Cathy Fromme Prairie Site Management Plan
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Cathy Fromme Prairie Site Management Plan
PREFACE
In 1993, the City of Fort Collins formed an interdepartmental team to address various
management issues associated with City-owned open spaces and other natural areas. The
Open Space/Natural Areas (OSNA) Management Team meets weekly to discuss immediate
management issues that arise and to develop management guidelines for natural areas. In
October 1994, the Team completed the "General Management Guidelines for City-owned Open
Spaces and Natural Areas." Over the next several years, the Team will be developing specific
site management plans for larger City-owned natural areas within the major resource areas (i.e.,
Foothills, Poudre River, Spring Creek, Fossil Creek). The "General Management Guidelines"
are adequate for management of smaller sites (i
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Public Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SITE DESCRIPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Land Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Plant Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Wildlife Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SITE MANAGEMENT GOALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SITE MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS . . 11
General Site Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Legal Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Plant Community Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Wildlife Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Water Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Recreation Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Interpretive Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5-YEAR SITE MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN . . . . . . . . . . 33
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
ATTACHMENT A: List of Plants Observed on the Cathy Fromme
Prairie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
ATTACHMENT B: List of Animals Observed on the Cathy Fromme
Prairie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
APPENDIX: PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED ON DRAFT CATHY FROMME PRAIRIE
SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN (14 pp.). Available on request.
iiCATHY FROMME PRAIRIE SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN
INTRODUCTION
During May 1993, the City of Fort Collins purchased the 579-acre Seven Springs/Hahn
properties and named the site the "Cathy Fromme Prairie," in honor of Councilmember
Fromme who passed away during fall 1992. In early 1995, an additional 80 acres was added
to the Fromme Prairie when Natural Resources, Larimer County, and Larimer Land Trust (a
non-profit organization) were awarded a "Go Colorado Grant" (State lottery revenue funds)
to purchase a parcel south of the Hahn property, adjacent to Taft Hill Road.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie, currently encompassing 659 acres, is one of the most
significant natural areas in Fort Collins and provides an outstanding example of the pre-
settlement landscape of the City. Located at the headwaters of Fossil Creek at the base of
the foothills, the site is characterized by rolling terrain with grasslands, intermittent streams,
and wet meadows. The site contains over 75 acres of wetlands and an extensive native
shortgrass prairie that has supported prairie dogs for at least 100 years, according to the
Franz family who purchased the property in 1889. These prairie dogs provide a valuable prey
base for a variety of wildlife species, including wintering bald eagles and ferruginous hawks,
coyotes, red foxes, and badgers.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie is classified as a sensitive natural area (Balok et al. 1994).
Sensitive natural areas are defined as:
"Sites that have sensitive plant or animal species, or geological features, that need special
consideration when developing a site management plan. These include sites that
support rare plants, unique native plant communities, concentrations of large raptors,
rare nesting birds, concentrations of migratory bird species, and key areas for
wintering deer, as well as fragile rock outcrops or other geological features that can be
impacted by high visitor use. This designation carries with it the understanding that the
primary function of management is the maintenance of those sensitive species and
features."
Sensitive animal species of the Cathy Fromme Prairie include the bald eagle (Federal
Endangered; under consideration for downlisting to Threatened) and the ferruginous hawk
(Colorado Species of Concern; candidate Federal Threatened Species), which inhabit the
prairie from mid-October through mid-March. The Prairie supports concentrations of other
large raptors throughout the year. The shortgrass prairie is considered a sensitive native plant
community, found at very few sites within the Fort Collins Urban Growth Area and potentially
impacted by excessive recreational use. The Bell's twinpod (Colorado Plant Species of
Concern) occurs on the site. The Prairie also contains unique and fragile rock outcrops and
fossil deposits. The primary function of the site management plan is to maintain the sensitive
species and unique character of the Cathy Fromme Prairie while providing recreational
1opportunities and preserving open space for the public.
PUBLIC INPUT
During July and August 1993, about 300 fliers requesting public input on management
of the Cathy Fromme Prairie were distributed to natural resource professionals of County,
State, and Federal agencies; representatives of local and State conservation organizations;
adjacent neighborhood homeowner's associations and residents, as well as other individuals
who had previously expressed interest in natural areas issues. The purpose of this
announcement was to more thoroughly identify issues regarding management of the Cathy
Fromme Prairie. About 50 written responses were received from adjacent homeowners
(72%), other interested residents (11%), resource professionals (11%), and conservation and
other citizen groups (6%).
All respondents were appreciative that the area was being preserved as a natural area,
citing the value of either the wildlife habitat or simply the value of undeveloped open space as
reasons. Enjoyment of seeing eagles, hawks, coyotes, and other wildlife was often mentioned
by neighboring residents and others. Several respondents were concerned about prairie
dogs for various reasons, but none suggested total eradication of prairie dogs on the property.
No respondents indicated a desire to have more developed parkland facilities on the property
(e.g., tennis courts, ballfields, golfcourse).
The majority of respondents (91%) wanted some type of management of the site; 9%
wanted the area left as it is, with no maintenance, no enhancement, no restoration, and no
access. Site habitat enhancement and restoration suggestions were in line with keeping the
character of the grassland and maintaining the open landscape. About a fourth of the
respondents expressed the need for various types of interpretive and educational features.
The most frequently cited management issue was that of public access to the site,
particularly trail placement. About a quarter of the respondents recommended no trail. Of
those who made suggestions for trail locations, all but four respondents suggested locating
trails along the perimeter of the natural area. Trail location on the Hahn Parcel (Fig. 1) was
the most frequently cited trail issue. About a third of the respondents wanted the trail located
on the south side of the parcel rather than on the north side near the Ridge Homeowners
Association's open space. The majority of these respondents were residents of the Ridge
Subdivision who enjoyed watching eagles and other wildlife from their homes and were greatly
concerned that placing the trail on the north side of the Hahn Parcel would disrupt wildlife use
of this area. In February 1994, when a potential bald eagle night roost was discovered on
private land to the south of the Prairie (Fig. 1), these residents became more supportive of
placing the trail on the north side of the Prairie to help protect the night roost use by eagles.
