×

01.

Help Me With...

Select from list
My Residential Property
My Driver's License or Vehicle Registration
Requesting Assistance
Elections
Health Department

02.

Select from list
My Property Valuation
Understanding My Valuation
Paying My Property Tax
Neighborhood Sales
Building Permits
Vehicle Registration - New Stickers
Vehicle Registration - New Vehicle
Drivers License - New or Renew
New Resident Vehicle Registration
Adult Protection
Child Welfare
Child Support
Child Care
Financial Assistance
Medical Assistance
Food Assistance
Register to Vote / Update Voter Registration
Upcoming Election Information
Ballot Drop Box Locations
Voter Service and Polling Centers
Birth/Death Records
Restaurant Inspections
Community Health
Child Care Center Inspections
Septic System Inspections
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Disease Surveillance
Mental and Behavioral Health Education
Community Health and Clinical Services
Women, Infants and Children

03.

×
× Close
Open Space

Prairie Dog Conservation

Douglas County recognizes the importance of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) and believes that the species has a right to exist on County-owned open space and park land. The primary purpose of Open Space is to protect the habitat for native wildlife. Black-tailed prairie dogs are an important species because of their interconnectedness with other wildlife species. They provide an important food source for numerous predator species. Prairie dog burrows provide cover and nesting sites for several mammals, birds, and reptiles. Prairie dogs also provide recreational and other intangible values for the community.

Notice of Prairie Dog Management, July 15, 2024

Long-term Management and Conservation

The County has developed recommendations on the long-term management of Open Space through its Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan and has developed several site-specific management plans over time. As part of this management planning, the Division of Open Space and Natural Resources will designate existing and future Open Space properties. The designation will be completed using one of three prairie dog management/conservation categories commonly used along the Front Range. These three categories are generally defined as follows:

  • Prairie Dog Habitat Conservation Area (HCA) – ideally allow prairie dogs to function with minimal human intervention without causing or experiencing significant negative impacts to or from adjacent lands.
  • Multiple-Objective Areas (MOA) – allow prairie dogs to coexist with other uses but they may not be the highest management priority of a given open space parcel.
  • No-Prairie Dog Areas (NPD) – are unsuitable for prairie dogs because of ecological conditions or incompatible land uses.

The County will evaluate its open space properties, or portions thereof, and designate each as HCA, MOA, or NPD within two (2) years following adoption of this Policy by the County. Designations will be based on habitat characteristics (e.g., soils, vegetation, slope, elevation, connectivity, and barriers) and land use characteristics (e.g., intent of purchase, history of use, current use, anticipated use, and adjacent ownership and uses).

For more information visit the  Prairie Dog Conservation Policy

Read More