register |  login
› HIGHLANDS RANCH
Loading Ad
Visit Other Hubs:
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Tower
RECENT STORIES

Prairie dogs face bulldozers in Highlands Ranch

Contributed by: Joanne Conca on 7/10/2007

Over the last 150 years, prairie dogs have declined by over 95%. Declines continue today. In the last 15 years, there's been a further 60% decrease of large prairie dog complexes. Prairie dogs are highly intelligent animals and have one of the most complex language systems ever studied.

I drive through the Lucent Blvd. entrance to "Town Center" very often, as do many other Highlands Ranch residents. I've noticed that there has been a prairie dog colony living on the lot on the corner of Highlands Ranch Parkway and Lucent Blvd. It's right behind Key bank and caddy corner to the Home Depot Parking lot.

On Tuesday, July 3rd, I drove by the site and I was alarmed to see that there were construction workers with bulldozers working on a small piece of the property. It looked like they were creating a washout for the construction vehicles, and scraping part of the land and laying gravel over it. Since there is a prairie dog colony living there, it was an awful site. There were young prairie dogs sitting on a grass strip just outside the construction area. They were staring at their home with a confused look. Some of the adult prairie dogs were standing guard inside the perimeter of the lot.

The property was scraped last week; however, there are still surviving prairie dogs on the property. I was finally able to get in contact with the owner of the property- Shea Homes. I was told that this had been an oversight and that construction would halt until Shea determined how to handle the remaining prairie dogs.

Shea is going to look at 3 options:

1) Relocate the prairie dogs (this may be unlikely because it is hard to find areas where the prairie dogs are permitted to be relocated)

2) Donate the prairie dogs to a raptor rehabilitation program (they would be used for food)

3) Fumigate the prairie dogs

As a concerned neighbor, I did some investigation last week and I found that prairie dogs receive no protection in Highlands Ranch. They don't receive protection in Douglas County. Apparently, with regard to wildlife, a private property owner can do as he pleases on his property.

Highlands Ranch does have a management plan for prairie dogs; but not all developers choose to cooperate or take any measures to treat these animals humanely. Many just look at the animals as a nuisance. It doesn't appear that there are any requirements regarding development.

Even the Highlands Ranch management plan is not ideal. Their management plan does involve removing the prairie dogs and they are often euthanized and sent as food to raptor rehabilitation programs and ferret programs. The problem is that there are just not enough areas where the colonies can be relocated. Highlands Ranch has open space; but those areas are at capacity and part of the management plan includes thinning those colonies.

I am asking for a call to action from our neighbors. Time is ticking. For those of you who care, please read on:

1) Contact Shea Homes

If you believe that fumigation is an inhumane choice, then I urge you to contact Shea today. Acknowledge that you are pleased that they are exploring better options; but urge them to avoid fumigation. We need a lot of concerned citizens to contact the company. In large numbers, we can be a powerful force of persuasion.

Tim Roberts, VP of Community Development Wildlife: 720-348-3082
Tim.Roberts@sheahomes.com

John Kilrow, VP of Commercial Operations: 303-486-1396
John.kilrow@sheahomes.com

2) Contact Highlands Ranch Metro District

Developers can do as they please in Highlands Ranch. If you wish to see a change in the development process and if you wish to put restrictions on inhumane treatment of animals in Highlands Ranch, then I urge you to contact the Metro District. Here are some contacts to start:

Bill Dailey, Natural Resources Manager:
720-240-5924
BDailey@highlandsranch.org

Highlands Ranch Board of Directors and Elected Officials: their e-mails are on HR website: http://www.highlandsranch.org/02_lgov/02_lgov_home.html

3) Contact Me

I'm just a concerned neighbor; but I would like to collect names and contact info of other folks who are concerned and interested in future updates and prairie dog developments in Highlands Ranch. Please contact me with your email address and phone number to be put on my personal contact list. (Email contact is preferred. Thanks.)

Joanne Conca
303-471-5884
joanne@beyondhomes.com


SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above story



Current Rating
Based on 5 user ratings.

Talk Back : submit comments to the story

*Note: you need to log-in to add a comment or rating.

Showing 1-5 of 5 comments
Submitted By: Joanne Conca
posted on 7/12/2007 @ 11:34:57 PM
(Not Rated)
Thanks to all who have commented on this story and many thanks to those who contacted Shea Homes and Bill Dailey. I'm sorry to say that after I wrote this story, I learned that Shea Homes decided to exterminate the remaining prairie dogs on the property. I was told that this decision was made after weighing other options. We need to build public awareness. I think the comments from this story are a good example of how public perception is split and how many old misconceptions about prairie dogs still survive today. For those of you who are new to this topic, you can find a wealth of information at http://www.prairiedogcoaltion.org
[Report as objectionable]
Submitted By: Vicki Grice
posted on 7/12/2007 @ 3:42:35 PM
(Not Rated)
Contrary to what many farmers and ranchers assert, prairie dogs and cattle have a mutually beneficial relationship. Prairie dogs improve the forage for cattle, and cattle grazing allows prairie dog colonies to expand in mid-grass prairie. Both cattle and prairie dogs have demonstrated a preference for grazing together, just as bison and prairie dogs have historically preferred each other's company. The Journal of Range Management has published several articles that confirm these findings. Cattle-grazing, however, causes extensive ecological damage and is a poor substitute for nature's intended bison/prairie dog relationship. Please refer to several articles in the Smithsonian if you have any doubts. Also, Native American Ranchers are leaving colonies on their lands these day! Thank you.
[Report as objectionable]
Submitted By: Michael Rule
posted on 7/12/2007 @ 6:36:05 AM
Rated Story
I have to agree in part with Jeffery. Obviously you are passionate and took a lot of time writing this. Yes, prairie dog colonies are declining in Douglas County. I don't agree they are glorified rats. They are an important part of a declining ecosystem. But if you are a Highlands Ranch resident, they were most likely pushed out by the development of YOUR home! A classic case of "I got mine, now let's save the rest."
[Report as objectionable]
Submitted By: Bill Boucher
posted on 7/11/2007 @ 10:45:59 PM
Rated Story
I'm assuming they would be welcome in your yard.
[Report as objectionable]
Submitted By: Jeffrey Schwartz
posted on 7/10/2007 @ 1:54:33 PM
Rated Story
I'm going to give you 5-stars because this was a passionate piece. However, I disagree that prairie dogs need saving. Prairie dogs are nothing more than glorified rats. They carry disease (plague) and are harmful to other wildlife as well as domesticated animals. Ask any rancher or horse owner whose animal has stumbled in one of these "cute" critter's holes. These animals are in no danger of being extinct or even threatened. So, you'll pardon me if I don't join up with your cause, but, by all means, an excellently-written article.
[Report as objectionable]
Showing 1-5 of 5 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Joanne Conca

Highlands Ranch , CO

Joanne Conca has posted 1 story and 2 comments since joining on 7/10/2007. Joanne Conca 's average story rating is 5.
SAVE AND SHARE THIS STORY
STORY RSS FEEDS
WANT TO WRITE FOR YOURHUB.COM?
Want to see the stories you write and the photos you shoot featured in the YourHub.com Thursday print section available all over the Front Range and with home subscriptions of the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post? All you have to do is register, then post a story or column, start a blog or tell everyone what events are happening in town. We will print the best stories, columns, event listings, photos and blog entries in our print sections.

ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Ad

Loading Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Ad

This YourHub.com community is produced by The Denver Newspaper Agency
Web Development and Channel Analytics provided by Indigio

terms of use //  privacy policy
the staff //  advertise //  help & faq
buy photos