BLM MISSION

The Bureau of Land Management’s mission 

is to sustain the health, diversity, and 

productivity of the public lands for the 

use and enjoyment of present and future 

generations.

BLM FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANT 

CONSERVATION

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages more than 245 million acres of public lands—all supporting a diversity of fish, wildlife, and plants, 

including threatened, endangered, and “at risk” species. In fact, the BLM manages more wildlife and plant habitat than any other federal or state 

agency in the country. When authorizing land use activities such as recreation, livestock grazing, energy development, and forest management, the 

BLM must ensure the needs of wildlife, fish, and plants are taken into consideration. The BLM manages these resources in cooperation with state 

and other federal agencies. The BLM also works to improve the health of entire watersheds to sustain and enhance a variety of biological communities.
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DEAR PARTNERS, COLLEAGUES, 

AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC,

It is my pleasure to share the accomplishments 

of the BLM fisheries, wildlife, threatened and 

endangered species, and plant conservation 

programs. The stories and statistics in this report 

provide a glimpse of the broad-reaching work that was accomplished in fiscal year 2011. I encourage 

you to take some time and read through the stories that illustrate how the BLM is meeting part of its 

multiple-use mission under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The work accomplished 

is helping to provide for the conservation and sustainability of natural resources on America’s 

public lands. All of the accomplishments described in this report, and those beyond its page limits, 

would not have been possible without the generous support and substantial efforts of our valued 

partners in conservation. Thank you for your continued support! With the BLM’s goal to become the 

premier land management agency in the United States, I and the entire agency look forward to the 

accomplishments in the years to come.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Robert V. Abbey

BLM Director
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CONTENTS

BLM National Fisheries Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

BLM National Wildlife Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

BLM National Plant Conservation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

BLM National Threatened and Endangered Species Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Eastern States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Montana/Dakotas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Oregon/Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

National Operations Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Cross-Program Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Thank You Partners! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
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BLM NATIONAL FISHERIES 

PROGRAM

The BLM fisheries program engages in substantive and proactive habitat 

conservation and restoration activities, mainly through collaborative 

approaches to watershed assessment and restoration realized through 

ongoing activities with the National Fish Habitat Partnership, Aquatic 

Nuisance Species Task Force, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The BLM fisheries program’s restoration activities are focused with 

the National Fish Habitat Partnership, which is a science-based, 

nonregulatory group of fisheries professionals, state and federal agencies, 

tribes, foundations, conservation and angling groups, businesses, 

and industries joined together to support the challenge of protecting, 

restoring, and enhancing aquatic habitats on a national scale. The BLM 

is active with 9 of its recognized partnerships, which are located in 

the 12 western BLM states. These partnerships include the Reservoir 

Fisheries Habitat Partnership, California Fish Passage Forum, Desert 

Fish Habitat Partnership, Driftless Area Restoration Effort, Great Lakes 

Basin Fish Habitat Partnership, Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership, 

Matanuska Susitna Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership, Southwest Alaska 

Salmon Habitat Partnership, and Western Native Trout Initiative.

The BLM fisheries program is closely aligned with the National Fish 

and Wildlife Foundation and focuses on research with the foundation’s 

Freshwater Fish Keystone initiatives and restoration with the Bring 

Back the Natives program. The keystone initiatives provide the fisheries 

program with an opportunity to explore the status of high-priority 

aquatic species and their habitat to find the best conservation 

investments and to deliver the best conservation results for these 

imperiled species. The Bring Back the Natives program focuses on-theground efforts to restore, protect, and enhance native aquatic species 

to their historic range. Both of these programs have historically been 

important for the BLM fisheries program to ensure viable aquatic 

habitats remain on BLM-managed lands. 

Aquatic invasive species are an increasing threat to native species, 

recreational opportunities, and the economy, especially in the Western 

United States where water resources are particularly precious. To 

address this issue, the BLM joined forces in 2008 with the Aquatic 

Nuisance Species Task Force and their Western Regional Panel. The 

task force is comprised of 10 other federal agencies and 12 ex officio 

The BLM manages lands that directly affect more than 117,000 miles of fish-bearing streams and 3 million acres of reservoirs and natural lakes. 

Fish-bearing waters on BLM lands are diverse, ranging from isolated desert springs harboring populations of rare and unique fishes, to large interior 

Columbia River tributaries supporting salmon and resident fishes of exceptional regional and national value. These waters also support subsistence 

fisheries that sustain Native American cultural and traditional heritage, as well as fisheries providing recreational opportunities for the burgeoning 

human population of the Western United States.
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members representing 

government 

agencies joined to 

prevent, monitor, 

and control aquatic 

nuisance species. 

The foundation 

for this work is 

from the passage 

of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control 

Act of 1990, which, among other actions, authorized and provided 

general guidance for the development of state aquatic nuisance 

species management plans. The act enables governors to submit 

comprehensive management plans to the task force and, if approved, 

request federal assistance for up to 75 percent of the cost 

incurred to implement such programs. Since the fisheries 

program’s involvement, several BLM offices have been active 

with individual state programs to combat the rising aquatic 

nuisance species threat to BLM lands. The BLM is currently 

working with a task force subgroup to update recreational 

guidelines and field gear decontamination procedures which will help 

guide BLM national policy. Additionally, the BLM Washington Office 

fisheries program has been working with Wildlife Forever to develop 

aquatic invasive species informational advertisements for western state 

fishing regulation booklets and publications that focus on outdoor 

activities, such as hunting, fishing, and boating.

The BLM continued its efforts to combat aquatic invasive species on 

both local and national scales. As available, each state is provided 

annual funding for aquatic invasive species prevention and control 

projects. In fiscal year 2011, $243,000 was distributed to the states, or 

approximately $20,000 per state. 

Some state’s fisheries programs took on nonnative species control 

projects, such as bullfrog eradication in the Yellowstone River, 

completed by the Montana State Office in partnership with the U.S. 

Geological Survey; Montana Natural Heritage Program; and Montana 

Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Other offices, like the Colorado State Office, 

assisted the State of Colorado in designing and distributing educational 

materials. Many offices, such as the Utah and Arizona State Offices, 

worked with respective state agencies to fund the implementation 

of aquatic invasive species plans, which included providing staff 

for inspection and decontamination stations. At recent interagency 

aquatic invasive species meetings, state agencies identified the BLM 

partnerships as vital for implementing the plans.
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BLM NATIONAL WILDLIFE 

PROGRAM

State of the Birds 2011

The BLM participated in a multiorganizational effort in 2011 to assess 

bird species on public lands and waters. The 2011 effort resulted in a 

report, titled “The State of the Birds 2011: Report on Public Lands and 

Waters,” which identifies agency-specific responsibilities regarding birds 

based on information about the time birds spend on particular state and 

federal lands. In addition, the report identifies (1) opportunities and 

challenges for each agency based on specific agency missions and (2) bird 

species and their habitats that occur on the lands the agencies manage.

Under the BLM’s multiple-use mandate, bird conservation challenges 

are frequent and diverse. But results of the “State of the Birds 2011” 

report and subsequent followup work with partners through the North 

American Bird Conservation Initiative will help the BLM and other 

management practices for grazing in winter grassland bird habitats in 

Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. The Baird’s sparrow and 

Sprague’s pipit, a federal candidate species under the Endangered 

Species Act, are included among the sensitive grassland bird species 

that will benefit from these best management practices.

Lastly, in anticipation of the 20th International Migratory 

Bird Day in spring 2012, the BLM entered into a 5-year 

agreement with Environment for the Americas to help 

provide information and materials about bird conservation 

and education from Canada to South America. Support 

and coordination of more than 30 BLM bird conservation and 

educational events are facilitated through this agreement. In 

addition to migratory bird conservation, this agreement helps 

facilitate implementation of the BLM’s Youth Initiative and 

America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and BLM, 

Working Together Since 1984

The BLM and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation have a long history of 

working together, since the group was founded in 1984. For the past 

24 years, the foundation has cofunded more than 700 BLM projects 

in 10 western states and contributed more than $6 million to protect 

and restore wildlife habitat. As of December 2010, Rocky Mountain 

Elk Foundation financial contributions have helped the BLM enhance 

habitat on more than 1,274,000 acres of public land and permanently 

protect an additional 80,000-plus acres of important elk summer and 

winter range through land acquisitions and conservation easements. In 

2011, the foundation contributed an additional $174,260 in cost-share 

funds to 21 BLM projects covering 14 field offices in 6 states (California, 

Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming).

The BLM and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation reached a milestone in 

fiscal year 2011 by completing their 6 millionth acre of wildlife habitat 

conservation. The official 6 millionth acre was part of a 560-acre 

prescribed burn at Devil’s Canyon, funded by the foundation and located 

on Cody Field Office lands in Wyoming. The 6 million acres include 1 

million acres of permanent land protection projects and 5 million acres 

of habitat improvement projects. This unparalleled achievement is the 

result of the dedicated efforts of more than 178,000 Rocky Mountain 

BLM-managed lands are vital to thousands of mammal, reptile, avian, and amphibian species. Managing more wildlife habitat than any other 

federal agency, the BLM’s wildlife program maintains and manages wildlife habitat to help ensure self-sustaining populations and a natural 

abundance and diversity of wildlife on public lands. This consists of maintaining and managing habitat for more than 3,000 species of 

wildlife dispersed over some of the nation’s most ecologically diverse and essential habitat. In order to provide for the long-term 

protection of wildlife resources, the BLM supports numerous habitat conservation and restoration activities, many funded 

through partnerships with federal, state, and nongovernmental organizations.

agencies 

facilitate 

improved bird conservation. The BLM’s 2011 bird accomplishments 

focused on the California condor, Le Conte’s and Bendire’s thrasher, 

greater sage-grouse, peregrine and aplomado falcons, seabirds, and 

arctic bird conservation at Teshekpuk Lake in Alaska.

Migratory Birds

In fiscal year 2011, the wildlife program focused a lot of time and 

resources on migratory birds. To start, the wildlife program continued 

to coordinate with BLM state offices, other federal agencies, and 

various nongovernmental organizations to implement a memorandum 

of understanding with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect 

migratory birds while conducting various activities under the BLM’s 

multiple-use mission. In addition, the wildlife program worked through 

the interagency Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds to 

identify data sources that can be used for decision support for agency 

actions that may require migratory bird conservation measures.

In partnership with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, the wildlife 

program helped build decision support tools related to migratory bird 

conservation and management, including the Species Assessment 

Database, useful for regional analyses of multiple bird species. The 

wildlife program also provided support for the development of best 
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Elk Foundation members and the continued support and cooperation of 

private donors and public land management agencies.

Fiscal year 2011 marked several important milestones for the BLM 

wildlife conservation partnership program. In January, the BLM 

appointed its first full-time national liaison position dedicated to 

developing conservation partnership opportunities through improved 

coordination, collaboration, and cooperation. This position was made 

possible through a cost-share agreement between the BLM and Rocky 

Mountain Elk Foundation and is colocated with the foundation’s Lands 

and Conservation Department at their international headquarters in 

Missoula, Montana. Work priorities for this program include improving 

the coordination of resources necessary to effectively conserve elk, other 

wildlife, and habitat across multiple land ownerships.

Partnership with the 

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

The BLM continued its longstanding partnership with the National 

Fish and Wildlife Foundation to invest federal and nonfederal funds 

to strategically address priority habitats and fish and wildlife species. 

Some of the fiscal year 2011 funds went toward projects that address 

BLM priorities, including Lahontan cutthroat trout recovery, restoring 

habitat for wintering grassland bird species, and Sonoran pronghorn 

habitat improvement.

