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

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.

Ownership of Sagebrush Habitat in Colorado

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

Greater Gunnison Sage-grouse Distribution and Habitat in Colorado

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)

Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan DistributionThreats – energyThreats – housingPotential linkages Cons. easements

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.

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.

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

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

Combined Perspectives

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

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

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

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.

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.