Bobcat Ridge Management Plan - City of Fort Collins, CO

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Conservation Target Ponderosa Pine Woodland Objectives Allow natural regenerative processes to restore portions of the forest while aggressively controlling invasive weeds and undertaking proactive restoration efforts to reduce erosion and enhance the native character. Natural Processes/ Functions/ Interactions Threats & Stresses (Source of Stress) Strategy/Action • Stabilize eroding soils. Ponderosa Pine Savanna High frequency – mixed severity fire is the dominant ecological process. • High intensity rainstorms leading to severe erosion. • Introduction and establishment of weeds, especially cheatgrass. • Additional high intensity wildfires due to unnatural surface fuel buildup (invasion of cheatgrass together with downed woody material). • Prevent the introduction and spread of invasive weeds. • Prevent further catastrophic fire from post-fire fuel buildups. • Enhance wildlife habitat Measure of Success Successful mitigation of eroded areas. Reduced area of invasive species. Conservation Plan • Complete a site restoration plan. • Complete a grazing plan • Inventory severe erosion locations and implement management measures to reduce soil loss. • Aggressively control invasive species. Monitor routinely to detect new invasions. • Develop prescribed fire management plan to reduce probability of high intensity surface fires; contain the spread should one ignite. • Determine historic range of variability of forest density and disturbance regime. • Create patches of meadows to attract native browsers. • Determine utilization of burned area by woodpeckers, flickers, nuthatch and similar species for cavity nesting, feeding, etc. • Monitor re-establishment of ponderosa pine seedlings. The Ponderosa Pine Savanna ecosystem consists of widely spaced ponderosa pine trees with grassland parks or shrublands. It occurs at relatively lower elevations and on somewhat rockier substrates, making this ecosystem moderately drier than the Ponderosa Pine Woodland ecosystem. The main plants associated with this ecosystem are ponderosa pine, mountain mahogany and big bluestem. This plant association is found at the ecotone between forests on higher slopes and grasslands in valley bottoms, combining elements of each. Unique in this association is the presence of big bluestem, a species that abundantly occurs in the tallgrass prairie of the Plains states to the east, but is much less common in the Foothills. Patches of big bluestem are scattered throughout the savanna approximately between 5,960 and 6,440 feet on the east-facing slopes of Green Ridge. At higher elevations in this range, this association tends to occur on more southfacing aspects. 15 Vegetation
Much of the savanna sustained low intensity surface fire during 2000. Some trees were torched and shrubs and grasses were top-killed by the fire. Mountain mahogany is resprouting from root bases and several native grasses are abundant. Big bluestem, like many native grasses, is welladapted to fire (Uchytil 1988). There is an abundance of fringed sage (Artemisia frigida) following the 2000 fire. This species and certain other early successional colonizers (e.g. mullein) will likely decrease in abundance over time. However, cheatgrass is abundant and dominant in many areas and may persist and expand if not addressed. Conservation Target Ponderosa Pine Savana Objectives Enhance habitat value and native character through restoration efforts designed to eradicate weeds and maintain the system through periodic natural disturbance. Natural Processes/ Functions/ Interactions Threats & Stresses (Source of Stress) Seasonal grazing and periodic fire and drought are natural processes that sustain native grasslands. A June 2004 wildfire on 10 acres of grassland and woodland resulted in the conversion of non-native ground cover to native grasses and forbs. • Invasion by non-native like cheatgrass and Canada thistle. • Lack of natural disturbance. Strategy/Action • Locate remnant grassland patches to determine restoration targets including species diversity and abundance. • Use a combination of targeted cool-season and dormant season grazing, prescribed fire, and enhancement seeding to convert nonnative areas to native. Measure of Success Reduced areas of non native species and increase of native species, specifically the ponderosa pine, mountain mahogany, big bluestem plant community. Conservation Plan • Complete a site restoration plan using remnant native grassland patches as a reference. • Monitor vegetation recovery from the 2004 burn; implement early season prescribed burning if area continues to demonstrate native plant recovery. • Use prescriptive grazing to reduce cool season, non native species like cheatgrass. • Introduce small scale prescribed burns to reduce the abundance of widespread non-native species. • Once desired condition is achieved, proactively manage to mimic periodic natural disturbance processes (i.e. grazing, fire). 16 Vegetation
Page 1 and 2: BOBCAT RIDGE Natural Area Managemen
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents (continued) Chapt
Page 5 and 6: Executive Summary Bobcat Ridge Natu
