Idaho Greater Sage-Grouse
Regional Home Page - Greater Sage - Grouse
On Nov. 27, 2017, the Forest Service provided public notice of an administrative change we intended to make to the land management plans that were altered Sept. 16, 2015. This administrative change does not affect any plan components, only other plan content, as it extends the timeframe for implementing of livestock grazing direction.
- Read the Administrative Change
- Read the Record of Decision for Idaho, Southwest Montana, Nevada and Utah
- Read the Record of Decision for Northwest Colorado and Wyoming
Ogden, Utah, Nov. 21, 2017 – The U.S. Forest Service published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to seek comments on the sage-grouse plan amendments that were adopted in 2015. The NOI was published to the Federal Register Tuesday, Nov. 21.”
Grazing Permits and Greater Sage-grouse Time-frame Change
The Northern, Intermountain, and Rocky Mountain Regions of the Forests Service incorporated standards and guidelines for the conservation of greater sage-grouse into forest plans in 2015. All of the plan components for sage-grouse conservation remain in effect, but the timing of implementation of grazing guidelines will vary from the plans’ initial timelines.
A story map has been created to provide highlights of some accomplishments made by federal agencies and partners in conserving the sagebrush ecosystem. Implementation Guides are available on the Washington Office Sage-Grouse webpage.
2016 Accomplishment Report-- Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation the Sagebrush Ecosystem; Collaborative Conservation at Work
Sage-Grouse Conservation Overview
The greater sage-grouse, an iconic species of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem, currently occupies an estimated 56 percent of its historic range. Greater sage-grouse populations have been declining for more than 40 years. The Forest Service manages approximately 8 percent of the remaining greater sage-grouse habitat and is responsible for helping to ensure that greater sage-grouse populations persist. The conservation measures in five Forest Service land management plan amendments protect the greater sage-grouse by maintaining and restoring the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Read an overview of the Forest Service strategy.
The Lucky Peak Nursery helps support the efforts toward conservation of the Greater sage-grouse (GRSG) habitat. The nursery, located on the Boise National Forest, propagates sagebrush seeds into seedlings which will be used in the restoration of dry, grassy plains essential to the GRSG habitat.
Records of Decision and Plan Amendments
- Read the Record of Decision for Idaho, Southwest Montana, Nevada and Utah
- Read the Record of Decision for Northweast Colorado and Wyoming
Facts & Information
- Fire Management and Greater Sage-grouse Conservation
- Fluid Mineral Activities and Greater Sage-grouse Conservation
- Livestock Grazing and Greater Sage-grouse Conservation
- Minerals, Mining and Greater Sage-grouse Conservation
- BLM, USFS Greater Sge-Grouse Conservation Effort
- Proposed Withdrawal from Mineral Entry in Sagebrush Focal Areas
GIS Data
- Forest and District Habitat Maps
- GIS Data for Boundaries (zip file)
- GIS Data for Focal Areas (zip file)
- GIS Data for Habitat (zip file)
GIS Data Contacts
- Beaverhead-Deerlodge (Northern Region): James O’Neil
- Medicine Bow, Routt, Thunder Basin (Rocky Mountain Region): Melissa Martin
All others (Intermountain Region): Teresa Rhoades
The two primary threats to sagebrush habitat are infrastructure from energy development in the eastern portion of the greater sage-grouse range, and sagebrush habitat conversion to annual grasslands due to wildfires in the western portion of the species' range. The Bureau of Land management and the Forest Service — the two Federal agencies that manage most of the greater sage-grouse habitat, along with state wildlife agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service — are taking unprecedented steps to ensure the conservation of greater sage-grouse on public lands.
Greater Sage-grouse agency links:
Wildlife Biologist, Scott Bodle holding Sage-grouse