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In the Wild
Sage Grouse Conservation Project
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Planning Resources | Nevada
Sage Grouse Conservation Plan
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Planning
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| Native American Sage Grouse Consultation | PMU Map
| Native American Sage Grouse Consultation | PMU Map
Sage Grouse Issue Synopsis
The Bird:
- The Sage Grouse is the most common grouse species in Nevada and is found in every county except Clark.
- Sage Grouse were historically very abundant across Nevada and the West.
Sage Grouse are a sagebrush ecosystem obligate, they must have sagebrush to survive.- Sage Grouse biologists have tracked a general decline of the species since a population high point between 1978 - 1980.
- Sage Grouse have been extripated from five states.
- Currently, eleven western states have Sage Grouse populations.
- Approximately 15 - 20% of all Sage Grouse live in Nevada.
- By 1995, wildlife agency scientists, west-wide, alerted the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) that they were facing a significant decline in Sage Grouse and Sage Grouse habitat.
National and Endangered Species Actions:
- In 1998 and 1999, several preservation groups began to indicate that they were considering filing petitions with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect Sage Grouse under provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
- In 1999, Terry Crawforth from Nevada's Division of Wildlife began
to organize a multi-state, range-wide Sage Grouse conservation effort
with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, with Crawforth's direction, determined that developing Conservation Plans and subsequent management actions would be the best tactic to stop the downward slide of the species. - In May 1999, a petition was delivered to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Sage Grouse in the State of Washington.
- In January 2000, a petition was delivered to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to protect the Gunnison Sage Grouse in Colorado and Utah.
Nevada Conservation Efforts:
- In June 2000, Governor Guinn appointed a team of approximately 25
people from diverse backgrounds and interests to his Sage Grouse Conservation
Team.
Members include people from conservation organizations, farming, ranching, mining, utility companies, NACO, Native Americans, Nevada State Legislature and State and Federal Agencies. - The mission of the team, as defined by Governor Guinn, is "To conserve and protect Nevada's sage grouse and their habitat."
- The Governor defined a series of objectives for the team to meet
that included :
- producing a statewide sage grouse conservation plan,
- a process to facilitate development and implementation of local solutions to conserve sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystems.
- developing effective management strategies using a collaborative
process.
Implement strategies that will result in successful conservation agreements that will conform with the USFWS PECE policy. - to monitor and assist species and habitat conservation planning
efforts in Nevada
AND - to educate Nevada's citizens regarding the importance of conserving
sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystems.
- The team assembled in August and has been meeting monthly since then.
- During the fall considerable time was spent developing an understanding
of the situation and options.
- This winter we have been developing strategies for Local Area Conservation
Planning and Implementation Schedules.
- We have groups working on funding, bird biology, land management,
information databases and support and a group to engage the people of
our State.
- Our timetable targets the completion of a Statewide Conservation
Plan summer and Local Area Conservation Planning efforts to begin in
October 2001.
- Nevada's Division of Wildlife is currently spending about $700,000 per year on Sage Grouse management, research and planning.
