photos courtesy Loni Beyer & Mike Forsberg
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Mountains to Plains Region
In effort to aid conservation and management of grasslands in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory has partnered with the City of Fort Collins (CFC) to inventory and monitor grassland birds on city-owned properties in Larimer and Weld counties. The project began in 2006 and 2007 on Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, expanded significantly in 2008-2009 with the incorporation of Meadow Springs Ranch and Round Butte Ranch, and again in 2010 with the addition of the Bernard Ranch.
Click on map to enlarge
Round Butte, photo by Loni Beyer
These properties support breeding populations of more than 20 high-priority bird species, primarily grassland species, recognized by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners in Flight, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, The Nature Conservancy, and other conservation groups. These properties comprise the southern end of the largest remaining contiguous prairie in North America, stretching from here to Alberta and Saskatchewan and east into Nebraska and the Dakotas, and thus present an incredible opportunity for grassland conservation.
Mountain Plover and chick on Soapstone Prairie, photo Mike Forsberg. |
For More Information:
International Program
International@rmbo.org
230 Cherry Street
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Arvind Panjabi
International Programs Director
(970) 482-1707 ext. 20
Burrowing Owl, photo by Erin Youngberg
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