In the past six years, 5 million acres of sagebrush rangeland have been conserved.
The Sage Grouse Initiative has brought together ranchers, federal agencies and other partners to improve the habitat for the sage grouse.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year determined that the sage grouse didn’t merit protections under the Endangered Species Act because of the collaborative conservation efforts underway to help the species. Central to that effort were ranchers, who have stepped forward for many years to make a difference.
The Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0 Investment Strategy, which will conserve an estimated 8 million acres of sagebrush—along with 350+ species that depend on it-by 2018, is advancing. With the help of conservation partners, NRCS has conserved 5 million acres of sagebrush rangeland and reduced threats to sage grouse.
In the past six years, SGI and ranchers have:
-Reduced the threat of invasive grasses and wildfire by managing for healthier rangelands on 1.8 million acres.
-Removed 457,000 acres of expanding conifer to reclaim core sage grouse habitat.
-Protected 451,000 acres of agricultural land and prime wildlife habitat for 350-plus -Improved grazing strategies to enhance range habitat on more than 2.7 million acres for sage grouse and other wildlife species.
-Conserved 12,000 acres and improved 179 acres of wet meadow and riparian areas for brooding hens.
-Marked or moved 628 miles of high-risk fences to reduce sage grouse collisions by 83%.
NRCS is applying what they are learning through this collaborative effort to other priority species and landscapes through Working Lands for Wildlife.