Public input gathered during 1993 was summarized in the "Cathy Fromme Prairie
2Management Issues Report" (Manci 1993), which was presented at an open house to receive
additional public input in November 1993. OSNA management staff attended several
meetings of homeowners associations adjacent to the Prairie in 1994 and early 1995 to
further address their concerns.
The draft "Cathy Fromme Prairie Site Management Plan" was prepared in early 1995.
Comments were solicited through notices sent through a mailing to 540 community groups,
adjacent neighbors, and individuals who had previously requested notices of opportunities to
comment on natural areas issues, as well as through ads and press releases in local
newspapers.
Written comments were received during the open house on the draft plan (February 23,
1995, 281 N. College Conference Room) and through the mail (late February through mid-
March). About 100 copies of the report were distributed for review from this solicitation.
Comments were received from 30 individuals--23 at the open house and an additional 7
through the mail or over the phone. A 14-page summary of comments received on the draft
plan is available, upon request, as an appendix to this report.
In general, comments were very supportive of the format of the draft plan, the
interdepartmental team effort, and the contents of the plan. Trail issues appeared to be
resolved by the majority of respondents. Respondents also offered valuable suggestions for
additions to the plan, many of which have been incorporated in this final plan.
Public input has been extremely important and was given serious consideration in the
preparation of both the draft and final Cathy Fromme Prairie Site Management Plan. Public
input will continue to be valuable over the next 5 years, and beyond, as the plan is
implemented. The Cathy Fromme Prairie Site Management Plan will be reviewed and
updated in the year 2000 to assess the current implementation plan and to propose the next
5-year implementation schedule.
SITE DESCRIPTION
LAND USE
The Cathy Fromme Prairie, located in southwest Fort Collins, consists of three land
parcels (Fig. 1). The 320-acre parcel to the west of Taft Hill Road, commonly referred to as
the "Seven Springs Site," is bounded on the south by the Larimer County Landfill and to the
north and west by residential developments (Taft Canyon Estates and WestRidge Estates).
The 259-acre parcel between Taft Hill Road and Shields Avenue, commonly referred to as the
3"Hahn Parcel," is bounded on the northwest by undeveloped property, on the northeast by the
Ridge residential development, and on the south by two parcels of currently undeveloped land
that have been proposed for development. In fall 1994, Natural Resources, Larimer County,
and Larimer Land Trust (a non-profit organization) submitted a "Go Colorado Grant"
application to obtain lottery revenue funds for purchase of an 80-acre parcel adjacent to Taft
Hill Road, which had been proposed for County residential development. Go Colorado funds
were awarded and the land was purchased in early 1995.
The City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Department hopes to be able to purchase
at least some of the currently undeveloped adjacent lands to further expand the Cathy Fromme
Prairie. Negotiations have taken place between the City and the partnership that owns 180
acres of undeveloped property to the northwest of the Hahn Parcel. At this date, the owners
have proposed a residential development for 40-acres north of the canal and next to Harmony
and the Ridge; Natural Resources is approaching an agreement with the landowners to
purchase the rest of the acreage as an addition to the Fromme Prairie. Natural Resources
is also currently discussing options for purchase or land trade for the western parcels (Phase
II and III) of the Fossil Creek Estates Planned Unit Development (P.U.D.). Phase I of the Fossil
Creek Estates P.U.D., 28 acres immediately adjacent to Shields has been approved for
residential development.
Adjacent property of the Larimer County Landfill is currently undergoing expansion to
the south, giving Larimer County close to 10 more years of capacity at the site. The County
is currently working on a reclamation plan for the Landfill. According to a letter accompanying
the application for Landfill expansion, Frank Lancaster, then Director of Larimer County
Department of Natural Resources, stated that upon closure of the Landfill, the County plans
to "incorporate its 640 acres into the Fromme Prairie as a natural area." The County has
recently constructed a new entrance on Taft south of the existing ingress/egress point to
alleviate traffic visibility problems.
If the City is successful in acquiring adjacent undeveloped parcels and the Landfill is
reclaimed for open space, by the year 2005, the Cathy Fromme Prairie could encompass
over 1,500 acres. The preferred Land Use Scenario in the Loveland/Fort Collins Corridor
Area Plan (BHA Design, Inc. 1995) proposes that undeveloped land within the mile sections
south of the Fromme Prairie, 1/2 mile east of Taft Hill Road and 1 mile west of Taft Hill Road,
be maintained as open space. This plan has been approved by the City of Fort Collins, the
City of Loveland, and Larimer County.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie has been grazed by cattle and horses over the last century;
however, a detailed grazing history of the site is not available. In the past few years, the land
has been grazed by only a few horses and much of the site appears to have been retained in
native prairie during the last 100 years. Structures that currently exist on the Cathy Fromme
Prairie include a hay storage area for the horses, remnant foundation of an old brick factory,
utility poles, fences, groundwater testing wells, plus a few other additional structures, such as
4large trash pieces and what remains of old "For Sale" signs.
No oil storage or other regulated hazardous materials are on the site. (See Manci
1993 for a detailed report of an environmental audit conducted on the site.) The Larimer
County Landfill south of the Seven Springs Parcel is impacting the Cathy Fromme Prairie
through some volatile organic compound contamination of groundwater. Stewart
Environmental Consultants, who conducted the environmental assessment of the site, believes
that this contamination does not pose an immediate health threat to humans or wildlife at the
site and will not likely impact the proposed use of the site. An environmental summary
package of the contamination is available (Stewart Environmental Consultants, Inc. 1995).
Larimer County has installed additional groundwater test wells to expand their monitoring and
have taken several steps to decrease the amount of contamination from the Landfill. The
Landfill owners, Larimer County, City of Fort Collins, and City of Loveland are responsible for
any remedial action that needs to be taken in response to contamination from the Landfill.
Scenic Knolls Irrigation Company owns water rights and has an easement for vehicle
access and maintenance of the ditch. The Irrigation Company must do routine maintenance
to comply with County and State noxious weed laws and to assure that the ditch is capable
of carrying the water. This maintenance includes use of controlled burning and herbicides to
control noxious weeds and woody vegetation impeding water flow in the canal. The Irrigation
Company also occasionally poisons prairie dogs and other rodents within the canal when the
burrows these animals create can result in significant loss of irrigation water when water flows
from May-September.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie also contains several existing rights-of-way (R-O-W) that
could impact the site. R-O-W along Taft and Shields allow for widening of the highways. The
Fort Collins-Loveland Sanitation District has a sewerline that runs through the Hahn Parcel.
