The Big Dry Arm Spring Storm in the Great Basin Red Cliffs Desert Tortoise Reserve March Morning on the Platte River After a Spring Storm in the Great Basin Hunting Upland Birds at Kingsbury Lake Waterfowl Production Area Sandhill Migration on the Platte River Badlands Sunrise The Green River at Ouray NWR North Park Lupines Moab Sunset
PFW - Colorado
Mountain-Prairie Region
Graphic button showing the 8 state mountain prairie region

Partners for Fish & Wildlife - Colorado

 

Overview | Accomplishments | Focus Areas | Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program | Contact Us | Open / Close All

  • White-faced ibis foraging. Credit: USFWS.

    White-faced ibis foraging. Credit: USFWS.

  • Pelicans on restoration. Credit: USFWS.

    Pelicans on restoration. Credit: USFWS.

  • Little Snake River project. Credit: USFWS.

    Little Snake River project. Credit: USFWS.

  • Colorado SLV riparian project. Credit: USFWS.

    Colorado SLV riparian project. Credit: USFWS.

  • Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

    Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

  • Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

    Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

  • Colorado RAW students. Credit: USFWS.

    Colorado RAW students. Credit: USFWS.

  • Migrating waterfowl on restored wetland. Credit: USFWS.

    Migrating waterfowl on restored wetland. Credit: USFWS.

The Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program began in 1988 and has evolved into a truely statewide cooperative effort. Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW), CPW Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program, Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery proceeds), Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service, local Water and Soil Conservation Districts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and over 1,000 landowners have combined to restore and protect wetland, upland, and riparian habitat.

Overview »

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Priorities | Goals | Technical Assistance | Wetland Projects

Priorities

E-Channel construction, Colorado. Credit: USFWS

E-Channel construction, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

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Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife sets project priorities based upon three principal factors:

  1. Federal trust species interests
  2. The goals of the Fish and Wildlife Service and our major partners
  3. Significant habitat restoration or management potential on private land must be available for the Partners Program to pursue projects

Where these three factors intersect is a key component for determination of where the program should focus its efforts in Colorado.

Goals

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Long term goals for the Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program include:

  • Working with our partners to prevent the need for futher listing of species as endangered or threatened due to habitat loss
  • Restoring Colorado's riparian and wetland systems
  • Contributing to conservation on a landscape scale

The potential for success is best measured not in acres or miles but in the willingness of Colorado's landowners to participate in voluntary, targeted wildlife conservation. Given the significant landscape changes which have occurred and will continue to occur in Colorado, success will need to be measured in the continued viability of Colorado's biodiversity.

Technical Assistance

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Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife provides advice and information on a variety of issues:

  • Wetland and riparian restoration
  • Food and shelter for fish and wildlife
  • Soil and water quality improvement
  • Grazing plans to benefit livestock and wildlife
  • Native plant restoration
  • Water level management

Wetland Projects

Waterfowl in flight. Credit: USFWS.

Waterfowl in flight. Credit: USFWS.

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Wetland projects in Colorado are primarily restoration activities involving the use of contour terraces and water control to restore wet meadow vegetation. Seasonal and temporary water regimes predominate, providing nesting, foraging and migration habitat for resident and migratory species. Fencing and grazing management are often a part of our projects, particularly in the San Luis Valley where residual cover for nesting is often a principal goal.

Upland restoration and enhancement projects have centered on the habitat needs of the lesser prairie chicken and Gunnison sage grouse. In both cases, grazing management, re-vegetation, fencing, and alternate livestock water sources are the common techniques.

Fencing has been the most common riparian restoration and enhancement technique. The Colorado Partners Program has participated in re-vegetation efforts on occasion, but they are usually associated with projects where an immediate vegetative response is required. Stream restoration training is being acquired by Colorado Partners staff , and we hope to do more in-channel work in the future. It is expected that riparian restoration will be a major component of these projects.

Accomplishments »

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Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

Restored Playa Basin, Colorado. Credit: USFWS.

FY 2015 Accomplishments

Wetlands: 764 Acres
Uplands: 28 Acres

FY 1988-2015 Cumulative Accomplishments

Wetlands: 36,047 Acres
Riparian/In-Stream: 384 Miles
Uplands: 159,712 Acres

The Colorado Partners Program has completed over 1,200 projects with private landowners throughout the state.

Focus Areas »

Contact Us »

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State Coordinator

Bill Noonan
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
134 Union Blvd, Suite 400
Lakewood, CO 80228
(303) 236-5462
bill_noonan@fws.gov

Private Lands Biologists

Katy Fitzgerald
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
5610 Industrial Place
Colorado Springs, CO 80916
(719) 632-9598 ext. 105
katy_fitzgerald@fws.gov

Corey Kanuckel
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
307 N Main Street, Suite 2C
Gunnison, CO 81230
(719) 849-1081
corey_kanuckel@fws.gov

 

 

 

 





Greg Stoebner
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
621 Iris Drive
Sterling, CO 80751
(970) 522-7440 ext. 133
greg_stoebner@fws.gov

Bob Timberman
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
327 North 7th Street, Suite 3
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 846-5139
bob_timberman@fws.gov

 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American People.
Last modified: April 19, 2016
All Images Credit to and Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Unless Specified Otherwise.
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