Sizable new swaths of Wyoming’s greater sage grouse domain — including parts of the Powder River basin and Moneta area — could soon receive the highest level of state protection afforded to the embattled bird.
The gubernatorial appointed Sage Grouse Implementation Team will meet Thursday in Lander to consider proposed changes to its sage grouse “core area” map, including the creation of new, highly protected core areas, and adjustments to existing designated zones. The public and SGIT members will have an opportunity to scrutinize and weigh in on the proposals before any changes are finalized.
No changes have been suggested for other high-profile sweeps of known grouse habitat, like winter concentration areas in the Green River basin.
“We’re taking the science that we have and the data that we have and putting it on a map and asking people, ‘Does this look right?’” SGIT chairman Bob Budd told WyoFile. “That’s where we are.”
Budd does not anticipate major changes to the written policies outlined in the executive order establishing protections for Wyoming’s greater sage grouse. The geographic boundaries of core areas, however, are subject to alterations. The areas currently cover roughly 15 million acres and are home to approximately 84% of the state’s sage grouse. The process of amending the map is both “very intensive” and collaborative, he said. A subcommittee of the SGIT began compiling the proposed changes in late March.
History
The Bureau of Land Management is revising its own conservation plans for greater sage grouse for the first time since 2015. That agency’s process triggered the third major revision in the 15-year history of Wyoming’s sage grouse policy.
“We’re responding to the court order saying that the BLM had to do this,” Budd said.
Wyoming is home to an estimated 38% of the sage grouse remaining in the world. The state has long sought to establish itself as a responsible manager of the chicken-sized upland game bird, which once numbered as high as 16 million but has dwindled to somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000. Sage grouse was once a candidate for Endangered Species Act classification, but former U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell chose not to list the species — citing steps states had taken to protect the bird.
Who said what
In a statement, Gov. Mark Gordon said “Wyoming has a proven track record in sage-grouse management and science.
“Public participation is essential, will inform my review, help identify areas where we can improve upon what is already working and better calibrate our overall approach,” he said.
Budd, meanwhile, emphasized that nothing has been decided that will affect grouse.
“Until the actual revisions are recommended to the governor, it’s neither fish nor fowl,” he said.
Next up
Gordon’s office is accepting written public comment on the SGIT’s proposed map revisions until July 28. Comments can be submitted online.
There are no written descriptions of the draft map changes, though the public can access an interactive map.
Thursday’s SGIT meeting will take place at 9 a.m. at the Lander Community and Convention Center. The public can provide verbal comments.
Has anyone else seen the devastation of overgrazing on the Heart Mountain core Sage Grouse area? Apparently these lands that are administered by the BLM and Bur. of Rec have been ignored while leaseholders pound the range into dirt. I also heard that the Heart Mountain Irrigation District also administers surface grazing on some of this range. Apparently the Cody region’s public land managers have purposely glanced a blind eye to the problem
I think ravens, crows, magpies, disease, raptors, coyotes, people population in lek and nesting areas should be considered and dealt with.
Also the rearing of young birds by private sector and paid for with tax dollars could/would offset some predation. These birds could be vaccinated and released in areas where predation is most prevalent.
Private funding from hunters, environmental groups could also help offset some cost burdens.
On the map shown, the only two connectivity areas are to be abolished. Island populations are a death sentence for wildlife. Is this also true for sage grouse?
Habitat Fragmentation is a huge problem with all wildlife, and the loss of a connectivity area is never good. But if you look at the map we are adding more core area to the original plan, and the core area that’s being added is connecting fragmented populations to larger core area. Overall this revision is a sign of success for SGIT and all stakeholders.
If your curious the loss of the connectivity area between Sheridan is due too increases in Invasive annual grasses, primarily Medusahead, Ventenata, Japanese Brome, cheat grass, and a few others, and a large fire that occurred in 2017 (Tidwell Fire).
Sage grouse protection another sad story AKA Columbia river salmon. Both destined for extinction with goverment politicos mis-management