The
boreal toad (Bufo boreas boreas) is listed
as a State Endangered Species and is a candidate for federal protection
under the Endangered Species Act. Historically, the boreal toad occurred
throughout most of the mountainous areas of Colorado between 8,500' - 11,500'.
Intensive inventory efforts have been undertaken to document this species
current range in Colorado over the past several years.
Recent surveys at several hundred historic sites has failed to document
existing populations. Currently, they are found primarily along the
Continental Divide in Mineral, Chaffee, Summit, Eagle, Clear Creek, Grand,
Boulder, and Larimer counties. This species is associated primarily
with riparian habitat in montane and subalpine forested areas of Colorado.
Breeding occurs in permanent or semi-permanent still or slow moving waters.
Initially, boreal toad researchers
documented the occurrence of this species primarily as point data.
As surveys were conducted and sightings documented another data point was
added to the boreal toad database. From a management perspective,
this made protecting boreal toad habitat difficult. Direct and indirect
impacts to water quality, water quantity, and riparian habitat above and
below sites where boreal toads had been documented to occur or breed might
have detrimental impacts without actually impacting the site itself.
As a result, Chuck Loeffler, a 
Wildlife
Program Specialist with the Colorado Division of Wildlife began mapping
breeding areas. Mr. Loeffler utilized the Riparian Vegetation Maps
(Figure 1) in conjunction with the breeding site and occurrence information
in the Boreal Toad Database, and delineated entire drainages that might
support breeding populations of boreal toads (Figure 2). Having the
riparian vegetation data at their disposal greatly facilitated the process
of delineating boreal toad breeding habitat without a tremendous expenditure
of staff time conducting intensive on-the-ground habitat inventories.
The data has also been used to identify and prioritize potential drainages
that might need to be surveyed for boreal toads. Overall, this application
of the riparian vegetation data has provided the Division of Wildlife greater
flexibility in managing and protecting boreal toad breeding areas from
a landscape perspective. It has also formed the basis for consistent
interpretation of breeding site data, and is better suited for land use
planning applications.
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