NEPA--Environmental Assessment

Silverton Grazing Risk Assessment
Table 3. Project Design Criteria to minimize contact between Bighorn and
Domestic Sheep.
High Risk Allotments:
Alternative
Risk Assessments (in the project record) 2 3
Permitted domestic sheep and goat grazing will not be authorized within high risk areas of the allotment.
In most instances, domestic sheep may still be authorized within the allotment but management will
ensure routing and other design criteria to avoid the high risk areas. This can be accomplished through
adaptive management tools.
Moderate Risk Allotments:
Permitted domestic sheep and goat grazing may be authorized. However, design criteria will still be
implemented to strive to reduce the potential for contact even farther.
Low Risk Allotments:
Permitted domestic sheep and goat grazing may be authorized. Permitted domestic sheep grazing will
be focused towards these areas. However, design criteria should still be implemented to strive to
reduce the potential for contact even farther.
x
Alternative
Minimization of Threat of Disease Transmission 2 3
Follow the response protocol for confirmed contact or threat of impending contact between permitted
domestic sheep and bighorn:
Permittee:
The permittee or their agent will contact the Columbine Ranger District/Field Office range personnel
immediately if bighorn come into contact or there is a threat of impending contact with domestic sheep.
Contact information as well as phone numbers will be included in the Annual Operating Instructions.
Permittees authorized to graze in areas rated as “Moderate Risk”, will require herders to carry and use a
“SPOT satellite messenger” to allow for the immediate notification and location of domestic sheep and
bighorn contact or impending contact due to unforeseen movements of the domestic sheep and/or
bighorn. Information about the “SPOT” device is available at: http://www.findmespot.com/en/
As an immediate response, the permittee and/or the herders will be authorized to haze bighorn that are
threatening to make contact with domestic sheep. This will be accomplished through an agreement
between the grazing permittee and the CDOW. The agreement will include circumstances requiring
hazing response, appropriate type of hazing and reporting requirements.
Forest Service/BLM:
When informed about potential bighorn/domestic sheep contact, the FS/BLM will contact the permittee
immediately notifying them of the situation. At this point, the FS/BLM and the permittee will implement
other design criteria if needed to prevent or reduce the threat of impending contact. At this time an
alternate plan of grazing for the remainder of the season, “flexible management” may be implemented to
strive to prevent contact from occurring.
Concurrently, as contact or the threat of contact is made known, the FS/BLM will contact the CDOW
(contact information will be provided to the FS and the permittee prior to the grazing season). Actions
that the CDOW will take is at their discretion concerning wildlife health intervention and management of
the bighorn. CDOW will inform the FS/BLM if the situation is rectified and discussion/planning will occur
with the permittee to implement an alternate management strategy if needed. The CDOW may
implement post contact monitoring.
The FS/BLM will make the particular domestic sheep band (and the area) a high priority for monitoring to
determine if there is bighorn activity in the area or if the risk analysis should be revisited.
The FS/BLM will work with CDOW to prioritize and implement coordinated annual monitoring of bighorn
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