Posts tagged OSMP
OSMP to begin habitat improvement work on South Boulder Creek
Jul 29th
The project is a cooperative effort involving Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver Water and OSMP. Funding is provided by a Division of Wildlife ‘Fishing is Fun’ grant, Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir mitigation fund and OSMP restoration funds
The project will improve in-stream habitat for fish and other aquatic species and restore riparian habitat from South Boulder Road south for 1.9 miles upstream. Work will include placing rock and log structures in the channel, removing spoil piles from past gravel mining, creating wetlands and planting riparian vegetation. Construction work is to be completed by Oct. 1 after which Wildland Restoration Volunteers will assist with planting and seeding of the project area.
The South Boulder Creek Trail will remain open while work is being done on this project. Occasional construction traffic may be encountered on the trail. Trail users are asked to use caution around construction equipment.
City has lifted some seasonal raptor closures early
Jul 27th
This year marked another successful season for raptors nesting on OSMP. Four Peregrine Falcon pairs nesting in the mountain backdrop produced ten fledglings, making it the most productive year for this species since monitoring began. Unfortunately, Golden Eagle productivity on OSMP was low, as it was all around Boulder County. Of particular interest to OSMP, in terms of ground-nesting birds, was the influx of Cassin’s Sparrows to the grasslands. Staff detected approximately 30 Cassin’s Sparrows during seasonal monitoring. Cassin’s Sparrows are more common in southeast Colorado and it is possible that ongoing drought conditions in that area are forcing them north and west.
The City of Boulder has been monitoring raptor nesting and roosting areas since 1984. It has become an important part of protecting the species in the area. In 2011, OSMP volunteers logged more than 600 hours monitoring cliff-nesting raptor sites. They are an integral part of the success of this program. OSMP relies heavily on the public to respect the closures. The cooperation of visitors to these areas is greatly appreciated.
Goats to help restore threatened Open Space grassland
Jul 18th
“The tallgrass prairie habitat along this trail is rare worldwide, and right now it’s threatened by the spread of chicory that has built up over past years,” said Laurie Deiter, OSMP restoration ecologist and Integrated Pest Management specialist. “Goats are one tool against these invasive plants because they prefer to eat woody plants like chicory and leave the tender native grasses.”
Deiter added that using goats means that OSMP does not resort to chemical control. She said that OSMP also plans on using cattle grazing and prescribed burning in years to come to finish what the goats start.
The leash requirement is necessary to keep the goats safe. There will be a person staying on site throughout the period, keeping an eye on the goats, moving them from one area to another and providing them with water.
“We want to thank the public in advance for complying with this temporary change in regulations. This cooperation is necessary to make these restoration efforts successful,” said Eric Stone, OSMP division manager.