In 1994, the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District buried an additional waterline south of the
Hahn Parcel from Taft to Shields and plan to construct a waterline along Taft in the near future.
Utility easements for powerlines also exist on the edges of the Cathy Fromme Prairie. These
utility easements permit access, maintenance, repair, and installation. The utilities are
required to revegetate land disturbed by underground placement of various lines; native
grasses and forbs are now required for use in revegetation.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie has received only limited recreational use. Occasional use
by cross-country skiers, hikers, children playing, and people walking their dogs was noted by
volunteer wildlife observers while the land was in private ownership. Some use by motorbikes
or other motorized recreational vehicles has taken place. Since ownership by the City this
year, recreational use has been restricted; however, those wishing to evaluate the site to
comment on management issues were encouraged to visit the site. Recreational use is
discouraged until the site management plan is in place due to the need to protect sensitive
wildlife from disturbance and to protect the sensitive plant communities and geological
features of the site.
5The City of Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Master Plan (1988) proposed a Fossil
Creek Bike Path (paved) through the site. Part of the justification in purchasing these two
properties as a natural area was to be able to complete this section of the trail; however, the
need to limit the trail to borders of the site has been recognized by City staff, wildlife and plant
ecologists, neighboring residents, and the general public.
PLANT COMMUNITIES
The Cathy Fromme Prairie is primarily composed of shortgrass prairie and wetland
habitat; underlying soils are primarily clay and clay loam. Over 160 species of plants have
been identified, thus far, from surveys of the site (see Attachment A); about 3/4 of these are
native species. Trees on the site include a small stand of mature plains cottonwoods on the
Seven Springs Parcel and a 2-acre wooded riparian area in the northeast corner of the Hahn
Parcel near Shields. The riparian woodlot consists of young and old cottonwoods, plus
several species of native and exotic riparian shrubs. Russian olives and Siberian elm, exotic
wetland pest shrubs and trees, are found within the riparian woodlot and also at other
locations on the site--primarily scattered along fencelines and drainages of the property.
Shortgrass prairie habitat on the Hahn Parcel is dominated by native grasses (e.g.,
buffalograss, blue grama, little bluestem, side-oats grama, needle-and-thread). A variety of
succulents, scattered shrubs, and native wildflowers are present (including the rare Bell's
twinpod, a Colorado Species of Concern). Grasslands surrounding the wetland habitat on
Seven Springs Parcel are dominated by introduced grasses (e.g., smooth brome, foxtail
barley), but are interspersed with small stands of native grasses (e.g., bluestem, blue grama,
buffalograss, western wheatgrass, three-awn, needle-and-thread, dropseed). Native and non-
native wildflowers, pricklypear cactus, yucca, rabbitbrush, fringed sage, and prairie sage are
scattered throughout the grassland. Bell's twinpod is more common along the western
boundary of the site on a shale bench. The southwest corner of the Seven Springs Parcel has
a fairly extensive stand of little bluestem.
Portions of three tributaries of Fossil Creek cross the Cathy Fromme Prairie. The
middle tributary, which flows east from a 6-acre ponded area on the Seven Springs Parcel,
is surrounded by a 45-acre wet meadow that is somewhat degraded by exotic grasses and
weedy plants, but smaller portions are still dominated by saltgrass, sedges, and rushes. Less
than an acre is dominated by cattails. Concentrations of dissolved salts are evident in much
of the wet meadow, indicative of the high alkalinity of the underlaying clay soils. The ditch
encircles the wetland area on the western edge. On the Hahn Parcel, wetland habitat includes
two tributaries of Fossil Creek, as well as wet meadow and cattail marsh areas along the
streams. Marsh and wet meadow habitat is more extensive along the southern tributary.
WILDLIFE COMMUNITIES
6The Cathy Fromme Prairie is one of the most valuable wildlife habitat areas in the Fort
Collins Urban Growth Area. Colorado State University students observed 88 species of birds,
mammals, reptiles, and amphibians on the site during 10 surveys conducted at various times
over the past few years (see Attachment B for complete wildlife species list).
Due to the abundant food base--the prairie dog--the site supports a high population of
wintering raptors, including bald eagles, ferruginous hawks, rough-legged hawks, red-tailed
hawks, and golden eagles. An average of six large raptors per visit were observed on 24
visits to the complex during late October 1991 through early March 1992. As many as seven
bald eagles and twelve ferruginous hawks were observed on a single visit. Peak use by these
birds occurs during November and February. Over the last 3 years, the Cathy Fromme Prairie
has supported as much as half of all the bald eagles that use prairie dog colonies in the Fort
Collins UGA, one-third of all the ferruginous hawks, and about 40% of all large raptor species
combined.
Bald eagles have been observed catching prairie dogs, as well as stealing or "pirating"
freshly caught prairie dogs from ferruginous and rough-legged hawks. As many as six bald
eagles have been observed together feeding on a single prairie dog kill on the Seven Spring
Parcel. Other birds that scavenge on remains of raptor killed-prairie dogs include the crow,
magpie, and raven. At least one bald eagle can usually be seen perched within the
cottonwood stand west of Taft Hill Road daily from November to early March.
The site may support nesting burrowing owls (under consideration for listing as a
Colorado Species of Concern), which inhabit prairie dog burrows and feed primarily on
insects found in the grasslands. The burrowing owl is rapidly declining in Colorado, most likely
due to urban development of grasslands containing prairie dogs and conversion of rural
prairie dog colonies to cropland or grazing land where the colonies are eradicated. The
burrowing owl is a secretive bird and has not been observed nesting on the site in recent
years; however, several birds were observed on the site during April 1992.
The Cathy Fromme Prairie also provides habitat for a variety of other wildlife species,
including coyotes, red fox, mule deer, badgers, jackrabbits, horned lizards, prairie
rattlesnakes, and ground-nesting songbirds. The pond provides habitat for migrant waterfowl,
shorebirds, herons, and small fishes, as well as chorus frogs.