Page 7 and 8: 3. Geographic Context Bobcat Ridge
Page 10 and 11: Chapter 2 Physical Resources The ph
Page 12 and 13: Hogback ridge soils Soils on the ho
Page 14 and 15: 4. Hydrology/Water Resources Bobcat
Page 16 and 17: Chapter 3 Vegetation In this chapte
Page 18 and 19: Table 3.1. Rare plant communities a
Page 22 and 23: B. Shrubland The hogback area at Bo
Page 24 and 25: Conservation Target Foothills Grass
Page 26 and 27: There are numerous drainages that r
Page 28 and 29: Conservation Target Bell’s Twinpo
Page 30 and 31: Chapter 4 Wildlife Bobcat Ridge Nat
Page 32 and 33: A. Ungulates Deer and elk routinely
Page 34 and 35: Conservation Target Black-tailed Pr
Page 36 and 37: Conservation Target Preble’s Mead
Page 38 and 39: E. Bats Townsend’s big-eared bat
Page 40 and 41: Table 4.3. Noteworthy bird species
Page 42 and 43: Conservation Target Birds Objective
Page 44 and 45: Table 4.6. Butterfly species observ
Page 46 and 47: In fact, the variety of habitat typ
Page 48 and 49: Conservation Target Moths & Butterf
Page 50 and 51: Chapter 5 Cultural Resources Introd
Page 52 and 53: B. Other Homesteads/Cabin Remnants
Page 54 and 55: E. Railroad Boxcar The railroad box
Page 56 and 57: I. Pioneer Barn The pioneer barn (F
Page 58 and 59: Figure 5.16. Tipi ring. 53 Cultural
Page 60 and 61: Feature Location Action Isolated ca
Page 62 and 63: Chapter 6 Visitor Use Goal for Visi
Page 64 and 65: B.Regional Analysis of Recreation O
Page 66 and 67: topics. • Provide self-guided lea
Page 68 and 69: Trails - Leashed Dog Walking Dog wa
Page 70 and 71:
Trails - Horseback Riding Horseback
Page 72 and 73:
Picnic Areas Many of the responses
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Interpretive Walks Education is a p
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Hunting Any hunting that is conside
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Campground/Car Camping This recreat
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Phase I - Valley Loop (construct pr
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3. Managing Visitor Use Seasonal cl
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a. Vehicle Access There are two veh
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Chapter 7 Education and Outreach 1.
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3. Proposed Education Products Inte
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Chapter 8 Site Administration Bobca
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Shooting Range A private shooting r
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Educational Features Maintenance Tr
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Chapter 9 Action Plan 9.1 Introduct
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9.3 Vegetation and Plant Communitie
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Foothills Grassland The Foothills G
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9.4 Action Plan for Wildlife Manage
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Bats All bats are considered specie
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9.6 Visitor Use Action Plan Visitor
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• (2) Phase II - Mountain Loop (c
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9.8 Site Administration Action Plan
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6. Describe the property’s geogra
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Bobcat Ridge Tour Brochure - inside
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• If Mtn bikes allowed - enforce
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During the course of a year, how ma
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• Minimal trail improvement to re
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• I don’t know enough about wha
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Other grazing comments in general:
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What did you find most interesting
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Is reconstruction or preservation o
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No comments: • No - manage like H
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22 Appendix
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Significant Mammalian Species of Po
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General Description: The Big Thomps
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Current management strategies on ra
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I. INTRODUCTION This report summari
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32 Appendix
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Swifts White-throated Swift Humming
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Dipper American Dipper Cinclus mexi
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Finches, Old World Sparrows Pine Si
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Phenology: One brood. Flies from Fe
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Bobcat Ridge Management Plan - City of Fort Collins, CO

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