Conserving roadside populations of Colorado's globally imperiled plants, a pilot project
Date
2014-10
Authors
Smith, Gabrielle, author
Panjabi, Susan Spackman, author
Colorado Natural Heritage Program, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
Colorado supports habitat for approximately 120 globally imperiled plant species. These plants are in need of conservation attention to prevent unnecessary extirpations and extinctions. Numerous populations of these globally imperiled plants are known from roadside locations in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Colorado Natural Areas Program at Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) are working together to ensure that information about the roadside plant populations is made available to the people and organizations managing and working along the roadways. Location information is critical to communicate so that road crews, weed managers, and others can avoid preventable harm to the plants. Further, there is a need for the development of species-specific Best Management Practices (BMPs) that will articulate and specify on-the-ground management considerations for highly imperiled species (for example, specific times to avoid spraying, mowing, etc.). This pilot project addresses these needs by targeting ten globally imperiled plants that are known from roadside locations in Colorado, by delivering user-friendly location information and species-specific Best Management Practices (BMPs) to pertinent parties, and by engaging in outreach to actively reduce the potential threat from road maintenance.
Description
Prepared for: Colorado Department of Transportation and the Colorado Natural Areas Program.
October 2014.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 21-23).
October 2014.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 21-23).
Rights Access
Subject
noxious weed management
roadside rare plants
best management practices
imperiled plants
Colorado
plant habitat
species profile