SAMPLE LETTERS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
We have provided sample letters to city council members, county commissioners, and directors of parks and open space.
You can find out who these officials are in your area and their addresses by going to the Web site of your county or city. As a general rule in Colorado, county Web site addresses are as follows: www.co.nameofcounty.co.us and city Web site addresses are as follows: www.ci.nameofcity.co.us. Just insert the name of your county or city as indicated. This may not work for all cities and counties. You can also call for this information; check the phone book listings for your city or county.
If you would like to make a phone call to an official or department, you can use the appropriate sample letters as a guide for talking points or click here for phone call suggestions.
We'd appreciate
receiving a copy of any letters or e-mails that you send and any responses that
you receive; send to prairiehotline@rmad.org.
Dear City Council Member:
As a resident of _____________, I am writing to express my concern over the crisis facing black-tailed prairie dog colonies within our city. Prairie dog colonies throughout the city of ______________ are under imminent threat of destruction due to residential and commercial development. The city council needs to take immediate action to protect these animals from further decimation. I urge the council to adopt a protective prairie dog management plan that includes the following:
I choose to live in __________ because of the wonderful abundance of wildlife. Prairie dogs are documented to be a keystone species that helps to sustain a diverse range of wildlife, including hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes, and burrowing owls. Please help the city to preserve the rich ecosystem that all of us enjoy. Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
_________________
Dear County Commissioner:
As a resident of _____________, I am writing to express my concern over the crisis facing black-tailed prairie dog colonies within our county. Prairie dog colonies throughout the county are under imminent threat of destruction due to residential and commercial development. Although many developers are willing to relocate, rather than poison or bulldoze these animals, efforts are thwarted due to a lack of relocation land. The Board of County Commissioners needs to take measures to protect these animals from further decimation. I urge you to do the following:
Many people choose to live in __________ County because of the wonderful abundance of wildlife. Prairie dogs are documented to be a keystone species that helps to sustain this diversity of wildlife, including hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes and burrowing owls. Please help to preserve the rich ecosystem that all of us enjoy. Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
_______________
Dear Director of Open Space:
As a resident of _____________, I am writing to request that your agency assist in the search for a solution to the crisis facing the black-tailed prairie dog within our county. Prairie dog colonies throughout the county are under imminent threat of destruction due to residential and commercial development. Although many developers are willing to relocate, rather than poison or bulldoze these animals, efforts are thwarted due to a lack of relocation land. I urge you to set aside open space land for the purposes of prairie dog relocation and protection. No other policy change within the county could be more important to the survival of this species.
Many people choose to live in __________ County because of the wonderful abundance of wildlife. As you probably know, prairie dogs are a keystone species that helps to sustain this abundance of wildlife, including hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes and burrowing owls. Please help to preserve the rich and diverse ecosystem that all of us enjoy. Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
________________