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To me as a Native American, an important aspect of Boulder County history is the native traditions that existed here before the advent of European settlement. By this, I mean the way of life that existed here, consisting of the prairie, wildlife, and of course the native people.
Often times during discussions of land use or land management issues, they are not given top priority relative to farming, ranching, or recreation.
I once attended a forum on prairie dog management, where an expert speaker talked about historical uses of land, but only referred to a time period going back to when white settlers came here. It was as if the pre-white settlement period had no relevance at all. This skewed perspective made it seem as if farming and ranching were here first and were more important.
This country has a destructive history that includes the decimation of native wildlife populations. Even now, there are a number of native wildlife species that are considered imperiled and are listed on Boulder County’s list of species of special concern.
The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog is on the list due to documented long-term population declines. It is also considered a species of greatest conservation need by the State of Colorado. The Burrowing Owl, a small migratory raptor that nests in prairie dog burrows, is designated as an imperiled species due to population declines. If prairie dog habitat is destroyed, burrowing owls lose their habitat. The Bald Eagle is a state species of special concern and a species of greatest conservation need. If prairie dog colonies are exterminated near Bald Eagle nests, the eagles may be negatively impacted. Prairie dogs are a primary food source for eagles in Boulder County.
The truth is that prairie dogs and other native wildlife were here first, before the advent of farming, ranching and recreation. This perspective should not be forgotten or dismissed by political leaders during the development of wildlife management policies, especially if they considering mass extermination of thousands of prairie dogs.
