New map charts sage grouse populations

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new map has been completed by federal land and wildlife agencies charting high-density populations of the greater sage grouse, a bird that has been the focus of multi-pronged conservation efforts in Utah.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the Bureau of Land Management, in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several other organizations completed the map, which will assist state conservation efforts on the ground.

"This map and initiative will help advance our collaborative efforts with states and stakeholders to develop smart policy to enhance the sustainability of our sage grouse populations," Salazar said. "The final map will give Interior a strong foundation to identify land uses that do not compromise areas that are so critical to the greater sage grouse."

The bird, found in Utah and multiple other Western states, was deemed warranted for protection under the Endangered Species Act this year, but is precluded from being listed because of higher priorities, according to the fish and wildlife service.

That decision has led to a lawsuit filed by several environmental groups, asserting the federal government's failure to act is akin to a recipe of "extinction" for the bird, which has seen its habitat decline by 44 percent due to agriculture, urban development and wildfires.

Federal officials believe mapping the density of the populations will aid in critical conservation efforts and assist states in varied sage grouse management plans that include transplants and annual population surveys.

In April, federal agencies announced an expansive grant program designed to make millions available to livestock producers and others who want to help the birds by engaging in efforts to reduce the spread of disease or improve its habitat.

Utah already has an aggressive management plan in place, that requires spending millions over the years to track the bird and boost its populations. The state's success has allowed it to implement an annual hunt, and field studies have been conducted to determine any potential threats that may be posed by wind farms.

In an update to lawmakers earlier this year, the state's natural resources director, Mike Styler, said Utah's management of the greater sage grouse has proven so successful, neighboring states want to pursue similar conservation strategies.

To view the map, go to blm.gov/kb5c

e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com