Executive Order 13443 and the Wildlife and 

Hunting Heritage Conservation Council

Hunting and wildlife conservation have more in common than one 

might think. Executive Order 13443 directs certain federal agencies to 

facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and 

the management of game species and their habitat. To accomplish this, 

the agencies work collaboratively with state governments and other 

partners to manage and conserve game species and their habitats on 

public lands. In 2010, the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation 

Council was created to serve as an official advisory group to provide 

advice about wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit 

recreational hunting and wildlife resources and encourage partnerships 

among affected stakeholders. The BLM continued its work in fiscal year 

2011 with the council, other federal agencies, and partners to improve 

the management of public lands to facilitate enhanced recreational 

hunting opportunities and promote wildlife conservation on public lands.

Bats and White-Nose Syndrome

The wildlife program continued participating in “A National Plan for 

Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing White-Nose 

Syndrome in Bats.” The plan provides a framework for coordinating 

and managing the national investigation and response to white-nose 

syndrome, a devastating disease that affects several bat species in the 

United States. In 2011, the wildlife program provided considerable 

input on a national decontamination protocol for gear and clothing 

used in caves and abandoned mines. The widespread implementation 

of the protocol will help prevent the spread of the fungus that causes 

white-nose syndrome. The program also continued its participation in 

the plan’s Steering Committee and Coordination Team to identify and 

prioritize research and management actions.

BLM Releases Wildlife Policy Supporting the 

Western Governors’ Association

The wildlife program developed an instruction memorandum that was 

publicly released just after the close of fiscal year 2011 to provide policy 

guidance to all BLM field officials on the use of state- and regional-level 

data and maps that identify wildlife corridors and crucial habitat. The 

information is part of an effort by western states and the Western 

Governors’ Association to inform land use, land planning, and related 

natural resource decisions on public lands. The regional-level information 

is called the Western Wildlife Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT).

BLM Featured in “Turkey Call” TV with 

National Wild Turkey Federation

In May 2011, the BLM and National Wild Turkey Federation 

filmed an episode of the federation’s “Turkey Call” 

television show in eastern Montana. The show 

highlighted memorandums of understanding between 

the BLM and the federation, both nationally and specific 

to the BLM-Montana/Dakotas, and focused on habitat 

enhancement projects. In addition, the show featured 

turkey hunts with the BLM-Montana/Dakotas state director, 

chief conservation officer of the federation, and the BLM 

liaison for the federation on BLM-administered lands.

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BLM NATIONAL PLANT 

CONSERVATION PROGRAM*

in the Eastern States on all aspects of plant conservation: native seed 

collection, rare plant conservation, native plant community restoration, 

mentoring interns, native plant materials development, and educating 

the public. These activities could not be accomplished without the 

cooperation of the program’s partners, ranging from universities and 

industry to nonprofits and local governments.

Fiscal year 2011 was a busy year for the 

BLM plant conservation program 

as significant contributions were made to support native plant 

communities and sustain wildland health. The activities of the program 

align with DOI initiatives, including those for climate change, the Youth 

Initiative, America’s Great Outdoors, Native American Nations, and the 

New Energy Frontier. 

Climate Change

Climate change is one of this nation’s most pressing problems, and the 

BLM plant conservation program has taken a leading role in developing 

native seed for restoration and fire rehabilitation to respond to the 

changing climate. The native plant materials development program is 

a private sector enhancement initiative with a mission to increase the 

quality and quantity of native plant materials available for restoring and 

supporting resilient ecosystems.

The Seeds of Success program is the wildland collection arm of 

the native plant materials development program, and in 2011, an 

additional 1,500 seed collections were made, bringing the total Seeds 

of Success native seed collections to more than 14,000. Seeds of 

Success is a safeguard for species facing habitat loss and fragmentation 

through climate change. Long-term conservation seed banking 

provides a cost effective method to address species and habitat loss. The 

uncertainties associated with climate change make the restoration of 

ecosystem resiliency through seed banking and native plant materials 

development a vitally important adaptation strategy for natural 

resource management and conservation. 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land that consist of more than 50 ecoregions. These breathtaking western landscapes 

are defined by the native plant communities that exist there and provide Americans with their sense of place. The blanket of sagebrush resonates 

with people in the Great Basin ecoregion; the extensive acres of pinyon and juniper trees define the Colorado Plateau; lush evergreen trees help 

identify coastal landscapes; the saguaro cactus characterizes the Sonoran Desert; and the Joshua tree lets one know they are in the Mojave Desert. 

In addition, these native plant communities are the foundation of the BLM’s multiple-use and sustained yield principles that include maintaining 

ecosystem services and providing recreational and commercial opportunities, conserving habitat for fish and wildlife, and managing unique 

landscapes, such as wilderness areas.

Partnering Across America for Plants

The BLM plant conservation program is working with more than 500 

partners across the United States to bring American native plants to the 

forefront of management and conservation of BLM lands. The program 

works across the Western United States and in the scattered public lands 

4 * In fiscal year 2012, the BLM National Plant Conservation Program will be part of the Division of Forest, Rangeland, Riparian, and Plant Conservation.
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The BLM plant conservation program achieved success in fiscal year 

2011 by accomplishing the following:

•	 Co-chairedthe Grassland,Shrubland, Desert,andTundraTechnical

Team for the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation 

Strategy.

•	 Developedaseedusagesurveytogather information tounderstand

how the BLM procures, stores, and uses seed.

•	 Developedaregional multiagencycontract with 10 nativeseed

growers in 4 western states to increase native grass and forb seed 

for restoration efforts in all western states. This new contract will 

be used by the BLM and other federal agencies to produce locally 

collected, source-identified native plant material for restoration and 

rehabilitation.

•	 Initiatedquarterly webinars with American SeedTrade Association

members and other native seed growers. 

Youth and America’s Great Outdoors

The BLM plant conservation program is employing, educating, and 

engaging America’s youth through a variety of activities. Specifically, 

the program received a $1.25 million grant from American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act funds to collect native seed in 2010 and 2011. The 

BLM awarded the grant to the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Conservation 

and Land Management Internship Program, which employed 54 interns 

from 27 states. The interns were trained in the Seeds of Success protocol 

and were placed in BLM offices throughout the West. The grant was 

completed in 2011 with 2,000 seed collections made from public land, 

including National Landscape Conservation System units and renewable 

energy focal areas.

One program intern, Emily Capelin, noted in a blog entry, “The diversity 

of my experience has been incredible, far exceeding any expectations 

I had of my internship. I’ve flown over the stunning Brooks Range 

of Alaska, stood at the feet of glaciers, watched grizzlies grazing on 

meadow sedges and grasses, and recently collected seeds for the future 

environmental restoration of the largest working platinum placer mine 

in North America.”

The plant conservation program is also educating youth on the 

outdoors through the development of a high school curriculum with 

the Institute for Applied Ecology, entitled “From Salmonberry to 

Sagebrush: Exploring Oregon’s Native Plants,” which was developed 

for use nationally. More than 400 teachers have been trained to use 

this curriculum. In addition, the BLM-California Surprise Field Office 

is working with high school students to collect, germinate, and grow 

bitterbrush, a Great Basin native plant. The grown plant materials are 

used to restore sage-grouse habitat. 

Native American Nations

The BLM sponsored the Society for Ecological Restoration’s 2011 

World Conference on Ecological Restoration. The conference focused 

on reestablishing the link between nature and culture. The plant 

conservation program, with the BLM-Nevada Carson City District Office, 

developed a special session about native plant community restoration 

and cultural revitalization that included five presentations representing 

nine Native American tribes from California, Oregon, and Nevada. 

New Energy Frontier

The plant conservation program is working with its partner NatureServe 

to develop climate vulnerability indices for more than 115 cactus species 

in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. The vulnerability 

index assesses a species’ exposure and sensitivity to climate change by 

evaluating several factors. The species undergoing evaluation occur 

in solar energy areas where the BLM is ensuring sustainability while 

developing renewable energy. Scientists from Northwestern University 

are also working with the BLM to develop species distribution models 

under various climate change scenarios for more than 400 native plant 

species found on public land. The data from these scientific studies will 

assist the BLM in making well-informed land management decisions 

regarding renewable energy for the future.
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BLM NATIONAL 

THREATENED AND 

ENDANGERED SPECIES 

PROGRAM

The BLM threatened and endangered species program’s long-term 

vision is to achieve species recovery by maintaining functioning 

ecosystems and restoring habitat so that protection under the 

Endangered Species Act is no longer required. The program also 

provides support for the conservation of nonlisted rare plant species 

with the goal of avoiding the need to list them in the future. The 

targeted investment in recovering species meets a desired goal of 

sustainability and ecological integrity on BLM lands but also begins 

a shift from focusing on reactionary efforts in meeting regulatory 

obligations to being proactive stewards of the land.

As more species are recovered, there will be less 

of an administrative, 

In the first 2 years of the initiative, the BLM has allocated $2.58 million 

toward recovery projects for 31 species. The first success of this strategic 

effort was the delisting of the Maguire daisy in fiscal year 2011. Several 

other species benefiting from this initiative and on a short track to 

recovery are the Inyo California towhee, San Benito evening primrose, 

Lane Mountain milkvetch, and Jones’ cycladenia. 

The Maguire daisy grows only in Utah and occurs primarily on BLM, 

National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service lands. With $120,000 

awarded through the recovery fund, the BLM enhanced inventory 

and monitoring programs and implemented measures to eliminate 

threats from grazing and off-highway vehicle use. These funds were 

also instrumental in expanding surveys of the daisy in Calf Canyon, 

extending the count to a couple hundred more individuals, from just 

two occurrences in 2008. Additional populations continue to be found 

on BLM lands. Furthermore, these survey efforts documented that 

the populations are connected by habitat throughout the range of the 

species; whereas before, the populations were perceived to be disjunct. 

All of this information was considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service and prompted the action to delist the plant. Local collaboration 

amongst BLM-Utah state and field offices with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service was instrumental in the recovery of this species.

regulatory, and financial burden on the BLM. Through time, the monies 

used to consult on these species will be available to fund actions that 

will recover species, which is a shared goal of several of the Department 

of the Interior sister agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service and National Park Service, and the Department of Agriculture’s 

U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

Threatened and Endangered Species 

Recovery Fund

To achieve the long-term program vision of species recovery, the 

BLM Washington Office has launched a funding initiative which 

supports projects that target key recovery actions for federally 

listed and candidate species. The initiative, called the Threatened 

and Endangered Species Recovery Fund, was launched in 2010 and 

awards approximately $1.5 million annually, on a competitive basis, to 

primary recovery actions that culminate in a delisting or downlisting 

of a threatened or endangered species or removal of a species from 

candidate consideration.

The BLM manages habitat for more than 240 wildlife and plant species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act and 

numerous species identified as candidates for listing under the act. An even greater number of rare and sensitive species depend on the public 

lands, including birds, frogs, butterflies, fish, mammals, and about 800 species of rare plants. Rare and sensitive species are not federally listed as 

threatened or endangered, but they warrant special management attention to keep them from becoming listed in the future.

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Western Grasslands Initiative

Despite the important role grasslands play, the unfortunate reality is 

that grasslands are one of the most threatened and underrepresented 

habitat types in conservation area systems. Grasslands once covered 

more than 500 million acres stretching between Canada, Mexico, and 

the United States, and nearly 200 wildlife species were found to use this 

immense sea of grass in 11 different states .

