U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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In-Progress Plan Status
Spring 2005
Conduct public meetings
Summer 2008
Prepare environmental assessment (EA)
Fall 2009
Complete EA and public review
Fall 2009
Complete the finding of no significant impact
Land Protection Plan
Baca National Wildlife Refuge
Environmental Assessment for Land Exchange
Colorado
Description
This multi-agency land exchange project involves the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management (lead agency), National Park Service, and Colorado State Land Board. An environmental analysis will document the analysis for this proposal and help ensure we have complied with laws, regulations, executive orders, and policy before making a decision.
The project proposes to do the following:
- Add 30,270 acres of State land to the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.
- Add 25,865 acres of State land to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
- Exchange 20,350 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to the State Land Board.
Baca National Wildlife Refuge is located in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, within Alamosa and Saguache counties.
Shrub-surrounded playa wetlands are common in the land exchange area.
With a mix of wet meadows, playas, grasslands, shrub lands, and riparian woodlands, the refuge is home to a variety of birds including waterfowl, shorebirds, and waterbirds. In addition, elk and pronghorn are common throughout the refuge.
Contacts
Planning team leader
Mike Artmann
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Refuge Planning
134 Union Boulevard, Suite 300
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
303 / 236 4381 telephone
303 / 236 4792 fax
mike_artmann@fws.gov
Refuge email
alamosa@fws.gov
Refuge address
Alamosa/Monte Vista/Baca National
Wildlife Refuge Complex
8249 Emperius Road
Alamosa, Colorado 81101
Refuge telephone
719 / 589 4021
Refuge Web site
www.fws.gov/alamosa/bacanwr.html
Documents
Land protection plan (LPP)
None at this time.
Planning process documents
None at this time.