Oil and gas drilling seems to disrupt mating behavior. A new, voluntary wildlife conservation opportunity designed with Montana ranchers in mind is now open for public comment, and the benefits to five species of birds in need could be remarkable. I think we can accomplish conservation or recovery of the bird without having to list it, without having to upset some folks ... and we may get more cooperation." The sounds are, Support in-depth independent reporting with a donation today, of 14 relatively accessible leks around the state. By the time the group coalesced, it was composed only of representatives of a dozen interest groups or agencies - from the Black Canyon Audubon Society and High Country Citizens' Alliance to the Gunnison Stockgrowers Association, Colorado Division of Wildlife and five federal agencies, including the National Park Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The first option will be automatically selected. Credit: Jeannie Stafford/USFS. Now is the time to address the problems." But it doesn't. Credit: Pat O'Toole, CHEYENNE, WY - Since 1881, six generations of one Wyoming family have operated the Ladder Ranch in the shadow of Battle Mountain. The chicken-sized bird found in 11 Western states has been in decline over the past century because of the loss of sagebrush. A half-dozen robust, feather-legged fowl eyeballed me warily as I bounced past, ensuring they need not unnecessarily expend the energy of liftoff. ", So far, attempts to reverse the decline of the grouse and the sagebrush ecosystem are a typical mishmash of politics, bureaucracies and dueling science. Today, 98 percent of these wonderful birds are gone. We'd love to hear eyewitness There are a few places where grouse populations are on the upswing, such as Jackson County, Colo., but even so, cyclical population peaks are consistently declining over time. Building on the successful creation of plans and proven models to conserve sagebrush habitat for the Greater Sage-grouse, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) have formalized a partnership effort to help maintain the West’s “sagebrush sea.”, BOISE, ID – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced $10 million in funding to help increase the resiliency of critical landscapes across the country to better mitigate the impacts of wildfire and climate change. Read more ». racist or sexually-oriented language. "We've been hard at this," France says. In simplest terms, the problem is this: Almost everything people do seems to harm the sage grouse. The sage grouse courtship dance is something to behold. “Stories from the Range”, a new report by the Sand County Foundation, highlights the accomplishments of ranchers working with local, state and federal partners to restore and protect 4.4 million acres of prime sage grouse habitat – an area of working lands twice the size of Yellowstone National Park.Read more », CHEYENNE, WY – The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service released final land use plans for public lands in 10 western states that will help to conserve greater sage-grouse habitat and support continued economic development. At the second, 50 were present. We crouch down a yard away. The SGI includes NRCS partnerships with myriad local, state and federal governments and non-governmental organizations like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Oregon Hunters Association, Pheasants Forever and the Ruffed Grouse Society. It will take a radical reorientation of how people see the sagebrush sea. Credit: USFWS. The Governor asked the BLM to factor in progress made by public and private partnerships on state and private lands as it considers new protections for grouse on federal land administered by the agency. Credit: USFWS. The story of Thanksgiving is about coming to terms with a difficult truth: the American experiment came at a great cost to Native Americans. Screenshot of greater sage-grouse for the lekcam. Slow down and get out of the car; walk in the midst of it. Sage grouse gather at proving grounds, known as leks, each spring to determine who among them will pass on their genes — the same leks year after year, generation after generation. We walk another 30 yards, trying to find grouse anywhere in the vicinity of the lek. But it has also generated fear and hostility, especially among many ranchers and farmers. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. They're supposed to come up with local plans and help see that the grouse and its habitat are protected on the ground. I can only imagine how uncomfortably stuffy a camper, sealed tight, encapsulating myself and two setters, might have been. Photo credit: USFWS. Well-named, this very large grouse is found nowhere except in sagebrush country of the west. Findings apply to the study area of northeastern Wyoming and adjacent Montana. Crawling through the sagebrush, we can see that the thin topsoil around the lek has eroded away, leaving gravel between the sage plants. The sage grouse courtship dance is something to behold. Want to join the discussion? Visit the Federal Register to read the Service's "Not Warranted" finding here, or find a list of frequently asked questions and their answers here. Sage grouse once numbered around 16 million across western North America, pre-settlement. Wyoming news. Few people today understand that a healthy patch of sagebrush is rich with plants and wildlife. The difficulty of bringing people together is shown in the Gunnison Valley, where the first local effort began. Photo by Rick McEwan. "I can't see where there's been a big thrust of effort put into implementing the plan, at least at the level it could be. Presently, estimates of approximately 200,000 birds remain range wide, their significant decline attributed largely to habitat loss. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. A lek is a common area where males gather in spring to perform courtship displays for females and fiercely defend their territory on the lek, which may only be a few yards in size. Fish and Wildlife Service to preserve more than one million acres of private rangelands to protect the greater sage-grouse and its sagebrush habitat. Two more upcoming agreements will put all non-federal sage-grouse habitat in Oregon into voluntary protection that will offer protections for both the bird and ranchers.Watch video », CHEYENNE, WY- Feedback cycles between invasive species and large intense wildfires effectively fragment habitats, reduce sagebrush cover, and create fire-prone landscape conditions detrimental to sage-grouse. WASHINGTON, DC - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a groundbreaking new commitment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to accelerate and focus conservation efforts for the Bi-State population of greater sage-grouse that will help landowners implement a range of conservation actions in California and Nevada over the next five to 10 years that are designed to avert a listing of this distinct population segment. Notices | Credit: California Bureau of Land Management. Heavy wingbeats trigger a swift mount. A setter tail wafts gently in the auburn glow of the sun peeking over the Owyhee; the location of the covey betrayed.