Colorado Natural Heritage Program Logo Colorado Natural Heritage Program Logo CNHP
  • About Us
    • About Us
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
  • Our Services
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
  • Our Data
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • PCA Reports
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
    • Conservation Environmental Review Tool
  • Library
    • Reports
    • PCA Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Field Guides
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Donate Now

Biodiversity from the Cretaceous to the present in SE Colorado

July 7, 2009

by Renée Rondeau, CNHP, and Dina Clark, Denver Botanic Gardens

This is the second year of the Colorado Natural Heritage Program’s Southeast Colorado inventory, and we continue to discover the biological significance of private ranches in the area.

CNHP is surveying for rare plants, animals, and plant communities in the area and access generously granted by private landowners to at least 300,000 acres in SE Colorado has allowed CNHP to document the ecological significance that these native landscapes continue to support. Funding for this project is from Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Cattleman’s Agricultural Land Trust, and private landowners.

In just a single day on one ranch we located 15 species of conservation concern, all with populations in excellent condition.

Oenothera harringtonii

Oenothera harringtonii (Harrington’s evening primrose)

Echinocereus reichenbachii

Echinocereus reichenbachii (Reichenbach’s Hedgehog Cactus)

On another day in a different area we discovered evidence of the biodiversity of long ago.

ammonite

Fossils such as this ammonite can be found in the area

calcite crystals
A close-up of a calcite crystal filled concretion

These areas may have been biologically significant since the Cretaceous period (between 65 and 136 million years ago). The ancient shallow seas of those times supported a rich marine life complete with many types of ammonites, bivalves, sharks, and more. Today the fossilized seabeds form mesas, buttes, bluffs, and escarpments that are just as important to modern species, creating a distinct habitat that is critical for rare plants, animals, and plant communities. These sites are also rich in unusual geologic specimens, such as concretions filled with calcite crystals or others that resemble petrified wood.

concretionsconcretions2

Concretions resembling petrified wood

Today these buttes, bluffs, and escarpments are just as important to modern species, creating a distinct habitat that is critical for rare plants, animals, and plant communities.

Triploid Checkered Whiptail

Aspidoscelis neotesselata (Triploid Checkered Whiptail)

Lesquerella calcicola
Lesquerella calcicola (Rocky Mountain bladderpod)

Red-tailed hawk chicks
Red-tailed hawk nestlings

In sharp contrast to the surrounding shortgrass prairie, these juniper breaks are populated with short trees and shrubs that provide important wildlife and livestock habitat, especially during winter storms.

juniper breaksold-growth juniper

These juniper breaks support old-growth junipers and rare plant habitat

We thank all of the landowners, partners, and all of our volunteers and interns for making this a success. Summer has just started so stay tuned for new discoveries!

Local landowner and Dina Clark (R)

SHARE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
LINKEDIN
REDDIT
EMAIL
Filed Under: Botany, County Inventory, Ecology, Zoology

Our new and improved website is here!
Results of Saturday's BioBlitz at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area

About Us

About Us
Conserving Biodiversity
Contact Us
Staff Directory
Careers
Employment
Internship
Volunteer
Meetings
The NatureServe Network
Partners

Our Work

Ecology
Wetlands
Plants
Animals
Climate Change
Education
Invasive Species

Blog Archive

Blog Categories

Web Projects

  • Rare Plant Guide Online
  • Colorado Wetland Info Center
  • COMaP - Colorado Protected Lands
  • Colorado Bat Working Group
  • STReaMS - Endangered Fishes Database

About Us

  • About Us
  • Conserving Biodiversity
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Careers
  • The NatureServe Network
  • Partners
  • Site Map
Warner College of Natural Resources Logo
  • Apply to CSU
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Statement
  • Search CSU
  • CSU Land Acknowledgement
  • CSU Principles of Community
© 2025 Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Colorado State University Logo
  • About Us
    ▼
    • About Us
      ▼
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      ▼
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    ▼
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
  • Our Services
    ▼
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
  • Our Data
    ▼
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • PCA Reports
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    ▼
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
    • Conservation Environmental Review Tool
  • Library
    ▼
    • Reports
    • PCA Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Field Guides
      ▼
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Donate Now