Rare Species Inventory of Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Interim Report (Year 1, 2006)(DRAFT)
Sovell J and Colorado Natural Heritage Program - Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University. 2006. Rare Species Inventory of Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Interim Report (Year 1, 2006)(DRAFT). Fort Collins, Colorado
There is little information on the biological resources at SAND. The primary habitat at the park is short-grass prairie and sandsage shrubland with the intermittent Big Sandy Creek bisecting the park. Short-grass prairie is home to several candidates for federal endangered or threatened species status and several State of Colorado listed species (Table 1). The presence of a prairie dog complex at SAND increases the chances of several State of Colorado listed species and federal candidate species being present. This park is part of the Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (SOPN), but it was a late addition to the network and was not part of the Inventory and Monitoring Program’s original 270 target parks. The development of park management plans and monitoring programs requires the knowledge of the presence and condition of T and E species and species of concern. Specifically, several of species with the potential to inhabit SAND are sensitive to grazing practices (including lack of grazing). All grazing has ceased since this park has been acquired by NPS. SAND cannot manage for T and E species and species of concern and develop appropriate general management plans, resource management plans or grassland management practices if the status of these species is unknown. The NPS and the SOPN are interested in surveying the land within the current established boundary for the occurrence of T and E species and species of concern with the potential, or that are known, to inhabit SAND. The NPS and the SOPN contracted with Colorado State University and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) to perform a rapid assessment biological inventory of the biological resources at SAND. This interim report identifies the location, quality, and abundance/density of nine federal candidate species or State listed and/or endemic species of conservation priority at SAND (Table 1).
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Sovell, John; Colorado Natural Heritage Program - Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University
- Date of Issue
- 2006-12-19
- Units
- SAND
- Keywords
- Arkansas darter (Etheostoma cragini), Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), Bleached skimmer, Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis), Legal Designations for Rare Species, Lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus), Northern leopard frog, Plains Ambrosia (Ambrosia linearis), Preserving Biological Resources and the Natural Heritage Network, Research, swift fox (Vulpes velox), Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), The Natural Heritage Ranking System, Translocation of Lesser Prairie Chicken