Under the leadership of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife 

Agencies, an effort was made to develop a new approach and to 

implement a cohesive, comprehensive prairie conservation strategy 

that integrates pertinent components of efforts for prairie dog, blackfooted ferret, swift and kit fox, lesser prairie-chicken, mountain plover, 

burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, Swainson’s hawk, and more.

The Western Grasslands Initiative Strategic Plan was released in July 

2011. The BLM is a primary and/or adjacent landowner in many of the 

identified states and a key player in this conservation initiative. As such, 

the BLM is working with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife 

Agencies to become a member of the Western Grasslands Initiative 

Memorandum of Understanding, the foundation for the strategic plan.

Black-Footed Ferret Recovery

The BLM has been heavily involved in the Black-Footed Ferret Recovery 

Implementation Team’s executive committee, which oversees many 

approaches to conserving this federally endangered species. Efforts 

include the development of a sylvatic oral plague vaccine to protect 

ferrets and their prey, the prairie dog, against plague infection. The 

BLM continues to offer assistance in providing locations to implement 

the safety and efficacy trials for the vaccine’s use in the field. The BLM 

also continues to increase its involvement in identifying appropriate 

areas where prairie dog expansion or recolonization can take place, 

with the ultimate goal of black-footed ferret reestablishment from 

increased prey availability.
8

ALASKA

Fisheries Research in Alaska

BLM-Alaska fisheries personnel, while working with numerous partners, 

completed diverse inventories, monitoring, and research projects on 

a subset of BLM-Alaska’s 96,000 miles of fish-bearing streams and 

2.6 million acres of lakes.

In the Anchorage District, the BLM fisheries staff used radio telemetry 

to monitor the use of overwintering, summer feeding, and spawning 

habitat by rainbow trout within the Gulkana Wild and Scenic River 

watershed. The staff also participated in a multiagency study that 

measures Chinook salmon returns to the river. In addition, a resistance 

board weir was installed in the Unalakleet River to determine salmon 

escapement, run timing, and age-sex-length composition. This will help 

fishery managers evaluate how fishing restrictions affect the quality 

of the salmon spawning escapement in the watershed. The district’s 

projects help to ensure that adequate numbers of salmon are available 

for subsistence, commercial, personal-use, and sport fishing demands. 

In the Fairbanks District, the BLM fisheries staff investigated Arctic 

grayling and ninespine stickleback diets and monitored habitat at a 

network of lakes and streams on the Arctic Coastal Plain in the National 

Petroleum Reserve to assess resource impacts. The staff monitored 

juvenile arctic grayling populations in a recently reclaimed placer-mined 

ALASKA STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 28

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 255

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 165

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $141,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 479

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 2,389,000

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 8

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 4

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 960,000

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 22

Number of restoration projects using native plants 3

Number of native plant seed collections 81

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 5

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 3

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

28

stream and a similarly sized, nondisturbed stream within the Harrison 

Creek watershed, Eastern Interior Field Office. Research on inconnu (a 

large migratory whitefish), spawning abundance, and migration timing 

in the Sulukna River was published to help fishery managers develop 

recommendations for subsistence and sport fish harvest management 

strategies. Finally, several studies were completed to document 

spawning locations and determine abundance and habitat utilization 

by Dolly Varden char in the Squirrel and Kivalina River drainages.

Collaborative Projects Ensure Sustainable 

Wildlife Populations and Help Rural Alaskans

Living in a difficult climate, rural Alaskans still rely on the land for food 

and materials. Their hunting, trapping, wood gathering, and berry 

picking are a way of life that the 

Yup’ik call “Upterrlainarluta,” 

which means “always getting 

ready.” BLM-Alaska supports 

this way of life through the 

Federal Subsistence Management 

Program, which was established 

under the Alaska National Interest 

Lands Conservation Act. The program 

ensures that rural Alaskans receive 

priority to wild resources on federal public 

lands, ahead of other consumptive uses. 

BLM-Alaska administers nearly 75 million acres 

of public lands. This huge land base with its 

complex animal movements, land ownership 

patterns, and public involvement principles 

necessitates the BLM to work with other 

stakeholder partners to better understand and 

manage subsistence needs and resources.

One great example of these partnerships is the 

Fortymile Caribou Herd Monitoring Project. The 

Fortymile caribou herd is a major subsistence resource 

for Eastern Interior Alaskans. After the herd plummeted 

to less than 1 percent of its peak population, adaptive 
9

management plans were developed to recover the herd. For nearly 

12 years, the BLM and Alaska Department of Fish and Game have 

collared and monitored hundreds of caribou with telemetry technology. 

Today, this herd is recovering, thanks in part to careful monitoring of the 

herd and regulated harvest.

In 2010, the BLM purchased 60 global poitioning system (GPS) satellite 

collars to monitor herd distribution, population size, and habitat use 

without being constrained by foul weather, aircraft availability, or 

declining budgets. In 2011, the BLM helped fund the costs of retrieving 

and analyzing the data. The BLM is committed to this partnership and 

plans to continue the project. 

Another great partnership example is the Western Alaska Moose 

Monitoring Project. The BLM is working with the Alaska Department of 

Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to examine seasonal 

movements and habitat use of moose. The project was prompted by 

discussions with local elders regarding their traditional knowledge of 

moose. In 2010, the three agencies pooled resources to purchase and 

deploy 54 GPS satellite collars. This 3-year study will provide location 

data and improve estimates of how many cows have twins, one 

indication of habitat quality. Collar data also will increase the accuracy 

of population estimates by providing a measure of moose that were 

present but not observed during aerial surveys. The BLM and its partners 

will share data from this project with residents of the area through 

school programs and a subsistence newsletter in upcoming years.

Native Plant Conservation Grows with 

BLM-Alaska and Partners

BLM-Alaska continued its relationship with the Alaska Natural Heritage 

Program through the Seeds of Success program to collect native 

plant seeds. Ninety-seven different species were represented in 125 

collections completed by the Alaska Natural Heritage Program botanist, 

two Chicago Botanic Garden interns, and various partners from agencies, 

companies, and academia. The collections were made in nine ecoregions.

While scouting collection sites and gathering seed, populations of rare 

plants (19 species) and alien plant infestations (28 species) were 

encountered. Also, a seed collection of soft phacelia—a species ranked 

as vulnerable to imperiled regarding risk of extinction—was made 

because the population was about to be obliterated due to road work.

BLM-Alaska continues its relationship with the Alaska Department 

of Natural Resources’ Plant Materials Center. In 2011, the center 

continued to increase the initial 11 species selected for seed increase for 

placer-mined areas in the Alaska Interior in need of revegetation. The 

center also continued to perform seed cleaning for all native plant seed 

collections, local seed storage, and additional coordination with the 

Agriculture Research Service for long-term germplasm storage.

Spectacled Eider Sea Ducks Signal Satellites 

while Swimming and Sitting on Sea Ice

Spectacled eiders are sea ducks that spend most of their lives in the 

frigid waters of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. Their short time in 

terrestrial habitats—less than 3 months each year—is crucial to 

produce young that can survive their first harsh winter at sea. In 1993, 

the species was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

BLM-Alaska manages eider breeding habitat in the 23 million-acre 

National Petroleum Reserve. Since 1993, BLM-Alaska has collaborated 

and cooperated to collect critical data on this elusive species. The 

interagency satellite telemetry project is a great example of one such 

effort. In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and BLM-Alaska 

signed an agreement outlining goals and roles for studying the eiders 

with satellite technology. The USGS is leading the project, while the 

BLM assists with funding and field work. In 2011, biologists from the 

BLM Arctic Field Office and USGS Alaska Science Center teamed together 

for 12 consecutive field days, setting mist nets over tundra ponds in 

the remote wilds of northern Alaska. They caught 54 hen and juvenile 

eiders from 12 different broods.

The biologists then transported the eiders by helicopter to a base camp, 

where wildlife veterinarians surgically implanted a small transmitter 

into each bird. When the ducks sufficiently recovered from their surgeries, 

they were transported back to the original capture sites and released 

together as intact families. By then, the transmitters were already 

sending information to satellites orbiting the earth. The satellites relay 

the data to ground receivers, and the biologists can then download it 

for analysis. The data will allow the biologists to track the movements, 

distribution, and habitat use of spectacled eiders throughout the year.

Since 2009, 84 eiders have been implanted with transmitters. The 

agencies will use the information to develop effective conservation 

measures and promote recovery of the species. One example 

showcasing the use of the data occurred in January 2012. The real-time 

eider locations were used to help navigate a tandem ice breaker and 

fuel tanker away from the eiders during a fuel delivery to Nome, Alaska. 

The data will also enable the BLM to conscientiously plan and permit 

activities, such as oil and gas development, that fit within the agency’s 

multiple-use mission.

Many partners have also contributed logistical and financial support to 

this project, including the North Pacific Research Board, National Fish 

and Wildlife Foundation, ConocoPhillips-Alaska, Mesker Park Zoo and 

Botanical Garden, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Point Defiance Zoo and 

Aquarium, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service.
10

ARIZONA

Safford Field Office Removes Nonnative Fish

The BLM-Arizona Safford Field Office focused several efforts on 

removing nonnative fish species from rivers, creeks, and tributaries to 

benefit BLM sensitive species and to increase native fish species.

In the summer of 2011, nonnative fish were mechanically removed 

from the upper and lower Bonita Creek with help from the University of 

Arizona’s Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and Trout 

Unlimited. A total of 2,245 nonnative green sunfish, 9 yellow bullhead, 

333 fathead minnow, and 2 western mosquitofish were removed. The 

removal of these nonnative fish species will benefit four BLM 

sensitive fish species: longfin dace, speckled dace, Sonora sucker, 

and desert sucker. 

So far, nonnative removal efforts at Bonita Creek appear to be promising 

with a noticeable reduction in larger size classes of green sunfish, which 

is resulting in increased recruitment of native fish species. The field 

office will continue to evaluate the benefits to native fish species as a 

result of mechanically removing nonnative fish species.

The field office conducted another mechanical removal using baited 

minnow traps and Promar collapsible traps in a tributary to Aravaipa 

Creek in the Horse Camp Canyon. Riparian areas in Horse Camp Canyon 

are considered the primary source of green sunfish contamination into 

Aravaipa Creek. A total of 582 green sunfish were captured and removed 

from five of six pools sampled. The elimination of this source of green 

sunfish will benefit the BLM sensitive longfin dace, speckled dace, 

Sonora sucker, and desert sucker.

Nonnative fish were also mechanically removed from native fish 

habitat at one site in the San Francisco River. A total of 400 red shiner, 

18 channel catfish, 17 flathead catfish, and 3 fathead minnow were 

removed, benefitting the BLM sensitive longfin dace and desert sucker.

Lastly, a total of 77 nonnative green sunfish and 245 fathead minnows 

were removed from the Little Colorado River above Lyman Lake during 

annual fish monitoring. Their removal will benefit the BLM sensitive 

speckled dace, bluehead sucker, and Little Colorado sucker.

BLM and Audubon Arizona Partner to Teach 

Students about Fish, Wildlife, and Stream Ecology

BLM-Arizona plays a large role in the River Pathways program, 

a partnership between Audubon Arizona, the BLM, and Phoenix 

Union High School District that brings the study of riparian ecology, 

wildlife and fish habitat, and resource management to high school 

classrooms. The program also provides urban youth with opportunities 

to experience riparian areas at the Rio Salado Audubon Center and on 

public lands in the Hassayampa Field Office. 

