B.8 General Base Wide Information
B.8.1 Wildlife
General Information.
Most Colorado wildlife is protected by state and/or federal laws. Game species are lawfully harvested during defined seasons with appropriate licenses and legal methods of take, as defined by specific rules and regulations in concert with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Nests and burrows of all animals including bird nests, beaver lodges, bat roost sites, and prairie dog burrows are afforded protection. Some species have been identified as nuisance animals and may be removed legally if they are a known threat to human safety and health.
Bird Nests and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Bird nests, eggs, young and adults of all but introduced bird species are protected by federal legislation and offenders, including both individuals and companies, may be punished by fine and/or imprisonment for failure to comply with these laws. Examples of structures that have been built that are enticing for nesting birds include the new barracks, (i.e., Bldg. 756) with overhanging roof and brick walls.
Colonial nesting Cliff Swallows find the brick walls and overhangs suitable for attaching mud for nests especially at the intersection of wall tops and the overhang. Solitary Barn Swallows will also build their nests using the top of a brick wall and the overhang. Adding a smooth convex structure between the overhang and the wall discourages nesting from taking place. Brick, a substrate for easy attachment of mud, combined with the overhang roof that will keep out rain, is an ideal habitat for Cliff Swallows. American Kestrels build nests on top of high girder beams inside the hangars at Butts Army Airfield. Structures that are both open and tall (i.e., structures that resemble a cliff face) may be used by these small falcons.
Eliminating flat perching structures in the original building design will help discourage raptors from perching or nesting in tall open buildings. European Starlings, a non-protected species, will readily move into any building structure that has missing bricks or holes large enough to allow entrance. House Sparrows (non-protected) will build nests in any house structure that has an opening such as loose roofing tiles or loosened siding. House Finches readily nest in carports, especially if a flat surface such as a board or ladder is suspended between rafters.
House Finches will also build nests in hanging flower baskets and on top of outdoor lights that have a relatively flat surface. The Northern Flicker, a large woodpecker, is able to peck through wood walls, especially preferring the interface of the overhang and the top of the wall.
Good design and selection of building materials is the key to discourage nesting by bird species. A building designed to look good may also look good to a nesting bird for entirely different reasons. For more information contact the Wildlife Office 579-9088/9094.
Prairie Dogs
Black-tailed prairie dogs are a common resident on Fort Carson. However, across the state, historic numbers have been decimated to a level that is approximately only one percent of what they may have been 100 years ago. Consequently, black-tailed prairie dogs have been proposed to be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Prairie dogs are carriers of fleas that may carry the potentially lethal bacterium Yersina pestis, the causative agent of sylvatic plague in rodents and bubonic plague in humans. Prairie dogs can travel as far as three miles. Mowing large flat areas to a short grass habitat creates habitat for these colonial breeders to move into the area. Construction in flat grassy areas near existing prairie dog colonies may cause prairie dogs to move into an area where they are unwanted. Shrubby habitats and areas of tall grasses are avoided by prairie dogs and may be useful in construction design to help keep prairie dogs away from playgrounds and ball fields.
Raccoons & Spotted Skunks.
Raccoons and skunks are attracted to housing and much of the cantonment area. Both animals are known carriers of diseases including rabies and distemper. Raccoons will nest in attic spaces if they find ways to enter, such as vents left open or unscreened. Dumpsters with lids left open attract raccoons. Design that keeps trash away from buildings and prevent raccoons from entering attics will eliminate some raccoon problems.
Skunks are less common on Ft. Carson but will enter basement areas when buildings are constructed improperly, i.e., with potential ground-level openings where animals can enter crawl spaces.
Bats.
All bats are protected by wildlife laws except when they become a pest species. Bats eat millions of insects during their summer visits to Fort Carson and, as such, are considered to be important wildlife species. Bats that roost in buildings may become a health threat, as they are known to be carriers of rabies. Poorly maintained buildings with loose boards or buildings with large cracks or openings into dark areas of a building will often attract bats.
There will always be wildlife issues whenever people move into wildlife habitats. Good design and construction can reduce many potential problems. Colorado’s wildlife is owned by the state and management by the Colorado Division of Wildlife is in accordance with both state and federal law. The Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are very specific in what types of wildlife disturbances are unlawful. For more specific information contact DECAM’s Wildlife Office at 579-9088/9094.
B.8.2 Solid Waste Management
B.8.3 Wetland Management
Fort Carson’s and the Army’s goal is to have no net loss of wetlands. To achieve this goal the DECAM is managing and monitoring the Fort Carson and Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site wetlands. The DECAM will work closely with the DPW to minimize impacts to wetlands and to serve as a liaison to the COE when having to mitigate wetland loss.
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