Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation

According to old journals and other historical accounts, the sage covered benches of the Madison, Ruby, and Beaverhead Valleys once teemed with greater sage-grouse.  It is said there were so many of these birds they would blacken the sky as they moved across the landscape.  Unfortunately, it is quite rare to see even a single sage-grouse around here today, a trend that is mirrored throughout the 11 western states where they occupy only 56% of their historic range.

Sage-grouse numbers have plummeted across their range, from as many as 16 million birds in the early 1900s, to current populations between 150,000 and 500,000.  Accordingly, they are now listed as a Candidate Species under the Endangered Species Act.  The decision whether or not to list the greater sage-grouse as Threatened or Endangered will likely be made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the next year.  ESA listing could have major implications for energy development and agricultural landuses throughout the West, particularly on federally owned lands.

The causes of sage-grouse decline are not always clear, and vary throughout their huge range.  However, most experts agree that habitat fragmentation, removal of sagebrush, conifer (juniper) encroachment into sagebrush grasslands, and infrastructure on the landscape (power lines, fences, drilling equipment, etc.) all eliminate good sage-grouse habitat.  The role of livestock grazing is less clear, but it is safe to say that good rangeland management makes for good grouse habitat.  In particular, it is important to leave sufficient grass behind for cover and manage for abundant plant diversity.  Although sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush for cover and winter forage, they use a wide variety of other plants and habitats throughout the year.

In addition to implementing sound range management principles, landowners can also help the grouse by removing juniper encroachment from sagebrush grasslands, installing wildlife escape ramps in livestock water tanks, relocating or marking problem fences, avoiding dewatering of natural springs and seeps, and removing potential raptor perches in occupied grouse habitat.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is currently working with interested landowners to develop sage-grouse specific Conservation Plans through the national Sage-Grouse Initiative.  First and foremost, SGI is intended to help livestock producers create sustainable grazing management plans that improve range health and maintain good sage-grouse habitat.  The program also offers financial assistance to implement the conservation practices in these plans.  Furthermore, in the event the sage-grouse is listed as an endangered species, participants in the SGI program will have predictability relative to the Endangered Species Act. ESA predictability exempts landowners from any incidental take of the species that may be inadvertently caused by the implementation and maintenance of covered conservation practices identified in a conservation plan.

For more information please contact Dan Durham at the NRCS Sheridan Field Office, 842-5741, ext. 102.