Fwd: [front-range-issues] URGENT - PRAIRIE DOG POISONING IN WESTMINSTER

[Guest guest]

 

Alison Collins <alison

front-range-issues

Mon, Aug 17, 2009 2:57 pm

[front-range-issues] URGENT - PRAIRIE DOG POISONING IN WESTMINSTER

 

 

Dear Prairie Dog Supporters:

 

Please see the below urgent email from our member organization, Prairie Dog Action.

Please contact the City of Westminster if you can, and express your disapproval of the poisoning of prairie dogs on Westminster open space. Again, we did not have any advanced notice about this poisoning, and all we can do is react - politely, appropriately and with scientific facts to support our views on what the City of Westminster is doing. Please use the ideas in the below email, and the attached fact sheets, for talking points.

 

Thank you for your continued dedication and support of prairie dogs!

 

Best,

 

Alison

 

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Alison M. Collins

Interim Director

The Prairie Dog Coalition

director

http://prairiedogcoalition.org/

2525 Arapahoe Ave. #E4-527

Boulder, CO 80302

720.938.0788 work cell

 

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

 

 

PRAIRIE DOG POISONING IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW

 

 

As I write this email, they are actively poisoning the Ranch Open Space prairie dogs just east of Federal Blvd. on the south side of 120th Ave. I have already called the City of Westminster about this poisoning and was unable to get any information about why they are poisoning this colony which has been there for well over 20 years and has historically supported our local golden eagles, bald eagles and other area raptors who nest immediately across the street. I do not know if they have plans to poison on the other side of 120th along the Big Dry Creek Open Space or on the NE Corner of Federal and 120th Ave.

 

 

 

 

Please call or email the City Manager's Office today at 303-658-2006 or westycmo to make a FORMAL complaint about this action.

 

You can also go to their website at http://ci.westminster.co.us/818.htm and email all members of the City Council and the City Manager's office.

 

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Talking points:

Our local raptors cannot take further losses of their food source just before winter. Westminster just lost nearly 1,000 ACRES of prairie dogs (15,000-20,000 animals) at Colorado Hills Open Space due to plague and next door to that, the City and County of Broomfield also lost their adjacent 500-600 acres of prairie dogs (10,000-12,000 animals) due to the same plague occurrence.

 

This colony has been there for well over 20 years and has

historically supported our local golden eagles, bald eagles and other

area raptors who nest immediately across the street.

 

We have entrusted the health and welfare of our wildlife populations to our local governments and they have been failing in their job of protecting our natural heritage. It is one thing to lose wildlife to plague, but quite another to purposefully poison a historic colony.

 

 

 

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The City of Westminster has continually poisoned without notice on our parks and open space areas since Council allowed them to begin to use poisoning for Windsor Park and Cobblestone Park around approximately 2004. I am working toward trying to get an accounting of all poisonings since Windsor Park, # of acres and/or # of prairie dogs killed, where each poisoning took place, when each poisoning took place and why each poisoning took place and how much money has been spent on this poisoning. Prairie Dog Action can use your help in making this kind of thing a part of history.

 

Thanks for your time and effort!

 

 

Deb Jones

President

Prairie Dog Action

(303) 439-9264 home

(303) 324-6829 cell

notestodj

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 of 1 File(s)

 

 

 

 

 

FactSheets.pdf