ARIZONA STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 15

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 36

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 14

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

1

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 2,536

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $75,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 227

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 549,022

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 32

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 469,695

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 116

Number of restoration projects using native plants 86 

Number of native plant seed collections made 90

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 25

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 1

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 2 

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

2
11

Audubon staff and teachers from the Phoenix Union High School 

District, one of the largest and most diverse high school districts in the 

nation, created a 1-week riparian ecology and resource management 

curriculum module that can be inserted into a variety of courses. 

Students then receive instruction on BLM Technical Reference 

1737-23, titled “Multiple Indicator Monitoring of Stream Channels 

and Streamside Vegetation,” at the Rio Salado Audubon Center in 

downtown Phoenix. 

The curriculum culminates with high school students visiting BLM 

lands to collect data with Audubon and BLM staff. Also through this 

partnership, Audubon leads high school interns on riparian bird surveys 

on public lands and provides interns the opportunity to help BLM staff 

with monitoring, surveys, and other hands-on stewardship projects.

Arizona Plants Include More than Saguaro

In the area of plants, BLM-Arizona focused efforts on collecting, 

documenting, and conducting monitoring for rare, sensitive, and 

endangered plant species.

Staff from the Arizona Strip Field Office inventoried 1,000 acres for a 

new, rare plant species, Poverty Mountain breadroot, and they collected 

specimens of Nile’s wild buckwheat, another new, rare sensitive plant 

species. Staff also surveyed the rim of Kanab Creek for the Grand Canyon 

goldenbush plant species.

In the Kingman Field Office, staff surveyed 500 acres in Missouri Spring 

in the Mount Wilson Wilderness Area for the sensitive plant species twocolor beardtongue. Also, a weed removal project for Maltese star-thistle 

was developed, and monitoring was conducted on the endangered 

Arizona cliffrose. 

Lake Havasu Field Office staff documented new colonies of a sensitive 

plant species, scaly sandfood, during inventories of more than 1,500 

acres on the western Cactus Plain.

For the sensitive Acuña cactus, Phoenix Field Office staff found one 

new subpopulation of 10 plants in the Coffeepot Mountains vicinity 

during a 1,500-acre inventory. The 

staff also recorded the sensitive 

plant species giant sedge during 

a field trip to the Hells Canyon 

Wilderness. 

Phoenix Field Office staff 

documented disjunct organ pipe cactus 

in the Sand Tank and Javelina Mountains, 

as well as the first record of elephant trees on 

Javelina Mountain. 

Safford Field Office staff inventoried 1,000 acres in the Safford 

area for sensitive plant species, and they conducted 

monitoring of the endangered Peebles Navajo cactus.

Lastly, Tucson Field Office staff conducted surveys 

for the endangered Huachuca water umbel at 

Empire Cienega Ranch and documented new colonies of giant sedge 

during a 500-acre inventory of the area.

Endangered Species Recovery in the San Pedro 

Riparian National Conservation Area

In fiscal year 2011, one of BLM-Arizona’s efforts included reintroducing 

aquatic endangered, threatened, candidate, and BLM sensitive species. 

After completing project planning and decisionmaking under 

the National Environmental Policy Act, the cooperative 

reintroduction of seven aquatic species at six spring sites 

began at the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation 

Area. The species selected for reintroduction include 

the desert pupfish, Gila topminnow, and Huachuca 

water umbel (endangered species); Chiricahua leopard 

frog (threatened species); Mexican garter snake (candidate 

species); and Sonoran mud turtle and longfin dace (BLM 

sensitive species).

The project began with the planting of Huachuca water umbel in 

three separate locations in December 2010. This was a cooperative 

effort with the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca and the Desert Botanical 

Garden. In August 2011, desert pupfish were released at two 

sites. Then in October 2011, Gila topminnow were released at the 

same two desert pupfish sites and one additional site. This effort 

was cooperatively undertaken by the BLM, Arizona Game and Fish 

Department, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Chiricahua leopard frog reintroductions and additional 

fish transplants are scheduled for September 

2012. Releases of the Mexican garter snake 

and Sonoran mud turtle will follow the 

establishment of robust populations of fish 

and leopard frogs.
12

CALIFORNIA

Arcata Field Office Continues Watershed 

Restoration for Lacks Creek

The BLM manages approximately 60 percent of Lacks Creek, a 

19-square-mile watershed in northwestern California in the Redwood 

Creek drainage. The watershed has been the focus of extensive roadrelated restoration activities designed to reduce sediment inputs into 

Redwood Creek—a tributary to the Pacific Ocean supporting federally 

listed salmon and steelhead. 

Road assessment efforts have identified approximately 93 miles of 

roads in the watershed with the potential to deliver approximately 

196,000 cubic yards of eroded material. From 2007 through 2010, 

8.5 miles of road have been decommissioned, and 16.3 miles of road 

have been upgraded on BLM lands in the watershed.

In 2011, $75,000 dollars in fisheries and riparian funds were earmarked 

to the Arcata Field Office to continue road restoration work. The field 

office treated dispersed sites across 3 miles of road, which will help 

reduce the amount of sediment entering Redwood Creek.

Wildlife Highlights from Redding Field Office

During fiscal year 2011, the Redding Field Office engaged with multiple 

program partners on project planning, monitoring, and implementation 

for aquatic and terrestrial habitats on public lands. The following bullets 

provide a brief summary of project highlights. 

•	 The fieldofficeassisted with population monitoringand

translocation of Pacific fishers, a member of the weasel family in 

danger of extinction, with the California Department of Fish and 

Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Sierra Pacific Industries.

•	 The fieldofficeandpartners contributedto multipleimplementation

and planning efforts to affect the recovery and restoration of Clear 

Creek, Sacramento, and Trinity Rivers and their associated species.

•	 Within theSacramento River Bend AreaofCriticalEnvironmental

Concern, the wetland and pond complex for waterfowl and other 

species was enhanced through maintenance to improve water 

delivery efficiency, invasive species control, and development of a 

CALIFORNIA STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 32

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 71

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 137

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

4

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 129,239

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $2,425,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 940

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 227,346

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 342

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 10

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 154,322

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 924

Number of restoration projects using native plants 217

Number of native plant seed collections 609

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 112

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 20

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 28

Succession of dips to promote frequent road drainage. Log stringer culverts removed from Lack’s Creek drainage. Channel after log culvert removal.
13

new pond. Additionally, by modifying the hydroperiod to mimic a 

natural vernal pool system, one of the wetlands now hosts a threatened 

and endangered species, slender Orcutt grass. Three new wildlife 

guzzlers were also established to provide water in dry, upland areas.

Sage-Steppe Habitat Restored for Wildlife and to 

Prevent Nonnative Plant Growth

The Surprise Field Office and Surprise Valley High School united in 2011 

to grow native plants and shrubs to restore wildlife habitat and forage. 

The students involved in the BLM Bitterbrush Restoration Project grew 

locally collected antelope bitterbrush seeds to produce 1-year-old 

bitterbrush seedlings. These plants will be outplanted in degraded 

habitats, such as land damaged from wildfires. 

Bitterbrush is an especially important forage plant for ungulates and 

big game species in the fall because it remains palatable and high in 

total digestible nutrients long after grasses and forbs. This project will 

not only restore essential sage-steppe habitat but also will educate 

students beyond the classroom.

In addition to forage for animals, bitterbrush can prevent nonnative 

plants from growing. For example, bitterbrush seedling recruitment 

is often episodic after wildfires, and if recruitment does not occur 

immediately, cheatgrass and other annual grasses and forbs can begin 

to form monocultures that do not easily promote plant succession. 

The Surprise Field Office, in conjunction with the Nevada Department of 

Wildlife, is in the process of identifying previously burned wildfire sites 

that are missing bitterbrush and sagebrush. Local volunteers associated 

with both the BLM and Nevada Department of Wildlife will help plant 

the bitterbrush seedlings on these sites. The Nevada Department of 

Wildlife also plans on buying additional sagebrush seedlings to plant 

along with the bitterbrush to develop a mosaic of plant communities 

that are important for mule deer and pronghorn antelope.

Marriage of Science, Land Acquisition, and 

Management Planning Creates Powerful 

and Dynamic Model for Endangered Species 

Conservation

In 2008, little was known about endangered species in the Panoche 

Hills region of the San Joaquin Valley. Even though the region was 

identified in the official recovery plan as one of a very few key recovery 

areas for several federally listed species, such as the San Joaquin kit 

fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, and giant kangaroo rat, projects 

involving these species were not in progress in the Ciervo-Panoche 

region. In addition, data was unavailable, except for outdated reports 

and a scattering of anecdotal observations. Land conservation in the 

region was happening at a slow pace, was poorly funded, and was not 

well guided by actual data on the populations at risk.

This all changed in the banner year of 2011 thanks to funding the 

Hollister Field Office received for endangered species research projects. 

Intensive surveys based on cutting-edge field and laboratory techniques 

were brought to the cusp of completion on all aforementioned species 

with astonishing success. 

To begin, a large number of individual kit foxes in the Panoche 

region were individually identified by the field office through genetic 

fingerprinting, and the BLM can now rigorously assess where the foxes 

are localized and their population numbers. Similarly, blunt-nosed 

leopard lizards were thoroughly documented in population centers on 

and off public lands, and sufficient samples of tissues were collected 

to allow for efficient estimation of population size and population 

structure. Finally, giant kangaroo rat colonies throughout the CiervoPanoche region were identified through trapping, and their habitat will 

now be modeled using sophisticated remote sensing techniques.

The Hollister Field Office responded to this flood of new data by 

initiating an officewide project to revise the Panoche-Coalinga Area 

of Critical Environmental Concern Management Plan to provide for 

proactive management of all species in the region. The field office 

also ramped up a coordinated effort to secure conservation over the 

entire Ciervo-Panoche landscape to preserve a contiguous, largeblock land mass. The effort garnered more than a million dollars for 

land acquisition from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of 

Reclamation, and Land and Water Conservation Fund. The funds have 

been used in 2011 to successfully purchase parcels of land with high 

endangered species value. Many more millions of dollars have been 

earmarked for acquisition of land in the Ciervo-Panoche in the 2012 and 

2013 federal budgets.
14

COLORADO

Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Encouraged to 

Make a Comeback

In fiscal year 2011, the BLM-Colorado fisheries program began 

constructing an in-channel fish barrier on East Fork Parachute Creek in 

order to initiate restoration for Colorado River cutthroat trout. The creek 

contains a rapidly declining population of genetically pure Colorado 

River cutthroat trout, a BLM sensitive species. In addition, the fish 

residing in the creek are some of the most genetically pure in the state 

and are identified as a core conservation population.

However, in addition to cutthroat, the stream contains an increasing 

population of nonnative brook trout. The brook trout are outcompeting 

BLM-Colorado Involved with Sage-Grouse 

Conservation and Other Diverse Projects

BLM-Colorado tackled another busy year of diverse wildlife projects, 

which included developing a surveillance effort to monitor, detect, 

and combat white-nose syndrome in 

bats; documenting activities of diurnal 

raptor and owl species impacted by oil 

and gas development; documenting 

the first occurrence of a midget faded 

rattlesnake, a BLM sensitive species; 

monitoring wildlife at guzzler water 

troughs; establishing a baseline inventory 

for breeding bird populations; and 

inventorying and monitoring habitat 

for several avian, mammalian, and 

amphibian species.

In addition to these important efforts, 

BLM-Colorado implemented actions to 

conserve the sage-grouse, which has 

faced a severe decline in population over 

the past 100 years. To begin, the Gunnison 

Field Office conducted weed inventory 

and treatment in habitat occupied 

by Gunnison sage-grouse to reduce 

cheatgrass and other invasive weeds that 

lower the quality of cover for grouse. Also 

in terms of habitat, the Kremmling Field 

Office inventoried and monitored habitat 

for greater sage-grouse to assure longterm habitat viability. 

