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Boulder plans major prairie‑dog removals in 2025 after 2024 spike; 296 acres removed this year
Summary
OSMP staff said 2024 saw a large expansion in occupied prairie‑dog acres and the department removed prairie dogs from 296 acres; for 2025 staff aim to remove 250–300 acres using staff and contractors, expand PERC capacity and rely on Pueblo Chemical Depot as a receiving site for relocated animals.
OSMP staff told the public that 2024 brought a substantial expansion of prairie‑dog occupancy and heavier removal work. "We removed prairie dogs from 296 acres of land," Eric Fairley said, describing a mix of contractor and staff removals this year and calling 2024 a year of "massive expansion."
Fairley said the city has a goal of 100–200 acres per year for lethal control on irrigated agricultural fields and up to 40 acres per year for relocation in some circumstances, but actual work depends on burrow density and logistics. To address a backlog and expanded need, staff plan to run about 2.5 PERC machines on average (two full‑time operators and a third as opportunity support) and to purchase an additional PERC device.
Relocations continue to rely on receiving‑site capacity: the Anderson/Teller South relocation moved 185 prairie dogs to Pueblo Chemical Depot, which has been accepting prairie dogs to support black‑footed ferret reintroductions. Staff said future relocations depend on receiving‑site availability and Department of Defense approval for use of Pueblo in spring.
OSMP reported roughly $500,000 in 2024 prairie‑dog program expenses and said similar spending is expected in 2025, with roughly $130,000 this year going to contracted removal and barrier restoration at PERC. Staff said existing funding and planned contractor support make it feasible to target roughly 250–300 acres for removal in 2025, while noting factors such as drought, staffing and seasonal moratoria constrain operations.
Public commenters pressed staff about reoccupation of cleared sites, inconsistent management across the city–county boundary and the impact of moratoria on timing. Staff acknowledged reoccupation during drought and said some properties will be prioritized based on spread risk, impact to neighbors and impacts to agricultural tenants. Staff will present 2025 plans to the Open Space Board of Trustees in February and accept comments via OSMP's input email.
