrass (Distichlis stricta); available from GR,
Si.
3. Prairie junegrass (Koeleria cristata, K. aracilis, or K.
macrantha); available from GR, SI, WR.
4. Green needlegrass (Stipa viridula); cool season,
bunchgrass; available from GR, SB, SI, WR.
5. Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula); warm season,
bunchy sod -forming grass; will do best at transition area
between low and higher area; available from ER, GR, GS,
PS, SB, SI, SS, WR.
281 N. College Ave. • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (303) 221-6600
r
9
Forbs (wildflowers and sagebrush)
1. Lewis flax or Blue flax (Linum lewisii or Linum perenne
lewisii or Adenolinum lewisii); available locally and
from AP, DS, ER, GA, GR, GS, HA, LV, NL, NP, PP, PS, SB,
SI, VG, WC, WR.
2. Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera);
available locally and from AP, BR, DS, ER, GA, GR, GS,
NP, PS, SB, SI, RM, VG, WC, WN, WR, WS.
3. Fringed sagebrush (Artemisia fricrida); available locally
and from BR, DS, GA, GR-seeds, LA -seeds, LN, LV, NL-
seeds, NP-seeds, SI, WN-seeds, WR-seeds.
4. Prairie sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana); available
locally and from DS, GA, NP, SI, WR.
5. Slender white prairie clover (Dalea candida or
Petalostemum candidum); available from SB.
6: Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea or Petalostemum
purpureum); available from PS, SB, WR.
7. Tufted evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa); available
from BR, ER, GA, GR, NP, PS, RM, SI, VN, WC, WN.
8. Scarlet globemallow (SSphaeralcea coccinea); available
from ER, GR, SB, SI, RM, WN, WR, WT.
9. Dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata). Mesas, roadsides;
abundant at base of foothills, less common on plains.
10. Tansyleaf aster (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia); available
from AP.
11. Smooth aster (Aster laevis); available from ER, GA; SB.
Higher Area (mostly north of experimental area)
General Comments:
Grasses and burrows are in much better shape in the areas as
you go north of the "ditch." These areas should be kept for
prairie dogs. Shrub plantings or solid material borders
(e.g., solid board fences, need to be only a few feet high)
can be used to separate active borrows from developed areas;
hay bails also work quite well for a temporary measure (try to
obtain hay made from local, native grass hay pastures to avoid
introduction of more exotics). Tall grasses will help to
deter movement, but shrubs or a low, solid fence would be a
better visual barrier to prairie dog movement.
Suggested revegetation methods and plants:
1. Drill in seeds and/or plug in seedling grasses and forbs in
bare spots between existing bunches of exotic grasses; 'if
plugs are used, pack seedling in well so that there is less
chance of the plant being pulled up.
2. Mix should be 50% grasses and 50% forbs. Suggested species
are:
Grasses
1. Buffalograss (Buchloe dactvloides); warm season, sod -
forming grass with runners and producing dense mats;
2
available locally and from GR, GS, HA, LV, NP, PS, SB,
SI, WR.
2. Blue grama (Bouteloua aracilis or Chondrosium gracile);
warm season, bunchy sod -forming grass; use some of this
species, but more of buffalograss because it will
establish better; available locally and through GR, GS,
NP, PS, SB, SI, SS, WR.
3. Western wheatgrass (Aaropvron smithii or Pasconvrum
smithii); cool season, sod -forming grass; available from
GR, GS, NP, PS, SB, SI, SS, WR.
4. Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtinendula); warm season,
bunchy sod -forming grass; available through ER, GR, GS,
PS, SB, SI, SS, WR.
Forbs (wildflowers and sagebrush)
Same species as wetter site, although different species may
become more abundant on this site compared; seed company
may suggest different ratio of species in mix.
Best time for planting cool season grasses and forbs is late March
through mid -April; best time for planting warm season grasses is
end of April through mid -May. Best to seed as soon as possible for
the cool season grasses and forbs. Sorry I was not able to get'
this information to you sooner, but no one that I had contacted
last fall could provide any good recommendations. Fortunately,'I
met Beth in March and we visited the site this week.
Seed companies will be able to provide best combination and seeding
rates for each type of site, and maybe give you some advice on
getting a late start on the seeding of cool season plants. The
ground is wet and looks like we may have a wet spring, so you might
be o.k., with extra watering during dry spells. Don't let seed
companies talk you into a "dryland" mix or a "wildflower" mix that
they've put together using other species --these typically contain
exotics that are invasive and will ruin the "native" mix that you
are trying to establish.
Clint recommended obtaining treated grass -seeds -from -Sharp -Brothers
because they have the Buffalobrand, which tends to contain a good
mix of genetic types for each species, aiding in adapting to
various sites. Seeds should be from plants as near to our Fort
Collins location as possible; Dakotas is recommended over Texas
varieties. If available, ask for shorter -stemmed varieties of each
species; these are more prevalent in prairie dog towns. Let them
know that you are trying to revegetate a prairie dog grassland and
they may be able to suggest a variety that was started from seeds
obtained from a town. of course, you might also get the reaction,
"You are trying to do what?"'
Jim, the above recommendations are just that, recommendations --no
guarantee that you'll get the coverage you desire. Very little
work has been done to revegetate a prairie dog grassland to enhance
KI
the area for the animals. This plant list includes favorable food
items, and some less favorable food items, but all have co -adapted
with prairie dog grazing patterns --unlike the exotic grasses and
forbs on the site now. I've only included plant species that I
know are commercially available. I've coded mailorder nurseries
that list the species in catalogs that I have, but these species
may be available from other nurseries as well.
