The California red-legged frog, Rana draytonii has found a favorable foothold in foothill freshwater thanks to efforts by the U.S. Forest Service in the Georgetown Ranger District of the Eldorado National Forest. Development, over-harvesting, climate change, invasive species and pesticides contributed to the species being added to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife threatened species list in 1996. Between 2014 and 2016, crews in the northern zone of the Eldorado National Forest began construction of nine areas that would provide potential breeding grounds for the frogs and western pond turtles in the area around Georgetown. Of those initial nine areas, six are still around (three, built in-stream, were blown out in 2017 during the heavy winter), with three serving as a consistent breeding habitat for the red-legged frogs, according to Forest Service aquatic biologist Maura Santora. The ponds have also seen frequent visits from bats, deer and other local wildlife.