The Uncompahgre Field Office, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Colorado Division of 

Parks and Wildlife, National Park Service, 

and Crawford Area Gunnison Sage Grouse 

Working Group deployed two global 

positioning system platform transmitter 

terminals to collect sage-grouse movement data. Approximately 1,600 

locations on each bird have been collected so far. The data can help 

COLORADO STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 93

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 302

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 236

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

4

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 38,993

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $5,134,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 623

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 524,661

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 135

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 199,110

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 316

Number of restoration projects using native plants 2

Number of native plant seed collections 80

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 5

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 4

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

5

native cutthroat and threatening the long-term persistence of this 

native species in the stream. 

The idea of the barrier is to separate the two species by eliminating 

upstream movement of brook trout. This will allow efforts to reclaim the 

stream segment located above the barrier. This barrier is the first step 

towards the long-term goal of significantly reducing or eliminating the 

amount of stream length occupied by nonnative brook trout.

Early design planning for this project was supported by the Western 

Native Trout Initiative under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. 

Current partners include Trout Unlimited and the Colorado Division of 

Parks and Wildlife.
15

determine seasonal movements, habitat use, and if vehicle use affects 

sage-grouse movements.

Also, the National Wild Turkey Federation and local Habitat Partnership 

Program treated pinyon-juniper encroaching on sagebrush areas. 

Portions of the treatment areas were seeded with native seed 

developed by the Uncompahgre partnership and BLM-Colorado native 

seed programs. The Colorado River Valley Field Office cleared the Castle 

Peak area of pinyon-juniper trees which supports a small population of 

greater sage-grouse. Removing the encroaching pinyon/juniper trees 

will set back succession and enhance sage-grouse habitat.

Conservation of Rare Parachute Beardtongue 

on BLM Lands

BLM-Colorado continues to monitor Parachute beardtongue, a Colorado 

endemic plant (a plant that occurs naturally in one place and nowhere 

else) that is limited to seven known white talus slopes on the Roan 

Plateau with an elevation more than 8,000 feet. Its small number 

of known occurrences makes the populations growing on BLM land 

important to the species’ survival and viability. The BLM aims to 

maintain the integrity of current populations and monitor work at Anvil 

Points, a decommissioned oil shale mine, to prevent negative impact to 

this species. 

A permanent trend monitoring plot was established at Anvil Points in 

2004, and the Parachute beardtongue population, containing well over 

700 individual plants, has been 

monitored annually 

(except 2006). The 

main objective is to detect a 20 percent difference in mean stem density 

of Parachute beardtongue between years. To date, the number of stems 

within the plot has continued to grow since 2007 and now equals the 

previous high seen in 2005. In addition, the analysis shows that the 

number of reproductive stems within the plot has continued to 

grow since 2007. BLM-Colorado will continue this trend monitoring 

in order to track the status of Parachute beardtongue.

In addition to monitoring, seeds were collected at Anvil Points 

and supplied to the Denver Botanic Gardens for offsite storage. 

Offsite storage of Parachute beardtongue seeds is important as 

a backup collection so the genetic diversity of plant populations 

on public lands is preserved. The stored seeds can also help 

minimize further sampling from wild populations for future research 

and restoration purposes.

The BLM also partnered with the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens to 

develop successful Parachute beardtongue germination protocols 

which are essential for the study of the species and onsite and offsite 

conservation. This important work is adding value and utility to the 

collections stored in seed banks.

BLM-Colorado Aims to Meet Goals for 

Numerous T&E Species

The BLM-Colorado threatened and endangered species program 

conducted inventories and monitoring for threatened, endangered, 

and candidate species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher, 

Canada lynx, Gunnison’s prairie dog, black-footed ferret, Rio Grande 

cutthroat trout, greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado pikeminnow, least 

tern, Gunnison sage-grouse, greater sage-grouse, yellow-billed cuckoo, 

Mexican spotted owl, Dudley Bluffs bladderpod, Dudley Bluffs twinpod, 

skiff milkvetch, Kremmling milkvetch, Northpark phacelia, Penland’s 

beardtongue, and Colorado hookless cactus.

The funds BLM-Colorado received provided that Bureau responsibilities 

were met in protecting threatened and endangered species. Inventory 

and monitoring of the aforementioned species and their habitat 

were conducted to assure long-term viability of existing populations 

and identify new 

populations. Efforts to 

locate new populations 

and monitor existing 

populations occurred in 

cooperation with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, Colorado 

Natural Heritage Program, 

Colorado Division of Parks and 

Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, 

and other interested individuals.

Additionally, several BLM sensitive 

species management goals were 

implemented utilizing alternative 

funding for the following species: longnosed leopard lizard, desert spiny lizard, 

fringed myotis, Townsend’s big-eared bat, 

ferruginous hawk, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, 

roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker, bluehead 

sucker, midget faded rattlesnake, and desert 

bighorn sheep.
16

EASTERN STATES

BLM Partners with USFWS on 

Lake Sturgeon Monitoring System

The Northeastern States Field Office combined efforts with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service to develop a fish monitoring system to track the 

use of a new fish passage system for lake sturgeon. The BLM funded the 

monitoring system, which employs video cameras and radio tags for 

tracking individual fish passage. 

Lake sturgeon in Lake Michigan have been separated from their 

historical Menominee River spawning habitat for nearly a century, 

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and dam operators are in various 

phases of design and installation of passage systems on three separate 

EASTERN STATES STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 3

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 5

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 345

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

4

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 300

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $40,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 7

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 650

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 4

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 70

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 7

Number of restoration projects using native plants 2

Number of native plant seed collections 2

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 6

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 2

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

70

Because lake sturgeon do not jump like salmonids, the upstream 

system relies on artificial means, such as elevators or even trucking 

tanks containing trapped fish, to achieve upstream passage. 

Downstream passage relies on jets of water to simulate the downstream 

flow that attracts the fish in order to minimize the amount of water 

that operators must allow to pass around the turbines. This lures the 

fish to the safe downstream passage without diverting an unacceptable 

proportion of the energy-generating flow away from the turbines. 

The BLM anticipates that monitoring will demonstate that the new 

fish passage system provides for safe passage and conservation of 

lake sturgeon.

BLM Interns Inventory Forested Wetlands

The Northeastern States Field Office sent two interns, hired under the 

Youth Initiative, to inventory land in northeastern Minnesota, where the 

BLM manages about 1,200 acres of public lands. These lands are heavily 

forested and largely surrounded by county, state, and national forests, 

which create numerous opportunities for cooperative management. The 

interns inventoried several large wetland complexes, relying on local 

expertise and guidance from other agency land managers on gaining 

access to these remote areas. Providing opportunities to youth that also 

help the BLM manage public lands is mutually beneficial.

Community Pollinator Garden Provides Local 

Benefits to Butterflies, Bees, Birds, and the Public

One year after BLM staff and local volunteers designed and planted a 

community pollinator garden at the Meadowood Special Recreation 

Management Area in Virginia, a variety of benefits are being provided 

to pollinator species, plants, and visitors. In 2010, the community 

pollinator garden was planted at the primary parking area and trailhead 

at Meadowood, providing a unique visual and educational opportunity 

to highlight the benefits of pollinators.

Pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, and bats provide a variety 

of benefits to native, nonnative, and agricultural plant species 

through pollination. This has a trickle-down effect, benefiting plant 

communities as a whole and the wildlife that depend upon them, such 

as migratory and nonmigratory bird species. 

dams. These systems will eventually provide upstream and downstream 

passage around all five dams that block the lake sturgeon’s historical 

range on the Menominee River. 
17

In northern Virginia, 

pollinator species are 

under pressure from 

urban development, 

loss of habitat, insecticide use, invasive 

species, and a variety of other causes. 

The decrease in numbers of pollinators 

results in less pollination, leading to 

less diverse or less abundant plant 

communities and diminished wildlife 

habitat as a whole.

Beginning with initial site work and soil enhancement, local volunteers 

worked with the BLM to plant a variety of native and a few select 

nonnative species at the garden site in 2010. The year then turned 

into one of, if not the, hottest and driest summers on record for the 

Washington, DC, metro area. Despite the heat, hardy volunteers and 

staff hauled water to the garden, keeping plants alive that first year. 

In 2011, the garden really began to take off, with abundant flowering 

plants and attendant pollinators. In addition to native plants, 

such as butterfly milkweed and indigobush, the common 

ornamental zinnia, grown annually from seed, has been 

extremely hardy and colorful, flowering all summer and 

always popular with a wide variety of bees, flies, moths, 

and butterflies. Even flocks 

of gold finches were observed swooping down into the 

garden to eat seeds towards the end of summer.

Volunteers, including many at National Public 

Lands Day in 2011, continued to contribute 

greatly to this ongoing project. Since 

the public embraced the garden, future 

plans call for an interpretative panel 

describing the benefits and species 

used so visitors can easily plant a similar 

garden to provide benefits to pollinators and wildlife 

at home. In addition, a local park and a high school are 

considering installing similar gardens, setting the stage for 

future expansion of pollinator gardens, plants, and habitats.

Roosting Tower Established in Louisiana Swamp 

for At-Risk Bats

The Southeastern States Field Office built a bat roosting tower for atrisk bat species on BLM-managed land in central Louisiana. Numerous 

bat species in the United States 

are considered threatened, 

endangered, or sensitive 

species. This is of concern 

because bats play a large role as 

pollinators and are major predators of insects, 

such as mosquitoes. 

Adjacent to the Big Saline Bayou, the 

bottomland hardwood-cypress swamp floods 

annually and provides suitable habitat for 

southeastern myotis, big brown bat, and 

Rafinesque’s big-eared bat. These species 

typically use large, buttressed trees with cavities 

for roosting. However, less than half of the 

South’s original bottomland hardwood and bald 

cypress forests remain. Suitable roosts have been 

identified as a limiting factor—a factor that 

controls a population’s growth—for Rafinesque’s 

big-eared bat and southeastern myotis.

The cinder block tower was constructed 

using a design by 

Bat Conservation 

International, with 

additional height added 

to accommodate seasonal 

flooding up to 7 feet.

Bee and flowers photos © by Gary Myers, BLM volunteer
18

IDAHO

The Cottonwood Field Office has undertaken a multiyear fish habitat 

restoration project in and along 3.4 miles of the American River. In 

2011, restoration work on 2 miles of the river included construction 

of 35 upstream check dams to create pools and reduce flow velocity, 

installation of 150 pieces of large woody debris, installation of 175 

habitat rocks, and removal or redistribution of more than 2,000 cubic 

yards of mine tailings.

Additional restoration associated with the American River in 2011 

included decommissioning 1 mile of floodplain and riparian road, 

decommissioning two fords, converting 3 miles of road to trail for 

all-terrain vehicles, and relocating 1 mile of trail out of the riparian 

area. Once complete, this restoration should improve habitat conditions 

from about 45 percent aquatic habitat potential to 80 percent and will 

support recovery for endangered and BLM sensitive fish species.

In addition to restoration, the BLM-Idaho fisheries program focused 

efforts on stream and riparian habitat inventory in 2011, with a total 

of 36 miles of stream habitat inventoried. One of the streams that was 

assessed is Squaw Creek in the Owyhee Field Office area in southwest 

Idaho. In addition to evidence of beaver activity, the reach had abundant 

hardwood and herbaceous riparian vegetation that provided bank 

protection, energy dissipation, and fine sediment deposition. The result 

of the inventory showed that the stream is in proper functioning condition.

