Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem

1. Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem Russell George Executive Director Colorado Dept. of Natural Resources

2. Sagebrush in Western Colorado • Distributed throughout western Colorado • Largest patches in northwestern and north-central Colorado, and the Gunnison Basin. Distribution:Current & Historic Patch Size Distribution Maps show only the western half of Colorado.

3. Ownership of Sagebrush Habitat in Colorado

4. Many stakeholders are involved: • Western Governor’s Assoc. • Sagebrush Council • State Agencies • Div. of Wildlife, Oil & Gas Cons. Comm., State Land Board, and others • Federal Agencies • BLM, USFWS, USFS, NPS, and others • Environmentalists • Sportsmen – Big Game and Small Game • Industry • Livestock Operators • Private Landowners

5. Greater Gunnison Sage-grouseDistribution and Habitat in Colorado

6. Conservation Concern & Status • Gunnison Sage-grouse • ESA Candidate Status (Jan. 2000) • Rangewide Conservation Strategy developed (WAFWA - May 2005) • Not Warranted Finding (April 2006) • Greater Sage-grouse • Not Warranted Finding on Petitions (Jan. 2005) • Rangewide Conservation Strategy (WAFWA - Dec. 2006) • Colorado Statewide Conservation Plan (2007)

7. Distribution Threats – energy Threats – housing Potential linkages Cons. easements Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan

8. Other Sagebrush Dependent Species • A diversity of species are partially or exclusively dependent on sagebrush habitats. • Some are addressed by specific conservation plans or assessments • Many lack basic conservation recommendations. • Identified in State Wildlife Action Plan.

9. Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment & Strategy • Assess current and historic status of sagebrush habitat in Colorado. • Identify declining or potentially-declining sagebrush dependent wildlife, not addressed by other planning efforts. • Establish conservation goals, objectives and strategies to prevent further declines.

10. Sagebrush distribution & status Modeled threats Species distributions Species richness Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment & Strategy Mgmt. Emphasis Areas

11. Big Game • Substantial overlap of priority habitat for big game and sagebrush-dependent species in Western Colorado.

12. Combined Perspectives

13. Tools for Implementation • Land Protection • Colorado Wildlife Habitat Protection Program • $20 million available for conservation easements • Funding from a diversity of sources • Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) • Being developed for Gunnison Sage-grouse • 19 ranches currently enrolled • 58,449 acres • USDA Farm Bill Programs • CRP, WHIP, EQIP, etc. may be useful tools for working with landowners to protect private land

14. Tools for Implementation • Habitat Management • Sagebrush Ecology & Management • Sagebrush Restoration Manual • On-the-ground habitat management and restoration

15. Tools for Implementation • Work with partners • Bureau of Land Management • National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy • Research and habitat management • Intermountain West Joint Venture • Identification of IWJV Bird Habitat Conservation Areas that include priority sagebrush habitats. • IWJV funding available for “all-bird” habitat projects. • Other State Agencies • Management of sagebrush species requires a rangewide perspective

16. Conclusions • Conservation Design projects have been undertaken for a variety of sagebrush species in Colorado. • Various methods, levels of detail, and geographic focus areas have been used.

17. Conclusions • Integration of results has allowed for the identification of large and significant sagebrush landscapes for conservation efforts. • A wide diversity of management techniques and funding sources are being used and combined to provide multiple species benefits. • Greater conservation impacts will likely results than with non-integrated, taxa-specific conservation design plans.