Little is known about the insect populations of the Fromme Prairie; however, some
unique species have been found on the site. In July 1992, Dave Leatherman, Colorado State
Forest Service entomologist, found a prairie tiger beetle on the Seven Springs Parcel. This
is the most northern record of this species in U.S. (previously recorded only as far north as
Boulder, but common in Pueblo and southeastern Colorado plains region). Although this
species is not endangered, it is an interesting scientific find. The specimen is now in the CSU
entomology collection. Paul Opler, National Biological Survey, is an entomologist well-known
for his expertise and studies of butterflies. Dr. Opler has noted that sites along the foothills in
Fort Collins get particularly high use by butterflies, with quite a few rarer foothills and prairie
7butterflies using these areas. The Cathy Fromme Prairie may also support an extremely rare
butterfly--the two-spotted skipper--and rare caddisfly species. Dr. Opler has found these rare
species in the Fossil Creek drainage, about a mile downstream from the Fromme Prairie.
The sedges along the creek are considered critical habitat for the two-spotted skipper, which
uses these plants for egg deposition.
SITE MANAGEMENT GOALS
The City has established general policies regarding natural areas management, which
are included in the Natural Areas Policy Plan (NAPP) (Shoemaker et al. 1992). The NAPP
recognizes that natural areas not only provide "important habitats for the conservation of plants
and animals and their associated ecosystems," but also that natural areas provide "important
habitats for people."
Several NAPP policies are directly related to management of public natural areas.
These policies focus on maintaining and enhancing sites to ensure protection of sensitive
plant and animal communities, while providing opportunities for public use. In keeping with
policies established by the NAPP, the following objectives are proposed for management of
the Cathy Fromme Prairie:
(1) Manage, maintain, and enhance the Cathy Fromme Prairie to preserve and protect the
native habitat and rare species of the site, including the shortgrass prairie, the rare
Bell's twinpod plant population, and the prairie dog colonies that provide a key prey
base for the bald eagle, ferruginous hawk, and other wildlife species in need of
protection.
(2) Control the invasion and spread of undesirable nonnative plants on the site, including
Russian olive, Siberian elm, leafy spurge, and Canada thistle, that threaten the integrity
of the native habitat.
(3) Provide opportunities for safe public use of the site, while minimizing the disturbance to
sensitive wildlife and plant communities, as well as fragile rock outcrops and fossil
deposits on the site.
(4) Provide opportunities to educate the public on the values and benefits of preserving the
native shortgrass habitat and associated wildlife community, as well as the historical
use of the site by native peoples and early settlers.
(5) Manage conflicts between people and the natural area through design of public use
areas, public information and education, habitat manipulation, and plant and animal
population management techniques.
(6) Involve citizens in the planning and management of the Cathy Fromme Prairie.
8SITE MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS
To preserve the Cathy Fromme Prairie without any type of maintenance, management,
or public access would not be in accordance with the NAPP policies, nor the desires of the
citizens of Fort Collins who approved the policy plan through City Council. The public also
expressed their desire for maintenance, management, and public access when voters
approved the 1992 5-year sales tax initiative to acquire and manage natural areas. To
acquire the site and not work toward protecting, enhancing, and restoring the habitat would
not be in the best interest of the wildlife that use the area.
Although the Cathy Fromme Prairie is one of our premier wildlife use areas, it is still
within the urban environment and subject to a great number of potential impacts. Non-native,
weedy vegetation threatens the continued existence of native plant communities that support
native wildlife species. The urban setting does not provide the necessary components to
maintain a "natural" prairie ecosystem. For example, predators will never be able to control
prairie dog populations from expanding beyond the boundaries of the Cathy Fromme Prairie.
Gone are the black-footed ferrets, wolves, and kit foxes who contributed to this control in pre-
settlement time. Gone also is the prairie dog's ability to expand its colony much beyond the
659 acres during years of high reproduction. That land is already taken up by residential
development, agricultural uses, and the Landfill, uses that do not welcome, or are not
conducive to, animals that create a 14-foot deep burrow system and readily feast on crop and
landscaped plantings.
To not allow human access to the Cathy Fromme Prairie would also not be in the best
interest of the wildlife of this site or the wildlife of this region. Those who have had a strong
interest in protecting wildlife have but to think about experiences they have had encountering
wildlife throughout their lives to know that these experiences have influenced choices they
have made to benefit preservation of wildlife habitat. The educational value of natural areas
in enormous. Human access to the Cathy Fromme Prairie is particularly important to provide,
given the tremendous loss of Great Plains prairie habitat and associated wildlife species over
the last hundred years and, at the same time, the lack of interest in preservation of native
grassland ecosystems (see Samson and Knopf 1994). However, any human access to a
natural area could potentially impact the site. Thus, access to the Cathy Fromme Prairie must
be controlled and designed to lessen this impact.
The City's OSNA Management Team has developed general guidelines for managing
City-owned natural areas (Balok et al. 1994). The management plan for the Cathy Fromme
Prairie follows the general guidelines established for sensitive natural areas. Site
management needs and opportunities to accomplish the site management goals established
for the Cathy Fromme Prairie and the reasons behind these needs are discussed in the
following sections.