IDAHO STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 37

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 191

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 129

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 234,422

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $1,300,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 1,033

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 229,782

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 56

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 3

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 28,045

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 293

Number of restoration projects using native plants 9

Number of native plant seed collections 369

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 10

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 3

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 1

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

8

Fisheries Program Focuses on 

Restoration and Inventory

In 2011, the BLM-Idaho fisheries program continued habitat restoration 

on the American River, which is the largest restoration project currently 

being implemented on BLM land. The American River, a tributary to 

the South Fork of the Clearwater River in north-central Idaho, has 

been impacted by historical dredge mining and off-road vehicles and 

provides habitat for the endangered Snake River Basin steelhead, Snake 

River spring/summer-run chinook salmon, and bull trout; and the BLM 

sensitive westslope cutthroat trout and redband trout.
19

BLM-Idaho National Conservation Area Hosts 

500 Students for Desert Discovery Days

During 4 days in May 2011, the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey 

National Conservation Area hosted 500 students, plus their chaperones, 

at Dedication Point for Desert Discovery Days. This annual event provides 

an opportunity for students in grades 3 through 6 to learn about the 

desert ecosystem and the national conservation area.

Students learned about animals that inhabit the desert, including 

snakes, lizards, and raptors that call the Snake River Canyon home. 

The students explored desert vegetation and learned about the plant 

adaptations for living in an area with little water.

At the rim of Snake River Canyon, where students were able to view the 

splendor of the canyon and possibly catch a glimpse of a raptor or two, 

students were briefed on the geology and cultural history of the area. 

Students also learned about predator/prey relationships.

Idaho Falls District Purchases 191-Acre 

Conservation Easement

In fiscal year 2011, the Idaho Falls District purchased a conservation 

easement on a 191-acre property near the South Fork of the Snake River 

at its confluence with Henry’s Fork. The property has river frontage, islands, 

two sloughs, and a portion of the extensive cottonwood gallery forest 

associated with the Upper Snake River. The conservation easement is critical 

to the protection of wildlife habitat and substantial wetlands in the area.

Whitebark and Limber Pine Restoration Efforts

Fiscal year 2011 was the second year of a genetics restoration project for 

whitebark and limber pines in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Whitebark 

and limber pines on BLM lands are experiencing widespread mortality 

from mountain pine beetles, white pine blister rust, climate change, 

and succession.

For example, in southern Idaho on BLM lands, the current mountain pine 

beetle epidemic has resulted in mortality of approximately 95,700 acres 

of limber pine trees and 19,100 acres of whitebark pine trees. The ability 

to respond to restoration of these areas is dependent on having available 

seed and planting stock.

The objectives of the project are to (1) identify whitebark and limber 

pine trees for seed collection, under the Seeds of Success program, 

that are resistant to white pine blister rust; (2) collect and store seed 

from identified individual trees; and (3) continue white pine blister rust 

screening programs for the BLM along with the U.S. Forest Service and 

other research partners.

Cones were collected from identified trees in the three states in 2011. 

In addition, whitebark and limber pine “plus trees” (i.e., trees with 

desirable traits that are resistant to environmental threats) were 

permanently marked in 2011. This project will result in proactive 

management to sustain whitebark and limber pine ecosystems.

Fuels Projects Treat Thousands of Acres

The Twin Falls District fuels staff had a busy fall in fiscal year 2011 as 

they conducted fuels projects on more than 31,000 acres. The fuels 

projects occurred within the areas of the Jarbidge, Burley, and Shoshone 

Field Offices and consisted of prescribed fires, fuel break harrowing 

and seeding, drill and aerial seeding, aspen and juniper thinning, and 

weed spraying.

Through these efforts, wildlife habitat was improved by removing 

invasive plant species and restoring desirable native species to the 

landscape. Several of the projects were partnership efforts between the 

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 

and city of Twin Falls.

Interagency Cooperation Removes Invasive Trees 

to Aid Habitat Restoration on Bruneau River

The Idaho State Office and Boise District Office assisted the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service to accomplish the abatement of about 100 invasive 

trees to improve riparian habitat along the Bruneau River at Hot Creek, 

home to the endangered Bruneau hot springsnail.

Two invasive species, saltcedar and Russian olive, were targeted for 

this project. These two water-loving tree species contribute to riparian 

habitat degradation because they use a lot of water and support very 

few native insects. They also are not palatable to deer or aquatic insects 

in the stream. Native willows and dogwoods will be able to recover 

since the exotic trees were removed.

Eleven employees hiked into the area, braving large stands of poison ivy 

to complete this project. Although this type of project is labor intensive 

and time consuming, it has a big payoff in native habitat restoration.

Wolverines and the Coeur d’Alene Field Office

The wolverine was identified as a candidate species for protection under 

the Endangered Species Act in 2011. The Coeur d’Alene Field Office has 

parcels of land that may support denning or year-round wolverine use. 

The BLM has been working cooperatively with the Idaho Department of 

Fish and Game to place baited remote cameras in suitable habitat with 

the hope of detecting wolverines and other rare forest carnivores.
20

MONTANA/DAKOTAS and a corresponding increase in 

westslope cutthroat trout.

In addition, the Dillon Field Office has 

dozens of streams with miles of historic 

westslope cutthroat trout habitat that 

currently do not support westslope 

cutthroat trout. Current efforts aimed at 

converting these streams will more than 

triple the current amount of occupied 

habitat for westslope cutthroat trout. 

This ongoing westslope cutthroat trout 

restoration work has the support and 

cooperation of Montana Fish, Wildlife, 

and Parks; the U.S. Forest Service’s 

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest; 

and Montana Trout Unlimited.

Also in 2011, American bullfrog eradication efforts were initiated to 

conserve native aquatic species in Montana. The American bullfrog is 

an aquatic invasive species and voracious predator. American bullfrog 

distribution in eastern Montana is currently limited to a couple of major 

breeding and rearing sites on the Yellowstone River near Billings. If 

allowed to expand its currently limited range, the American bullfrog 

will have dramatic negative influences on the biota of the Yellowstone 

River ecosystem, one of the last large free-flowing rivers in the world 

and habitat for a suite of native amphibians and reptiles.

The eradication of the American bullfrog from 

this area is a cooperative effort between the BLM, 

U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Natural Heritage 

Program, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

Conservation of Native Montana 

Birds and Turtles

The BLM entered into an agreement with the 

Montana Natural Heritage Program to inventory 

grassland-associated birds in Valley County, Montana, 

in 2001, and monitoring has been conducted 

MONTANA/DAKOTAS STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 46

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 432

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 4,254

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

3 

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 127,704

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $3,271,480 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 1,213

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 616,235

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 37

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 2

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 43,600

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 278

Number of restoration projects using native plants 7

Number of native plant seed collections 64

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 4

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 4

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 1

Removal of Nonnative and Invasive Aquatic 

Species Improves Habitat and Biota for Natives

Of the numerous conservation efforts in 2011, some projects focused 

on conserving westslope cutthroat trout by reducing the number of 

nonnative species and removing fish barriers. Historically, westslope 

cutthroat trout were likely found in most perennial streams flowing 

into the Missouri River drainage upstream of Great Falls, Montana. 

Today, genetically pure westslope cutthroat trout are found in less than 

2 percent of this historic habitat. The primary and most significant 

reason for the near extirpation of native westslope cutthroat trout from 

these drainages are nonnative species introductions. The 2011 projects 

resulted in a significant reduction in the number of nonnative species 
21

annually since. Birds observed include state and federal species of 

concern. One of the most abundant species observed, the Sprague’s pipit, 

is currently a candidate species for listing as threatened or endangered.

North Valley County is an exceptional example of native northern Great 

Plains grassland, representing some of the most intact remaining 

prairie in Montana and the entire North American continent. Much 

of this landscape is managed by the BLM-Montana/Dakotas. The size 

of this large block of public rangeland makes it especially important 

to species with very limited breeding distributions and those species 

dependent upon larger expanses of land. The area has been designated 

as an important bird area of global importance because of its diversity 

and abundance of grassland bird species.

To ensure that the full suite of grassland bird species remain viable in 

this landscape, the BLM-Montana/Dakotas partnered with The Nature 

Conservancy; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Montana Fish, Wildlife, 

and Parks; and the University of Montana to characterize the response 

of songbirds to ecosystem processes to help guide regional and local 

conservation of grassland systems. Outreach to various groups included 

a field workshop on grassland bird management issues presented at 

Montana Audubon’s Wings Across the Big Sky bird festival. 

Another example of BLM-Montana/Dakotas work in conservation 

focused on maintaining and conserving important habitat for spiny 

softshell turtles. The spiny softshell turtle is a Montana species of 

concern and a BLM sensitive species. The Montana populations of this 

species have been isolated from the 

rest of the species’ range since 

the Pleistocene era and may be 

genetically distinct. The Montana 

population is further isolated 

by construction of several large 

dams on the Missouri River.

A study was initiated by the BLM in 

2009 with Montana State University 

to identify key or critical habitat 

components within the upper Missouri River, 

and more than 50 turtles were fitted with radio transmitters. From 

2009 to 2011, more than 900 relocations of spiny softshell turtles were 

recorded, and habitat data was collected at more than 400 of these 

relocations. Some turtles were found to have moved as much as 40 river 

miles in 2 weeks, and some moved less than 1 mile in 2 weeks.

In 2010, only 2 nests were found, but in 2011, about 20 nests were 

found at 9 different locations throughout the study site. In addition, 

hibernating turtles were found in areas approximately 2 meters 

(approximately 6 1/2 feet) deep and approximately 14 meters 

(approximately 46 feet) from shore. The spiny softshell turtles appear 

to use the same locations to overwinter across years, and some turtles 

appear to have fidelity to hibernation sites across years.

Native Plants and the Special K Ranch

In 2005, BLM-Montana/Dakotas entered into an agreement with the 

Special K Ranch near Columbus, Montana, to utilize some of their 

greenhouse space in the summer and fall to develop native plant material 

for use in restoration projects. The ranch is a unique place that provides 

a residential and vocational lifestyle to mentally challenged adults, and 

part of the ranch work includes maintaining 17 greenhouses during the 

winter to raise bedding plants for local home and garden retailers. 

To start the 2011 field season, about 10,385 plants were sent to BLM 

partners to be planted. The planting efforts for the 2011 season have 

yielded about 14,000 plants that will be used in the 2012 field season. 

Some of BLM-Montana/Dakotas partners include the Medicine Lake 

National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife, BLMIdaho, and Idaho Botanical Garden. 

In terms of native seed collections, BLM-Montana/Dakotas field offices 

made 77 collections in fiscal year 2011. Some were added to the Seeds 

of Success program, 

while the remainder 

will be used for seed or 

plant production at the 

Special K Ranch or direct 

seeding for field office 

rehabilitation projects.

Keeping Wildlife Off the Endangered Species List 

and Supporting the Threatened Grizzly Bear

Few endangered or threatened species occur on BLM-Montana/Dakotas 

lands, so most effort in this realm is directed at keeping species from 

being listed under the Endangered Species Act. In fiscal year 2011, 

BLM biologists continued to conduct piping plover international census 

work and interior least tern surveys to document their distribution 

and abundance.

BLM-Montana/Dakotas also focused on the threatened grizzly bear and 

is a partner in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem subgroup of 

the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, formed to coordinate grizzly 

bear recovery efforts throughout northwestern Montana. Human 

activities resulting in grizzly bear mortalities were the main reasons the 

grizzly bear was listed as threatened in 1975. Since then, management 

of human activities has allowed bears in the Northern Continental 

Divide Ecosystem to achieve recovered status.

