This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Few birds are tougher than the greater sage grouse. For millennia, this incredible species has thrived across the sagebrush sea of the West — one of our nation's most unique and imperiled landscapes.
Yet the sage grouse was on the road to extinction less than two years ago — threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, wildfires and human disturbance of nesting and breeding grounds in 11 Western states. The looming possibility of Endangered Species Act listing spurred a broad coalition of state and federal agencies, Native American tribes, sporting and conservation organizations, industry groups and private landowners to take action.
Together, this coalition created the most ambitious and expansive conservation effort in history – one that continues to improve habitat conditions and reduce threats to the greater sage grouse across millions of acres of public and private lands in the West. Our collective actions haven't just averted the possibility of ESA protection for the sage grouse – they're beginning to benefit people and wildlife at a landscape scale.
We've found that this bird is not only tough; it's resilient. If we give sage grouse the space they need on the landscape, they will thrive. But restoring a complex ecosystem to health requires time and sustained commitment.
In December, the outgoing Congress gave the sage grouse a bit more breathing room. Thanks to the advocacy of sportsmen and others who understand the importance of the sage grouse to the West, both the House and Senate removed measures in the National Defense Authorization Act that could have halted our collective efforts.
Now more than ever, we need the new Congress to stand with us and support our shared, longterm commitment to sage grouse conservation in the years to come. Because far more than the bird's future is at stake.
The 4.2 million acres of sage grouse habitat in the West provide habitat for more than 350 species of fish and wildlife, including big-game species such as mule deer, pronghorn and elk. Healthy, functional sage grouse habitat also fuels the region's economy, providing jobs, income and recreational opportunities for families across the West. If the health and productivity of the land continues to decline, we risk losing these benefits.
That's why the Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners are working with hunters, anglers, ranchers and others who make their livings from the land to implement voluntary, shared solutions that benefit the birds, the herds, and people across sage grouse country.
This includes using conservation agreements, grants and easements to provide financial and technical assistance to landowners — helping them develop rotational grazing plans, improve wetlands and wet meadows, control invasive species and otherwise improve key sage grouse habitat on private property.
To date, more than 325 greater sage grouse projects have been completed, improving 270,000 acres of uplands, 7,000 acres of wet meadows, and 131 miles of streams and rivers. These projects have also increased forage for big game herds and cattle operations.
And that's just a small part of what's happening on the ground. Other collaborative efforts include:
• Implementing a coordinated Action Plan with multiple partners to combat the spread of invasive weeds that are displacing sagebrush;
• Developing a "Hold the Line" pilot project – soon to be implemented across Nevada, Oregon and Idaho – that is working to quickly detect and aggressively treat the spread of invasive annual grasses within intact high-quality sagebrush habitat;
• Creating new tools and maps that better identify threatened intact sagebrush habitat and guide effective conservation actions to address those threats;
• Developing a collective fire management strategy and science-driven framework for restoration of native vegetation in key habitat areas; and
• Advancing research on potential new technologies like the application of weed-suppressive bacteria — including test trials and support for EPA review and registration of these natural enemies of cheatgrass and other invasive plants.
Significant challenges remain. But this approach continues to enjoy strong, bipartisan support from landowners and other stakeholders, including public lands sportsmen, across the region.
With the support of Congress and the new administration, we will succeed in sustaining the greater sage grouse and our natural heritage for future generations – while also improving the lives of millions of people in communities across the West who rely on this landscape for clean air, water, recreation and their livelihoods.
Now is the time to affirm our shared commitment to a vibrant, healthy American West.
Dan Ashe is director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Land Tawney is the president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.