AP = Applewood Seed Co., 5380 Vivian, Arvada, CO 80002; phone:
(303): 431-62831.
BR = Bitterroot Native Growers, 445 Quast Lane, Corvallis, MT
59828; phone: (406) 961-4991.
DS = Dean Swift Seed -Company, P.O. Box B, Jaroso, CO 81138;
phone: (719) 672-3739.
ER = Edge of the Rockies Native Seeds and Plants, 133 Hunna
Road, Bayfield, CO 81122-9758; phone: (no phone number).
GA = Green Acres Nursery, 4990 McIntyre St., Golden, CO 80403;
phone: (303) 279-8204.
GR = Granite Seed, P.O. Box 177, Lehi, UT 84043; phone: (901)
768-4422.
GS Garrison Seed & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 1604, Greeley, CO
80632; phone: 1-800-782-5947.
HA = High Altitude Gardens, P.O. Box 4619, Ketchum, ID 83390;
.phone: 1-800-874-7333.
LA = Lawyer Nursery, Inc., 950 Highway 200 W., Plains, MT
59859; phone: (406) 826-3881.
IV = Little Valley Nurseries, Inc., 13022 East 136th Ave.,
Brighton, CO 80601; phone: 1-800-221-3241.
NL = Neils Lunceford, P.O. Box 2130, Silverthorne, CO 80498;
phone: (801) 468-0340.
NP = North Plan, N.A.P.G., Inc., P.O. Box 9107, Moscow, ID
83843-1607; phone (208) 882-8040.
PP = Progressive Plants, 9180 S. Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, UT
84093; phone: (801) 942-7333.
PS = Plants of the Southwest, Aqua Fria, Rt. 6, Box 11-A,
Santa Fe, NM 87501; phone: (505) 983-1548.
RM = Rocky Mountain Rare Plants, P.O. Box 200483, Denver, CO
80220-0483: phone: none listed in brochure.
SB = Sharp Bros. Seed Co., Inc., 101 E. 4th. Street Rd.,
Greeley, CO 80631; phone: 1-800-421-4234.
SI = Stevenson Intermountain Seed, P.O. Box 2, Ephraim, UT
84627; phone: (801) 283-6639.
VG = Valley Grown Nursery, 680 24 1/2 Road, Grand Junction, CO
81505; phone: 1-800-635-7916.
VN = Valley Nursery, Box 4845, Helena,. MT; phone: none listed
in brochure.
WC = Wild and Crazy Seed, P.O. Box 895, Durango, CO 81302;
phone: (303) 259-6385.
WR = Wind River Seed (formerly Absaroka Seed), 3015 Lane 51
1/2, Route 1, Box 97, Manderson, WY 82432; phone: (307)
586-3326.
4
.i
WS = Wildflower Seeds, 161000 Hwy. 10 A West, Anaconda, MT
59711; phone: (406) 563-8048.
WT = Wild Things, 218 Quincy, Pueblo, CO 81004; phone: (719)
543-2722.
Jim, I never did receive a letter from Jerry Craig providing his
recommendations for number, type, and location of additional raptor
perches to mitigate for the trees taken out by the road along the
tracks (letter was supposed to be sent by December 1, 1992). Did
you have him come out to the Paragon site and evaluate this? If
so, please forward his written reply to me.
Please let me -know if you have any questions about the suggested
planting methods and let me know a few days ahead of the time that
you plan to begin the earthwork and seeding. I'd like to go out to
the site and do a brief survey of existing plants with some
students to have "before planting" measurements.
Sincerely,
CA�V\-X�
Karen Manci
Environmental Planner
cc: Tom Shoemaker, City of Fort Collins, Natural Resources
Rob Wilkinson, City of Fort Collins, Natural Resources
ve City of Fort Collins, Planning
Ted Shephar , City of Fort Collins, Planning
E
t
PARAGON POINT, PHASE 2
SEED MIXES
Species Variety Seeding Rate
Lbs/Acre Pure Live Seed
IRRIGATED TURFGRASS SOD
Fescue or Bluegrass variety
IRRIGATED TURFGRASS SEED
Turf -type Tall Fescue
'Monark'
25 %
348
'Arid'
25%
'Rebel Junior'
25 %
'Rebel 2'
25 %
SHORTGRASS PRAIRIE
Western Wheatgrass
'Arriba'
3.5
Blue Grama
'Hachita'
2.0
Green Needlegrass
'Lodorm'
1.5
Sideoats Grama
Winer'
2.0
TALLGRASS PRAIRIE
Switchgrass
'Pathfinder'
3.0
Big Bluestem
'Kew'
1.5
Little Bluestem
'Cimmaron'
2.0
Sideoats Grama
Winer'
2.0
Western Wheatgrass
'Arriba'
3.5
Blue Grama
'Hachita'
2.0
Green Needlegrass
'Lodorm'
1.5
POPPY SEED MIX
Buffalograss
California Poppies.
SPECIAL ADDITIONS FOR BREAK SITES
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Sand Drop Seed
Fringed Sagebrush
Silver Sage
Purple Threeon
5.0
2.0
2.0
0.5
_ 1.0
1.0
2.0