GENERAL SITE MAINTENANCE
9General site maintenance is necessary to provide a safe environment for wildlife, as
well as a safe and pleasant environment for users. The "General Management Guidelines for
City-owned Open Spaces and Natural Areas" lists various issues that have been a part of
general maintenance of open spaces since they were first acquired in the mid-1970's. These
include general site cleanup, fencing, protection of on-site archaeological materials, provision
of drinking water and restrooms, mowing along trails, and controlling wildfire. The following
general site maintenance needs and opportunities have been identified for the Cathy Fromme
Prairie:
o Protect on-site archaeological materials. Areas to be disturbed by construction of
trails, viewing areas, or other onsite features need to be surveyed for the presence of
prehistoric cultural resources. In October 1993, Colorado State University students,
under the direction of Calvin Jennings, Associate Professor of Anthropology,
conducted a reconnaissance of portions of the Hahn Parcel and found a prehistoric
site consisting of a "very sparse scatter of flakes and one projectile point, indicating
an age of less than 1500-1000 years." Dr. Jennings feels that a more extensive and
systematic examination of the area will yield further evidence of prehistoric human use
of the area because given "the intensity of occupation of eastern Larimer County in all
periods over the last 11,000 years, no time period can be ruled out of consideration
for occupation of the Cathy Fromme Prairie." During fall 1994, Jason Marmor, a
professional archaeologist conducting a site survey for evidence of the historical
Overland Trail, also discovered a matate--a round stone used for grinding grain and
seed by native peoples.
o Remove litter, trash, and non-historical structures (unless they serve public good,
recreational, or site management purposes). The Fromme Prairie, due to its
location north of the Landfill, receives greater amounts of wind-blown litter and debris
than many of the City's other natural areas. Litter and debris can clog stream channels,
possibly injure wildlife if ingested, and is unsightly to visitors, diminishing their
enjoyment of the site. Many features from previous land use remain on the site, such
as old "For Sale" signs, that need to be removed. Known historical structures that
need to be evaluated for retention on site include a remnant foundation of an old brick
factory; historical Overland Trail ruts, recently discovered onsite, will be protected.
o Remove or replace barbed wire fences with non-barbed wire or western rail fence.
Standard open space site maintenance includes removing unnecessary barbed wire
fences and replacing necessary barbed-wire fences with either smooth wire or western
rail, unless fence is adjacent to private land used for horse or cattle grazing. Barbed
wire is potentially dangerous to raptors and other wildlife. Removing barbed wire is
a priority need for the Fromme Prairie due to the high concentration of raptors that use
the site. Staff of the Rocky Mountain Raptor Rehabilitation Program have stated that
raptors are prone to flying into barbed wire fences when they go after prey along
fencelines. This can result in serious injury or death to the bird.
10o Limit the storage of maintenance and management equipment on-site. Comments
received from the public indicate that enjoyment of the site as a natural area is
enhanced if man-made structures are limited on site. Generally, Parks staff uses off-
site structures to store equipment (e.g., mowers, shovels) used for management and
maintenance of open spaces and natural areas. Because of the location of the
Fromme Prairie (i.e., distance from existing storage areas), it may become necessary
to provide a means to store some maintenance equipment on site; however, every
effort will be made to store equipment off site.
o Provide drinking water and restrooms, where necessary. On sensitive natural areas,
drinking water and restrooms are provided only if needed at or near parking lots or
paved trails. Due to the location of the Fromme Prairie (away from such public
facilities) and the large size of the natural area, the OSNA Management Team feels
that providing these amenities would be necessary to provide a pleasant user
experience. Public comments have indicated that restrooms should not be provided
on site, so care needs to be taken to limit the number and siting of these facilities.
o Limit the use of pesticides on site. Due to the sensitivity of the site, pesticide use
needs to be limited as much as possible. The City uses Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) techniques, which involve various means to control weeds and other pests.
Insecticides are rarely used on natural areas. They will likely be used on the Fromme
Prairie only to control a devastating insect pest outbreak (e.g., gypsy moths) or in the
event of a plague outbreak (i.e., burrows along trails may be sprayed). Herbicides are
used for some weed control (see Plant Community Management section below for
further discussion); biological control, hand pulling, and select mowing are used along
stream corridors and areas containing rare plants. Rodenticides are used to control
target populations of Norway rats that threaten human health and prairie dogs on the
urban fringe (see Wildlife Management section below for further discussion).
o Mow along paved trails and buffer areas for safety concerns, weed control, and
grassland restoration. Due to the shortgrass habitat on the site, mowing along
paved trails, roadway frontages, and buffer zones for safety concerns (e.g., to assure
visibility on trail and to protect adjacent structures on private land from wildfire) will
likely be unnecessary; however, mowing can be a very effective, non-chemical use
technique for weed control and grassland restoration.
o Control wildfires that threaten adjacent private property. Poudre Fire Authority has
jurisdiction and responsibility for control of wildfires; their concerns are for fires that
threaten adjacent private property. Controlled fires could be used selectively to control
certain weed species or for research purposes in establishing native grasses;
however, recent research indicates that, unlike eastern mid-grass and tallgrass
prairies, fire can actually damage western native shortgrass prairies. Wildfire has not
been, nor is expected to be, a problem on the Cathy Fromme Prairie due to the low
incidence of wildfire on the site.
11LEGAL ISSUES
A number of needs regarding legal issues have been identified to protect sensitive
wildlife species from excessive disturbance, protect sensitive plant communities and
geological features from excessive impact and degradation, provide a safe and pleasant
user experience, and reduce potential conflicts between adjacent neighbors and the natural
area. The following needs and opportunities related to legal issues have been identified for
the Cathy Fromme Prairie:
o Inform and educate site users and adjacent neighbors on City Code (including
Park Rules and Regulations). The City Code contains regulations that apply to
public use of open spaces (Table 1). These rules were established as regulations not
only to ensure a safe and pleasant user experience, but also to ensure protection of
natural and recreational features of City open spaces. This information needs to be
displayed on signs at entrances to the site, as well as in brochures distributed to site
users and adjacent neighbors of the Cathy Fromme Prairie.
o Enforce City Code (including Park Rules and Regulations) that apply to sensitive
natural areas. Enforcement of City Code and Park Rules and Regulations has been
an issue brought up time and time again over the last few years with regard to
management of City Open Spaces and Natural Areas. At this time, City Code
(including Park Rules and Regulations) is enforced by City Police; Humane Society of
Larimer County also enforces City Code related to dogs and cats at large and some
of the other animal ordinances. Currently, neither agency has enough staff to patrol
open spaces on even a weekly basis. Due to demands on police and Humane Society
to patrol and respond to calls within other sections of the City, response to calls in open
space and natural areas concerning City Code violations that are not potentially
threatening people (e.g., someone riding a motorbike through an open space) must
take lower priority. Enforcement of park rules and regulations on the Prairie will be
difficult due to lack of City staff to patrol natural areas.
