| 4Land Protection Plan—Wyoming Toad Conservation Area, Wyoming |
to support conservation efforts. Easement acquisitions would focus on the protection of wetlands and riparian corridors for Federal trust species (migratory birds and threatened and endangered species). Lands protected via easements would remain in private ownership and could continue to be grazed, hayed, farmed, or otherwise managed in accordance with current practices. However, subdivision and development would be restricted and subject to stipulations agreed on by the landowners and the Service. Furthermore, easements may include stipulations related to exercising water rights, which could be changed only if the changes would be beneficial to wildlife. Easement terms would be negotiated with landowners interested in a conservation easement. The WTCA project, in conjunction with other conservation efforts in the region, would help to keep unfragmented blocks of wetland, grassland, and shrubland habitat. The WTCA would complement the conservation efforts of land trusts and entities such as The Nature Conservancy, Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A map showing the protected lands is in the EA (see appendix A, figure EA-2).
| Purpose of the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area |
The purpose of the WTCA is to protect the endangered Wyoming toad and other Federal trust species and provide strategic habitat conservation measures that are necessary to maintain, conserve, restore, protect, and enhance the native ecological communities within the Laramie Plains. Native habitats that make up the Laramie Plains, including wetlands, riparian areas, shrublands, and short mixed-grass prairie, are important for a variety of wildlife species. The wetlands and riparian habitats function as important breeding, foraging, and nesting areas for large populations of migratory shorebirds, waterfowl, and neotropical passerines, and are also the historical range of the endemic endangered Wyoming toad. The uplands, which are covered with shrubs and short mixed-grass prairie, are home to white-tailed prairie dogs, pronghorn, and many grassland birds, such as mountain plover and McCown’s longspur. Land acquisition (fee-title and easement) and management of the WTCA will focus on protecting those habitats that complement and connect to existing protected areas, along with protecting lands in perpetuity for the recovery of the Wyoming toad.
Vision for the WTCA
Nestled between the Snowy and Laramie mountain ranges, the Laramie Plains is a semiarid, high-elevation basin that was once the western fringe of many species’ ranges; due to habitat loss on the Great Plains and the largely intact ecosystem still available within the basin, the Laramie Plains has become crucial habitat for many species.
Among them, the endemic Wyoming toad, found only in the Laramie Plains, now stands at the precipice of extinction. With additional research and habitat protection, the toad has the ability to once again become a common sight. The mosaic landscape of wetlands, grasslands, and shrublands will continue to support a multitude of diverse wildlife species as well as provide abundant outdoor recreation opportunities to visitors. The WTCA fosters a collaborative effort between numerous partners to conserve the valuable natural resources of the Laramie Plains into the future and will be a model of cooperative conservation between private, State, and Federal partners shaping a common vision for the area related to conservation, agriculture, and open space.
Purpose of the Existing National Wildlife Refuge
Bamforth National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1932 by Executive Order 5783 to provide breeding grounds for birds and other wildlife.
Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order 5782 in 1932. The purpose of the refuge is to provide “a refuge and breeding ground for birds and wild animals.”
Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1993 to protect the Wyoming toad’s last known population. The Wyoming toad was listed as an endangered species in 1984. The population at Mortenson Lake was found in 1987. The purpose of the refuge is “to conserve fish or wildlife which are listed as endangered species or threatened species.”
