Ouray County approves limited prairie-dog mitigation at Top of the Pines after debate; 2-1 vote

The Ouray County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a targeted prairie-dog mitigation description of work for the Top of the Pines property on Sept. 23, after an extended discussion about methods and ecological trade-offs.

Board members said the description of work pulls requirements from the existing Top of the Pines management agreement and prairie-dog management plan and will be used to solicit proposals consistent with those documents. Commissioners clarified this is a limited mitigation effort focused on areas closest to public-use zones — parking and pavilion areas — and not a county-wide eradication plan.

Several commissioners and members of the public discussed methods. Staff said the mitigation plan allows for leveling burrows only after the burrows have been treated using the management plan’s protocols, and that mitigation would prioritize nonchemical methods where feasible. The Top of the Pines board accepted carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide gas as an option to eliminate very small risk of secondary contamination from previous pellet applications; county staff said the gas choice eliminates the tiny risk of secondary poisoning to raptors or other wildlife.

Commissioner Padgett spoke against approval on conscience grounds, saying the site is a unique, watchable wildlife area and that mitigation remains unnecessary; he said he would vote no. Commissioners Nower and Nies voted to approve. The board instructed Top of the Pines to issue a request for proposals using the approved statement of work and to follow the management plan’s procedures, including community outreach and educational partnerships such as local high school AP environmental science discussions that have already occurred.

Ending: The motion passed with two affirmative votes and one dissent; staff and Top of the Pines will proceed to solicit proposals consistent with the approved description of work.