Clearly, more patrol and quicker response to calls within these areas is needed. The
best way to achieve this would be through adding an Open Space/Trail Ranger to City
staff. The Open Space/Trail Ranger could also assist in interpretive education
programs and could work to elicit support from neighbors and users of the site to
provide some "self-policing" so that disturbance to wildlife is reduced. The Ridge
Subdivision homeowners have expressed concern about possible increase in gangs
and burglaries in the neighborhood should a paved trail go in. If crime does increase
with the development of a trail system, then patrol by Police officer would be needed.
o Provide means for site users and adjacent neighbors to contact authorities to
report City Code violations and other management issues. Site users and
adjacent neighbors of the Cathy Fromme Prairie need to not only be aware of site
17regulations, but they also need to know how and when to report violations of City Code
and other management issues (e.g., fences in need of repair, injured wildlife, problem
wildlife). The appropriate agency to contact varies, depending on the issue (e.g.,
Police for firearms, Humane Society for abandoned pets, Parks maintenance for fence
repair, Larimer County Health Department for suspected plague outbreak, Colorado
Division of Wildlife for large predators, such as mountain lions or bears, causing
problems in adjacent neighborhoods). A brochure listing various issues and who and
when to contact authorities would be extremely useful to provide to site users and
distribute to adjacent neighbors on a yearly basis. Once the paved trail is complete,
installation of a solar emergency phone, such as currently available along the Poudre
Trail, would help provide a means of earlier contact of Police for emergency and
criminal activity on the site.
o Ensure that all easements granted minimize impact to natural resources of site
and recreational structures. Easements for public purposes include utility
easements (e.g., stormwater conveyance, waterlines, powerlines, irrigation canals) for
maintenance and repair of existing systems or installation of new systems and also
street widening (Shields and Taft are proposed for widening--probably in 10-20 years
for Taft and in at least 5 years for the west side of Shields). Easements are granted
only after review and approval by City Staff (including Natural Resources and Parks),
citizen boards (Parks and Recreation Board, Natural Resources Advisory Board), and
City Council. Minimizing impact to natural resources and recreational structures of the
site are required; unavoidable impacts require mitigation (e.g., buried waterline would
require reseeding with native grasses and forbs). An easement approved in
November 1994 granted a road right-of-way and storm drainage easement on the
boundary of the Fromme Prairie for the Fossil Creek Estates development, adjacent
to the Prairie. Road alignment on private land only would have posed a public safety
danger on Shields Street. Mitigation for impact included dedication of 3.4 acres of
wetland habitat, as well as reseeding and restoration of disturbed areas.
o Ensure that all leases granted do not conflict with site management goals. Few
leases are granted for use of City open spaces and are not expected to be proposed
for the Fromme Prairie. Goats have been used to control certain weed species, such
as leafy spurge, and a short-term, seasonal lease could possibly be granted for
experimental management of weed species on the site in the next 5 years.
PLANT COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT
Although the Cathy Fromme Prairie contains native shortgrass prairie, past cattle and
horse grazing and seeding of non-native pasture grasses (e.g., smooth brome) have
degraded some of the grassland and wet meadow habitats. Due to the Front Range location
of the Prairie in proximity to a large urban area and agricultural lands, controlling noxious
weeds and other invasive exotics will need to be a part of the routine maintenance of the site.
18Restoration of some grassland and wetland areas, where exotic plants now dominate, is also
desirable to fulfill the site management goal of preserving and protecting native habitat and
wildlife. Grassland and wetland restoration projects can be very expensive and the opportunity
for such an effort will depend on available funding and volunteers; however, restoration of
severely disturbed plant communities will help prevent further degradation and perhaps
improve existing functions and values of adjacent plant communities. The following plant
community management needs and opportunities have been identified for the Cathy Fromme
Prairie:
o Control noxious and City-designated weeds. To comply with State, County, and City
weed laws and ordinances, as well as to protect native plant communities, designated
weeds need to be controlled. State and County noxious weeds include leafy spurge,
Canada thistle, and the knapweeds; none of these species are abundant on the site,
but small stands need to be controlled before they spread to other areas. An
additional 35 plant species are designated weeds in Fort Collins by City Code. Not
all species occur on the site; however, some species (e.g., bindweed) do dominate
small portions of the Prairie. IPM techniques used to control weeds by the City include
mowing, seasonal grazing, herbicides, and the use of biological control (e.g.,
introduction of insect pests to control specific weed species). Care must be taken
when using herbicides near stands of rare plants (e.g., Bell's twinpod), other significant
vegetation (e.g., bluestem stands), and wetlands. Purple loosestrife, a perennial that
is a serious wetland pest exotic, is not yet present on the site, but is known to occur in
adjacent neighborhoods. This species could easily establish along drainages. This
plant is extremely difficult to eradicate once established on a site; thus, all plants must
be removed as soon as they are detected. Seedlings of purple loosestrife can be
hand-pulled, but mature plants need to be cut and a wetland-approved (e.g., Rodeo)
herbicide applied to the cut stems to prevent resprouting. Even small roots remaining
in the soil after hand-digging of mature plants will resprout; thus, herbicide use is
necessary for this species.
o Remove all Russian olives, Siberian elm, and saltcedar. These trees and tree-size
shrubs are exotic, wetland pest species that threaten the integrity of wetland habitat
throughout the Fort Collins UGA. On the Fromme Prairie, Russian olives and Siberian
elm are primarily scattered along creek bottoms and along site boundaries. The
shrubs shade the stream, preventing growth of native wetland plants (such as sedges
that serve as potential rare butterfly habitat), and impact rare native caddisfly instream
habitat. Saltcedar, known to be rapidly spreading in our natural areas, has not yet
been detected onsite, but could invade the wetlands in the future. All three woody
species are extremely difficult to eradicate once established. Control methods include
uprooting smaller shrubs (native plants for use in revegetation projects. Under the "General Management
Guidelines for City-owned Open Spaces and Natural Areas," native species are
required for use in seeding and planting projects (see Natural Resources Division
1992 for species list). Only onsite seed sources for rare plants (e.g., Bell's twinpod)
can be used for reseeding and planting projects. Ideally, all seed and plant sources
for revegetation should come from existing plants of the Fromme Prairie or, at least,
the Fort Collins area, to preserve the genetic integrity of existing plant communities.