The BLM and other agencies within the species recovery zones were 

asked to adopt habitat standards to keep grizzly bears in this landscape. 

Habitat standards included guidance for food storage, motorized use, 

livestock grazing, and developed sites (such as campgrounds and 

trailheads).

The BLM manages roughly 21,000 acres within the Rocky Mountain 

Front Recovery Zone. A BLM interdisciplinary team is currently 

reviewing the recommended habitat standards and determining the 

process to integrate grizzly bear conservation strategies into BLM land 

use plans that provide management direction for BLM lands inside 

this recovery zone, as well as grizzly bear core habitats outside the 

recovery zone.

Photo by John Carlson, BLM wildlife biologist
22

NEVADA Maggie Creek Basin were extremely degraded by livestock grazing 

that resulted in downcut channels with little or no riparian vegetation 

remaining on streambanks. Heavy sediment loads and high summer 

stream temperatures created conditions considered lethal to trout. 

Culvert barriers further isolated tributaries from each other and from 

the mainstem. Genetic studies warned that Lahontan cutthroat trout 

populations were both isolated and at risk of extirpation. 

Over the past 18 years, more than 100 miles of stream and 50,000 acres 

of uplands have been improved as a result of applying prescriptive 

livestock grazing practices designed to limit the frequency and duration 

of hot-season grazing on streams. Other restoration efforts include 

prescribed burning, pasture fencing, a conservation easement, water 

developments, and removing culvert barriers.

Habitat conditions on more than 90 percent of the 70-plus miles of 

Lahontan cutthroat trout stream habitat have improved dramatically. 

Genetic studies suggest movement between tributaries may be 

occurring as a result of removing culvert barriers. But most significant 

is the discovery of a new population of Lahontan cutthroat trout in 

Little Jack Creek. Electroshocking studies conducted by the Nevada 

Department of Wildlife in August 2011 confirmed three age classes 

of Lahontan cutthroat trout, including some born within the past 

year, which indicates a reproducing population. The improved stream 

conditions, as well as the removal of downstream culvert barriers, has 

likely resulted in Lahontan cutthroat trout expanding into previously 

unoccupied habitat, including Little Jack Creek. 

The Elko District’s multiple partners for the Maggie 

Creek Basin restoration efforts include the Newmont 

Mining Company, TS Ranch, Maggie Creek Ranch, 

Twenty-five Ranch, Trout Unlimited, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, 

Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc., and the University of 

Nevada, Reno.

NEVADA STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 3

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 208

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 188

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

2 

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 28,945

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $3,333,529 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 161

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 3,387,658

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 277

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 4

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 314,800

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 55

Number of restoration projects using native plants 34 

Number of native plant seed collections 1

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 78 

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 11 

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 3 

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

17

Build It and They Will Come

In 2011, the Elko District continued restoration efforts on Maggie Creek 

Basin to improve habitat for the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. 

These comprehensive watershed restoration efforts involve multiple 

public and private partners and began in the early 1990s. The basin 

covers almost 400 square miles and includes both fenced private lands 

and four large grazing allotments administered by the Elko District.

Maggie Creek drains into the Humboldt River west of Elko, Nevada, 

and supports Lahontan cutthroat trout. Prior to 1993, streams in the 
23

Landscape Restoration for 

Greater Sage-Grouse

The Carson City District Office is engaged 

in a multiyear, landscape-scale project 

focused on the distinct population 

segment of greater sage-grouse in 

Nevada and eastern California to 

support sage-grouse conservation and 

management. The greater sage-grouse is a candidate species under the 

Endangered Species Act.

The 900,000-acre project area includes three sage-grouse population 

management units located across four counties. The district works 

with a variety of on-the-ground partnerships to collect sage-grouse 

data, vegetation data, and road and trail data and to conduct habitat 

restoration work. Partners include the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

Nevada Department of Wildlife, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Great Basin Bird Observatory, 

Chicago Botanic Garden, and Carson Valley Chukar Club.

The district has also partnered with the USGS Western Ecological 

Research Center to monitor sage-grouse populations using traditional 

and GPS telemetry to determine movement patterns, home-range 

information, and habitat selection. Partner interns are working with the 

USGS to collect sage-grouse and vegetation data. This critical information 

will be incorporated into the BLM’s resource management plan 

revision process under the BLM National Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat 

Conservation Strategy.

The district’s Sierra Front 

Field Office recently 

completed the Buckskin 

Valley Vegetation 

Treatment Environmental 

Assessment on a 7,000-

acre project in the Pine 

Nut area to restore 

sagebrush habitat and 

riparian areas by thinning 

pinyon pines and juniper trees. Sagebrush habitat used by sage-grouse, 

pronghorn antelope, mule deer, chukar, and other wildlife species in the 

project area is being lost to woodland encroachment and is at risk from 

large, intense wildfires. Portions of the project area will be seeded with 

shrub, forb, and grass species to improve the understory component of 

sagebrush communities.

Sierra Front Field Office Hosts Interns to 

Focus on Plant Conservation

In 2011, the Sierra Front Field Office hosted nine Chicago Botanic 

Garden interns to work on a variety of conservation projects, including 

seed collecting for BLM’s native plant materials development program, 

fire rehabilitation monitoring, weed abatement, and BLM sensitive 

species monitoring.

One of the first tasks for the interns in early April 2011 was to survey 

for William’s combleaf, an endemic BLM sensitive species. William’s 

combleaf was first discovered in the Virginia Range in western Nevada 

and is listed by the state as critically endangered. In 2001, the Carson 

City Field Office exchanged lands in order to bring ephemeral lakes in 

the Virginia Range under federal ownership and established the Virginia 

Range Area of Critical Environmental Concern to protect William’s 

combleaf from threats, such as off-highway vehicles and overgrazing.

The interns, working with a BLM botanist, surveyed four ephemeral 

lakes in the Virginia Range and three ephemeral lakes in the Pine Nut 

Mountains. The interns flagged individual plants and then used GPS 

units to map the extent of the endemic species. They also recorded and 

later treated any noxious weeds occurring in the sensitive species habitat.

Not only did the interns find William’s combleaf, but they also located 

several Native American prehistoric artifacts, such as grinding stones 

and a projectile point. These items were also documented, and the GPS 

coordinates were shared with field office archaeologists.

After the survey was completed the team reread permanent monitoring 

plots and recorded data, such as density, stage class distribution, and 

cover. They also mapped the spatial distribution of William’s combleaf 

and its perennial neighbors within the plot.

The data collected by the botany team will be used by the BLM to analyze 

the renewal of a grazing permit and to develop a conservation plan for 

William’s combleaf. The botany team is now creating a database and 

geographic information system (GIS) maps to show the results of the survey.

Conservation of Schlesser’s Pincushion 

in the Ely District

The Ely District conducted surveys in 2011 for the globally rare Schlesser’s 

pincushion in a newly created area of critical environmental concern. 

The cactus is a BLM sensitive species and geographically distinct to the 

central mountains of the Great Basin ecoregion.

Due to these survey efforts and other surveys in conjunction with the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the plant was discovered in more locations 

than previously known. The BLM survey efforts likely contributed to the 

plant not being listed under the Endangered Species Act, and district 

staff is on the lookout for more occurrences of this rare plant.

Modeling Climate Change Scenarios for the 

Mojave Desert Tortoise

The Ely District began a landscape-level climate change modeling effort 

in 2011 in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. Project efforts 

will provide essential habitat information for determining the climate 

adaptation needs of the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise.

The project models different climate change scenarios for the tortoise 

to identify the most suitable climate forecast derivatives to be used in 

future climate scenario modeling efforts. Additionally, the model will 

extend the newly developed Mojave Desert tortoise habitat suitability 

model into the Sonoran Desert. Details of the newly developed model 

can be found in the U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2009-1102.
24

NEW MEXICO in 1994 to control livestock use in a stream reach containing listed and 

sensitive desert fish species. At that time, a livestock exclosure fence 

was installed in the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area in order to 

reestablish and conserve fisheries habitat.

The program, in conjunction with the New Mexico Department of Game 

and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service, has 

an annual maintenance contract for the exclosure and a monitoring 

component essential to assess fish status. Since the project started, 

cottonwood and willow species have recolonized the stream banks 

within the exclosure and are now firmly established, thereby decreasing 

the negative effects of the formally dominant and invasive saltcedar.

In addition to supporting spikedace and loach minnow populations, 

the reach also provides habitat for other desert fish species, including 

longfin dace, speckled dace, desert sucker, Sonora sucker, and Gila 

trout. Habitat improvement is also targeted to the recovery of roundtail 

chub in the basin, 

which is included in a 

conservation agreement 

that includes BLM-New Mexico.

Farmington Field Office, 

Wildlife, and the BLM’s 

Multiple Use Mandate

During fiscal year 2011, the 

Farmington Field Office worked 

with a variety of partners to improve 

wildlife habitat for a diverse array of 

wildlife species, including mule deer, 

elk, black bear, pronghorn antelope, 

Merriam’s turkey, scaled quail, and 

Gambel’s quail.

Wildlife habitat management by the 

Farmington Field Office centers on 

providing the basics: food, water, 

and cover. To this end, the 

field office manages for 

NEW MEXICO STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 65

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 68

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 211

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

5

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 116,710

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $618,810 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 82

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 585,090

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 439

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 2

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 318,033

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 160

Number of native plant seed collections 83

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 7

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 4

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

5

Fisheries Program 

Improves Habitat 

for Desert Fish

In fiscal year 2011, the 

BLM-New Mexico fisheries 

program continued 

to maintain a habitat 

conservation project on 

the Gila River. The BLMNew Mexico Southern 

Zone fisheries program 

implemented this project 
25

a mosaic of uneven-aged plant communities that collectively support 

a broad diversity of plant and animal species. In terms of water, the 

field office currently maintains 142 wildlife water sources. Throughout 

the state, the other six field offices maintain more than 525 watering 

facilities for wildlife. These projects are kept in good working order and 

provide essential habitat for a variety of wildlife species. 

The Farmington Field Office epitomizes the BLM’s multiple-use mandate 

in that it has one of the most active natural gas fields in the lower 48 

states. With nearly 30,000 gas wells, the field office wildlife program 

works to mitigate the impacts of habitat fragmentation by maintaining 

adequate cover and regulating vehicle travel through strategic road 

closures. The field office currently maintains 33 locked gates and 

numerous road closures through signs and barriers to benefit wildlife.

In 2011, the Farmington Field Office also worked with the Rocky 

Mountain Elk Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, and Williams 

Company to construct two trick tanks (watering devices for wildlife) 

in Ensenada Mesa, a specially designated area for wildlife. The trick 

tanks are located in areas adjacent to Dixie harrow projects, sagebrush 

thinning projects that promote grass and forb growth.

Outdoor Class Inspires New Mexico 

Middle School Students

BLM-New Mexico hosted four outdoor classes for middle school students 

at Simon Canyon Recreation Area during May 2011. Simon Canyon is 

adjacent to the San Juan River below Navajo Dam reservoir and contains 

a riparian area with a cottonwood gallery and many wildflowers.

The outdoor classes 

were divided into 

various resource 

stations staffed by 

specialists in botany 

(plant conservation), 

wildlife, geology, 

entomology, paleontology, soil science and water, noxious and 

invasive weeds, and riparian ecology. Small groups of students visited 

outdoor stations to hear presentations from the specialists and viewed 

associated displays. Many students had never attended an outdoor class 

and were thrilled with the experience.

