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| Native American Sage Grouse Consultation | PMU Map
The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently completed
the most comprehensive, science based assessment of the Greater sage grouse
itself and its habitats.
- Download
Conservation Assessment of Greater Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Habitats
(NOTE: this PDF document is 8.5 MB and 610 pages. download times may vary)
- View
the Nevada Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan
Overview
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) once occupied parts of 12 states within the western United States and 3 Canadian provinces.
Populations of greater sage-grouse have undergone long-term population declines. The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats on which sage-grouse depend have experienced extensive alteration and loss. Consequently, concerns raised for the conservation and management of greater sage-grouse and their habitats have resulted in petitions to list greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.
In this report, the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) the ecological status and potential factors that influenced greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats across their entire distribution. WAFWA used a large-scale approach to identify regional patterns of habitat, disturbance, land use practices, and population trends. Literature is included, spanning the last 200 years, landscape information dating back 100 years, and population data collected over the last 60 years.
The assessment describes the primary issues that influenced greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats for an area that exceeded >2,000,000 km2 (>770,000 mi2) in size. To do this, data was obtained, compiled, integrated, and analyzed data from agencies and organizations within 14 states, >13 federal agencies, and 2 nations.
Recommendations or suggestions of management strategies are not presented in this assessment. The goal was to present an unbiased and scientific documentation of dominant issues and their effects on greater sage-grouse populations and sagebrush habitats.
(Chapters 1 and 2),
Background information on greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. The factors that have contributed to widespread concern about conservation and management of greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats are introduced. The historical and legal administration as well as the current stewardship of sagebrush habitats are described. The conservation status of the species across its range-wide distribution is provided.(Chapters 3-5)
Provides information on the basic ecology of greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. Seeks to develop the underlying foundation on which to assess information presented in the remainder of the document.(Chapters 6-12)
Describes the current situation and trends in greater sage-grouse populations and the dominant factors that individually and cumulatively influence sagebrush habitats.(Chapter 13)
The habitat and population trend information is integrated into a synthesis of the conservation status for greater sage-grouse and sagebrush ecosystems in western North America.