Unfortunately, because of the large extent of revegetation that needs to take place on
the Prairie and the lack of local seed and plant sources, obtaining local plant material
will not be possible for all revegetation projects. However, during trail construction and
other earthwork, native plants salvaged during the disturbance can be used for
revegetation projects, or soils containing native plants can be stockpiled for future
revegetation uses.
o Restore weed-dominated upland areas to native grasses and wildflowers. As
mentioned previously, much of the Fromme Prairie is in native grassland, but some
areas are dominated by weedy forbs (e.g., bindweed) and weedy grasses (e.g., exotic
brome grass) that need to be restored. These occur mainly on the Seven Springs
Parcel, with some smaller areas along Shields on the Hahn Parcel. Native grassland
restoration is expensive and labor-intensive. Grassland restoration is also a slow
process; taking as much as 8 years to get good coverage. Weed control will have to
be included in ongoing maintenance of the grassland and is particularly critical for the
first few years. Restoration of weed-dominated upland areas of the Fromme Prairie
should proceed at a slow rate, in terms of acreage under restoration each year, so that
techniques used to restore the Fromme Prairie can be evaluated carefully.
o Plant native trees and shrubs in limited locations on the site. Native trees and
shrubs should only be planted in limited locations of the Fromme Prairie. Locations
for denser shrub plantings include along the urban fringe and future paved trail to help
screen developed and trail uses to minimize disturbance to wildlife. Shrub plantings
along residential areas will not only provide additional sources of food and cover for
wildlife, but may also help reduce expansion of the prairie dog colony into developed
areas, which will help minimize potential wildlife conflicts. Black-tailed prairie dogs
avoid establishing burrows in heavy shrub areas because they are not able to see their
surroundings above the vegetation. In addition, some native shrubs, such as
chokecherries should be planted where Russian olives have been removed along the
urban fringe to replace the lost value of the Russian olive (currently commonly used as
resting/shade areas by the coyotes). The number of woody plantings within the interior
of the site will need to be very limited, not only to maintain and preserve the character
of the native prairie ecosystem, but also to protect rare plant, insect, and wildlife
communities that depend on the grassland ecosystem. However, interior plantings of
a few clumps of plains cottonwoods would be beneficial for future replacement of the
existing clump of trees on the Seven Springs Parcel, which are heavily used as a perch
site by eagles and hawks. These trees are mature and may have less than 20 years
20of life left.
o Plant native sedges at appropriate sites along stream banks. Planting of sedges
along stream banks could enhance the site for an extremely rare butterfly--the two-
spotted skipper, known to occur farther downstream of the Prairie. The sedges along
the creek are considered critical habitat for skipper, which uses these plants for egg
deposition.
o Revegetate severely eroded stream banks. According to CSU soil scientists, erosion
is not a serious problem on the Cathy Fromme Prairie; however, some spots along the
creek through the Hahn Parcel are approaching the severe erosion category and
revegetation should be considered.
o Slope back the banks of the pond on the Seven Springs Parcel and plant cattail
and sedges along the edge to provide additional protective cover for chorus
frogs and toads. According to Dr. Dave Pettus, local herpetologist, planting cattails
and sedges along the pond edge would enhance amphibian habitat by providing
additional protective cover.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
In addition to the plant community management needs listed in the previous section,
which will also benefit the wildlife community, other management needs and opportunities
exist to enhance and preserve wildlife use of the site. On the Cathy Fromme Prairie, most of
the needs and opportunities identified, thus far, relate to protection and enhancement of raptor
habitat and reducing human-wildlife conflicts with prairie dogs. Maintaining the prairie dog
colony is vital to maintaining site use by wintering bald eagles and ferruginous hawks, coyotes,
badgers, as well as other wildlife species. As much as we wish that the prairie dog population
would stay within the boundary of the Fromme Prairie and not pose a problem for adjacent
residents, this has not been the case so far, and is highly unlikely given the urban setting and
confined space (in terms of what is needed in natural prairie dog populations). To meet the
site goal of managing conflicts between people and the natural area, management of the
Cathy Fromme Prairie will need to focus on reducing the movement of prairie dogs into
adjacent lands. Input from adjacent neighborhoods has been, and will continue to be, very
important with regard to prairie dog management of the site. The following wildlife
management needs and opportunities have been identified for the Cathy Fromme Prairie:
o Retain some of the utility poles along the boundary to continue their use as raptor
perch sites. Raptors currently use utility poles as perch sites; however, utility lines will
likely be buried in the future and the poles will no longer necessary for this use.
Retention of some of the poles is recommended; however, placement of additional
artificial perch poles is not recommended due to public comments received that this
would be visually obtrusive to users of the site. Perch sites are not considered to be
21a factor limiting use of the site by eagles and hawks--both species readily perch on the
ground, particularly on hill tops, and on lower fence posts. (Western rail fences, planned
for installation on the site, will provide additional lower perch sites.)
o Retain some old fence post poles targeted for removal to continue their use as
raptor perch sites. As with the utility poles, raptors currently use old post poles as
perch sites; however, some of these fences are scheduled for removal in the future.
Retention of some poles is recommended to continue their use as perch sites.
o Reduce movement of prairie dogs into residential areas through the use of buffer
zones, barriers, and plantings. Land managers along the Front Range recommend
establishment of a 100-foot wide prairie dog-free buffer area along the edges of a
colony to reduce movement of prairie dogs into adjacent residential areas. Currently,
prairie dogs inhabit this buffer zone along the northern edge of the prairie, where
prairie dogs pose problems for adjacent landowners.
At this time, live trapping and relocating prairie dogs to another site is not an option
due to the lack of sites that will accept prairie dogs. City staff has requested that
Colorado State University's Extension Office notify the City if such sites become
available in the future. The City has also explored the possibility of the National
Biological Survey capturing prairie dogs to be used for feeding black-footed ferrets in
their breeding program. The Rocky Mountain Raptor Rehabilitation Program has also
expressed interest in obtaining dead prairie dogs to feed their captive birds. However,
the number of animals that either organization could use would likely be much less than
necessary to create and maintain a prairie-dog free buffer zone. Thus, fumigation
(poisoning) to kill prairie dogs within their burrows will be necessary. Fumigation not
only kills the prairie dogs, but also other animals in the burrow; however, animals
outside of the burrows are not exposed to the poison, as they would be with use of
poison bait (not permitted by City Code).
