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The US Geological Survey and other federal agencies have issued a report showing that a staggering 1.3 million acres of sagebrush habitat is being lost annually.
Called “A Sagebrush Conservation Design Framework to Proactively Restore America’s Sagebrush Biome,” this new science team uses some of the latest mapping tools to identify healthy and damaged areas of sagebrush, where and how it’s being lost. , and paving the way to slow the loss.
“These new findings make it clear how dire the situation is – how much we, people and wildlife, stand to lose if we don’t act,” said Sara Brodnax with National Audubon Society. “But the report also provides a way forward. The researchers have developed a powerful tool for our collective toolbox, where with on-the-ground commitments, we can make a real difference for all hoping for a healthy sagebrush country.”
Sagebrush Conservation Design focuses on large natural areas to benefit: fish and wildlife species, healthy soil, air, and water, as well as working ranches. In addition to the important work being done by conservation groups and agencies, there is a need for a more diverse coalition, including private landowners, to change the trajectory of sagebrush rangelands. Of the major threats identified for sagebrush rangelands, 75% are ecosystem problems such as invasive annual weeds and fire. These problems affect, and may overlap, a variety of stakeholders including conservation groups and ranchers.
Brewer’s Sparrow, copyright Nolan A Lameka, from surfbirds galleries
There has been significant investment in sagebrush country conservation over the past two decades in terms of on-the-ground work, partnership development, and scientific research,” said Matt Cahill with The Nature Conservancy. “We know we can’t slow down any of those efforts and this framework shows the top tier sagebrush habitat is where we need to invest our best resources right now. This is the Defend the Core, Grow the Core concept.”
“Defend the Core, Grow the Core” is a proactive conservation approach that involves first protecting intact “core” habitats and then growing them by working out into more degraded areas (instead to deal with the worst areas first). Sagebrush Conservation Design can identify areas where investments of resources will be most impactful, and should be used in conjunction with other management tools to reach holistic conservation solutions. “Sagebrush country now covers less than half of its historic range and half of the remaining landscape is considered degraded. Rural communities throughout the West depend on the sagebrush ecosystem for farming, hunting and other recreation. , so when the landscape is at risk so are those rural economies,” said David Willms, senior director of Western wildlife and conservation at National Wildlife Federation. “This new report will be an invaluable tool for federal, state and local land managers, elected officials, community leaders, and conservationists to determine the best ways to reduce rangeland fires, control cheat grass and other invasive species, improve watershed health and generally restore. these sagebrush lands are important to the survival of more than 350 species of conservation conservation plants and wildlife. Sagebrush was once the most widespread plant species in western North America, covering one-third of the continental United States. Today it is one of the most endangered.
The Sagebrush Conservation Design documents that over two decades, many healthy sagebrushes have been damaged and are no longer functional. The scientists aim to use the Sagebrush Conservation Design as a conversation starter between the various partners working within the sagebrush ecosystem, using its findings to set and meet shared conservation goals. sagebrush habitat. Many of these conversations are already underway, especially with the upcoming release of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Sagebrush Conservation Strategy, Part II. It will provide methods for how state, federal and tribal agencies, NGOs, industry, and private landowners can work together to conserve the sagebrush biome.
The Sagebrush Conservation Design is an adaptive product that will be updated annually, providing managers with the latest information. “Given the pressures on this landscape resulting from climate change and unexpected events like large wildfires, this approach will allow managers to be more effective in their responses,” Zack said. Wurtzebach with Center for Large Landscape Conservation. “And it’s important to note that this tool is also meant to be integrated with other datasets and tailored to meet specific needs at the state and local level, which needs to happen for any of these to work.”
“The loss and degradation of sagebrush habitat is something hunters have long witnessed, and we are committed to implementing solutions with our partners to restore these critical landscapes and address the impacts we see in a wide range of wildlife species,” said John Gale, conservation director for the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “We can – and must – do more, and this analysis and mapping data gives us a way to apply limited resources to the areas that need them most.”
The Sagebrush Conservation Design was initiated and organized by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and brought together 21 leading scientists on the sagebrush biome representing 12 different federal and state agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations. Click here to access the following:
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