USGS Reports Dire Situation for Sage-Grouse, Need for Renewed Conservation Efforts

A couple weeks ago, the U.S. Geological Survey released a new report painting an even more dire picture for sage grouse than previously thought.

The report finds across its 11-state range, sage-grouse populations have declined 80% since 1965, equating to a 3% annual decline.

On top of this, leading biologists predict only a 50% chance that most leks will be productive in 60 years if current conditions persist. 

Another USGS report released this month concluded that sagebrush habitat has been wiped away as much as 20% in 20 years due to widespread fire, invasive grasses, and disturbances from energy development. Pairing these two reports makes it clear- the future of sage-grouse populations and the 350-other sagebrush reliant species is more at risk than ever.  

Tom Koerner/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The 2015 Fish and Wildlife Service decision to not list the Greater Sage-Grouse under the Endangered Species Act hinged on increased protections on public land as well as private landowner conservation and restoration efforts. However, efforts to weaken these protections over the last several years have managers questioning if the decision can still hold. ESA-restrictions could substantially change working landscapes in Idaho and across the West for generations.

As hunters, we have an obligation to look after the health of our wildlife, and our rich history shows that we can restore wildlife populations back to abundance. Idaho Sportsmen can work together- with private landowners, wildlife managers, and others to dig our heels into this decline and start to make lasting change for sage-grouse. Partnerships like the Pioneers Alliance, which has conserved and restored almost 90,000 acres of private lands in Pioneers Landscape is just one example where IWF is working to do so. Now, more than ever, stakeholders across the 11-western states need to renew partnerships and act urgently and vow to renew to reverse the downward trend of an iconic Western species.