Once a prairie dog-free buffer zone is established, use of non-lethal methods, such as
shrub and tall grass plantings and visual barrier fences, will help reduce the need for
further fumigation. For the Fromme Prairie, homeowners from the Ridge Development
and Taft Canyon Estates have expressed the need for the City to control prairie dogs
that invade their open spaces. Both the Ridge and Taft Canyon desire to have the City
poison prairie dogs within a buffer zone along the edge of the Fromme Prairie
adjacent to their property. The Ridge will be planting trees and shrubs on their property
along this barrier and also plan to have a spring 1996 planting project to plant native
shrubs and trees on the Cathy Fromme Prairie within the buffer area. Taft Canyon
prefers installation of a visual barrier on the Prairie and prairie dogs poisoned within
a buffer zone between the barrier and their property. This buffer area would also be
an ideal location for a prairie grassland restoration project because it is dominated by
bindweed and other weeds. Prairie dog control will likely be necessary for areas
undergoing active native grassland restoration until new vegetation is established.
22o Permit release or reintroduction of select native wildlife species. The Colorado
Division of Wildlife is involved in wildlife species release and reintroduction programs
in various locations of the State. The Cathy Fromme Prairie has served, in the past,
as a location to release eagles and hawks rehabilitated by the Rocky Mountain Raptor
Rehabilitation Program in Fort Collins, under a CDOW permit. A golden eagle and
ferruginous hawk were released to the site in the fall of 1993. The City plans to
continue to offer the Fromme Prairie as a release site for this program. The CDOW
is considering releasing burrowing owls at the Fromme Prairie. Although sighted
several times in the past 5 years on the site during the month of April, the burrowing owl
is not believed to have successfully nested onsite in recent years. Another species that
could be considered by the CDOW for release is the plains sharp-tailed grouse. Only
species native to the Fort Collins area will be considered for release on the Fromme
Prairie, and only if they will not impact sensitive native wildlife species that currently use
the site.
WATER MANAGEMENT
The City does not own any water rights to the Scenic Knolls Irrigation Company's ditch
on the Seven Springs Parcel or to Fossil Creek, so opportunities for water management are
limited on the site. The following water management needs and opportunities have been
identified for the Cathy Fromme Prairie:
o Evaluate need to purchase water rights to the Scenic Knolls Ditch. According to
wetland scientists who have evaluated wetlands on the Prairie, the large wetland on the
Seven Springs Parcel is supported by water that leaks from the ditch. At some time,
this water may no longer flow through the ditch, or future ditch maintenance could result
in decreased seepage. To guarantee any future loss to the wetlands, water rights may
need to be purchased to supply water to the wetlands, and may be useful to provide
water for current management and maintenance needs (e.g., initial watering of
grassland reseeding and other plantings).
o Maintain the pond on the Seven Springs Parcel for its value as wildlife habitat.
Public and professional comments have indicated the desire to maintain the pond,
rather than to remove the dam and reshape the land into its original configuration. The
pond provides valuable habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife species of
the prairie.
o Periodically clear debris from culverts under Taft Hill Road to maintain water flow.
Taft Canyon Estate homeowners have complained that debris, trash, and litter
accumulates and clogs the culverts under Taft Hill Road. More routine clean-up of this
area is needed.
RECREATION MANAGEMENT
23The Cathy Fromme Prairie needs to be accessible to the public to fulfill the site
management goals of providing opportunities for public use. Access is also beneficial to
provide opportunities to educate the public on the values of the prairie. However, recreational
use has to be limited and carefully managed to meet the site management goals to preserve
and maintain the native shortgrass prairie and sensitive wildlife species, protect the sensitive
geological features from excessive impact and degradation, and provide a safe and pleasant
user experience. The following recreational management needs and opportunities have been
identified for the Cathy Fromme Prairie:
o Limit type and location of recreational use. The Cathy Fromme Prairie is categorized
as sensitive natural area; thus, only passive recreation will be permitted. City Code
and Park Rules and Regulations limit the type and location of onsite recreational uses
(Table 1). Allowing off-trail passive recreational use is of great concern for this site
because of the high potential to disturb winter raptors and to severely impact the
shortgrass prairie. Off-trail horseback riding is not of such concern with regard to
disturbing wildlife because raptors do not appear to associate horses with humans.
In fact, raptor surveys are often conducted on horseback so that observers can get
closer to the animals. However, the impact of horses on the sensitive shortgrass
prairie is of concern; even with light use, horses will produce unvegetated trails.
Horseback riding needs to be restricted to designated dirt trails and along paved trails
to avoid creation of numerous trails that will degrade the site. Fishing will not be
allowed on the site due to the close proximity of the pond to sensitive wildlife use
areas. The pond and streams contain only minnows and other smaller fishes. The
pond would have very limited use for sport fisheries due to its shallow depth.
o Limit type and amount of recreational structures. Due to the type of permitted site
use (passive recreation only), public desire for "open space views," and use of site by
sensitive wildlife species, the amount of recreational structures installed on the site will
need to be limited. No lights along the trail and no buildings for interpretive education
or recreational uses are planned for the site. No "active" recreation will be allowed--
active recreation is characterized by teams using specialized equipment (e.g., football,
baseball).
o Install site, boundary, and trail signs. Although not all City-owned open spaces and
natural areas are currently signed, one of the goals of the OSNA Management Team
is to install signs at each site displaying the name of the open space/natural area.
Small signs are also needed to mark the natural area boundaries. However, care
needs to be taken to not overuse signs (i.e., not to "clutter" the natural area with man-
made structures). Signage is also needed to inform users about the potential habitat
damage they could cause not adhering to established uses and trails. Trail signs are
also needed to inform bike and blade users to slow their speed through the area. The
latter is primarily for safety concerns due to prairie dogs darting across the pavement
and fast-moving users swerving to avoid the animals. Fast-moving trail users may
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