Botanists from the BLM-New Mexico, Chicago Botanic Garden, and 

Navajo Nation presented different aspects on botany for the outdoor 

class presentations to the students. Presentations covered field botany 

collection techniques, how to keep a journal, plant taxonomy and 

identification, seed collection for long-term conservation for the BLM 

Seeds of Success program, and the professional life of a BLM botanist. 

Following the presentations, students learned about traditional 

Navajo uses of plants for healing, ceremonies, dyes for fibers used 

in weaving, and wild foods.

Efforts Implemented to Enhance 

Endangered Species Populations

In 2011, BLM-New Mexico focused efforts to benefit the 

endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and improve 

habitat for eventual reintroduction of the endangered 

black-footed ferret.

Since 2006, the Taos Field Office has removed saltcedar, 

Russian olive, and Siberian elm from the Rio Grande, while 

actively restoring native riparian vegetation for the benefit of 

the southwestern willow flycatcher and other wildlife. Project 

partners include the New Mexico Department of Game and 

Fish, Amigos Bravos, Hawks Aloft, Natural Heritage New Mexico, 

Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Taos Chapter 

of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, Rocky Mountain Youth 

Corps, and Taos County Weed Control Committee.

In an effort to enhance Gunnison’s prairie dog populations, the 

Rio Puerco Field Office worked with the city of Santa Fe to relocate 

approximately 1,700 prairie dogs to the El Malpais National 

Conservation Area. Initial monitoring data suggest the relocation 

efforts have been successful and that occupied habitat has expanded.

Currently, endangered black-footed ferrets are not found in El Malpais. 

However, continued prairie dog relocation efforts are targeted toward 

eventually reaching a level appropriate for ferret reintroduction. Other 

partners in this effort include WildEarth Guardians, People for Native 

Ecosystems, and Prairie Dog Advocacy Watch Group.
26

OREGON/WASHINGTON

Spokane District and Bonaparte Creek 

Riparian Restoration

In 2011, the Spokane District participated in cooperative restoration of 

Bonaparte Creek with the Okanogan Conservation District and U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service. The creek’s channel was rehabilitated by rerouting 

3,500 linear feet into a more sinuous channel of 4,500 feet, installing 

large woody debris, using cobble for bank stabilization, placing 

streambed gravel, planting riparian shrubs and trees, and seeding 

disturbed areas.

grazing exclosure to protect the creek. Monitoring of the reach showed 

improved fish habitat conditions. Also, the BLM worked with the 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to reintroduce beavers to the 

reach in 2011.

Salem District and the Salmon River 

Habitat Restoration Project

In 2011, the Salem District and Sandy River Basin Partners constructed 

15 log jams on 2 miles of BLM-managed lands on the lower Salmon 

River in the Sandy River watershed. A total of 250 large logs were 

added to the main and side channel habitats, and more than 750 small 

logs were used in the construction of the log jams.

The log structures are designed to provide rearing and spawning habitat 

for salmon and steelhead trout, while restoring floodplain function and 

reconnecting flows on 1/2 mile of side channel habitat. Primary 

partners involved with the Salmon River project include 

The Freshwater Trust, U.S. Forest Service, 

Sandy River Basin Watershed 

Council, Portland 

Water Bureau, 

and The Nature 

Conservancy.

A Cooperative Effort to Understand Elk Habitat 

and Nutrition Needs

BLM-Oregon/Washington continued participating in a cooperative 

effort to expand the application of elk habitat use and nutrition models 

to southwest Oregon. The work in 2011 focused on refining elk habitat 

use and nutrition models to allow managers to estimate and map the 

probability of elk use within and across these landscapes.

OREGON/WASHINGTON STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 247

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 749

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 306

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

2

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 38,884

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $1,400,000

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 1,916

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 525,287

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 124

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 9

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 42,339

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 798

Number of restoration projects using native plants 72

Number of native plant seed collections 723

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 273

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 5

Number of projects with private sector seed growers 62

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

49

Future work will include restoring approximately 100 acres of riparian 

and upland habitat. The project will benefit steelhead trout that inhabit 

the creek by improving steelhead egg survival and increased outmigration of juvenile fish.

Lakeview District and Bridge Creek Restoration

The Lakeview District worked in cooperation with grazing permittees in 

2011 to improve bank stability and redband trout habitat on nearly 

1 mile of Bridge Creek. Actions included reshaping streambanks, placing 

juniper on cut banks, transplanting whole willows, and creating a 
27

Another focus involved planning and managing elk distribution more 

effectively in relation to a diverse set of partner goals. One goal will be 

the ability to manage elk distributions across land ownerships, such as 

when land managers want to shift elk use away from agricultural lands 

and increase use on nearby public lands.

The partners for this effort include the National Council for Air and 

Stream Improvement, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 

U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, National Fish 

and Wildlife Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Oregon 

Hunters Association, and Boone and Crockett Club.

Partners Conduct Inventory of Golden Eagle

In response to the “Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance” issued 

in 2011 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the BLM, Oregon Eagle 

Foundation, and energy partners came together with the Fish and 

Wildlife Service to initiate an intensive 2-year inventory project 

designed to determine the size, distribution, and productivity of the 

nesting population of golden eagles in Oregon. The 

goals of this project are to provide baseline information 

to determine long-term trends in the status of the 

breeding population of golden eagles and evaluate 

the potential effects 

on eagles from existing and proposed renewable energy development 

projects across Oregon.

West Eugene Wetlands Project

BLM-Oregon/Washington cooperatively participated in the West Eugene 

Wetlands restoration project in 2011 in western Oregon. Forty-five 

acres of restoration resulted in increased populations of Fender’s blue 

butterfly and Kincaid’s lupine within treated areas, providing for the 

recovery of these federally threatened/endangered species.

Members of the partnership also conducted habitat monitoring for 

Fender’s blue butterfly, Kincaid’s lupine, several sensitive plants, and 

western pond turtles. Additionally, research was conducted regarding 

butterfly hosts and native bees that are critical for pollinating rare 

species associated with the wetlands.

Partner’s included the city of Eugene, The Nature Conservancy, Institute 

for Applied Ecology, Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and several watershed 

councils, trusts, and educational networks.

BLM and Partners Work to Recover 

Gentner’s Fritillary

BLM botanists continued work with the Oregon Department of 

Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the recovery 

of Gentner’s fritillary, a federally listed lily found in southwest Oregon 

in the Medford District. Bulblets were collected from mature plants, 

cultivated under nursery conditions, and transplanted into suitable 

habitat within the species’ recovery areas.

To date, 17,391 bulbs have been transplanted into 17 sites on BLM 

lands. Annual monitoring shows that more than 4,000 transplants 

emerged in 2011 and some of the resulting plants are flowering. 

Currently, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is working with 

the BLM on researching the potential value of mixing transplants 

from separate sources in order to promote genetically diverse seed 

production in new populations.

Medford Native 

Plant Program 

Highlights

In 2011, the Medford 

District developed a western 

regional multiagency native grass and forb seed increase contract for 

11 western states. This contract will facilitate the BLM and other federal 

agencies in producing locally collected, source-identified native plant 

material for restoration and rehabilitation.

The district managed 10 contracts and 2 intergovernmental agreements 

with the U.S. Forest Service’s J.H. Stone Nursery and the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service’s Corvallis Plant Materials Center, 

totaling approximately $450,000. The district contracted more than 

25 acres of new native seed production fields with commercial growers 

throughout Oregon and Washington and produced more than 16,000 

pounds of seed from existing fields for 35 native species and 53 seed 

sources. This seed is available for restoration projects and for out-year 

use in wildland fire rehabilitation.

As part of the national Seeds of Success program, the district made 70 

wildland seed collections of 80 different species using Chicago Botanic 

Garden interns. These seeds will be placed in long-term storage at the 

National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, in the event 

that this germplasm is needed in the future.

Habitat Improvement Fosters Foskett 

Speckled Dace

Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Oregon Department 

of Fish and Wildlife, BLM-Oregon/Washington helped reestablish a 

population of the federally threatened Foskett speckled dace at Dace 

Spring in south-central Oregon, where a population was temporarily 

established around 1980. After two ponds were constructed in 2009, 

49 fish were introduced to the ponds in 2010. Seventy-five more fish 

were introduced in 2011, with successful reproduction documented at 

the Dace Spring site as well. Foskett speckled dace habitat improvement 

work is scheduled to begin at Foskett Spring in the winter of 2012.
28

UTAH

UTAH STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 40

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 278

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 457

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

11

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 76,754

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions $1,230,000 

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 384

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 577,087

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 88

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 2

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 178,000

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 307

Number of restoration projects using native plants 32

Number of native plant seed collections 305

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 20

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 8

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

24

River Basin in Utah Nominated as 1 of 10 “Waters 

to Watch” and BLM-Utah Restoration Highlights

In fiscal year 2011, the Green River basin, including the White River, 

was nominated by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan as 1 of the 10 

“Waters to Watch,” a collection of rivers, streams, lakes, and estuaries 

that will benefit from strategic conservation efforts to protect, restore, 

or enhance their current condition over the next year. The Green River 

basin was also recognized by the Desert Fish Habitat Partnership as 

having outstanding aquatic resources. The White River is occupied 

by native desert fishes, including the bluehead sucker, flannelmouth 

sucker, and roundtail chub, collectively referred to as the “three species.”

BLM-Utah has entered into assistance agreements with the Utah 

Division of Wildlife Resources to allow for cooperative conservation 

efforts for native fish. The work accomplished through this agreement 

involves completing many activities relating to “three species” 

conservation, including habitat surveys to gain knowledge on current 

distribution, movement and life history studies, genetic studies, 

potential reintroductions into historical habitats, work to maintain 

water in important habitats, and habitat restoration/improvements.

Results show that the percent of native species found was higher 

than other areas sampled in the Green River basin and in other upper 

Colorado River basin areas. The observed numbers of fish are good 

indications that the White River is an important spawning area and 

nursery habitat for the “three species.” A final report will detail the 

results of all monitoring activities.

In fiscal year 2011, BLM-Utah also focused on restoration efforts. 

To begin, during the summer of 2009, BLM-Utah worked with Trout 

Unlimited to survey 110 road crossings and irrigation diversion barriers 

throughout Rich County, Utah, as part of a larger effort to identify and 

prioritize fish passage restoration efforts on both public and private 

land on the Bear River. In fiscal year 2011, survey results showed that 

14 barrier treatments improved fish passage within Otter Creek and 

reconnected 13.8 miles of stream habitat. The fish passage barriers 

consisted of a mix of undersized and perched culverts as well as 

outmoded diversion sills that were upgraded to improve passage. Other 

project partners include the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Utah 

Division of Wildlife Resources, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In addition to the previous restoration effort, for the Birch Creek 

Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Riparian Habitat Improvement Project, 

approximately 60 acres of pinyon pine and juniper were hand cut 

and chipped to remove competition and allow for regeneration of 

water birch, coyote willow, and aspen. Improvement of Birch Creek 

riparian habitat is a priority for the Cedar City Field Office to benefit the 

Bonneville cutthroat trout.
29

Also in 2011, the BLM continued funding Utah’s Watershed Restoration 

Initiative, a public/private partnership created to propose, implement, 

and monitor on-the-ground habitat maintenance, enhancement, and 

restoration to benefit big game, sage-grouse, migratory birds, and a 

number of state sensitive species, including the Bonneville cutthroat 

trout and pygmy rabbit. During fiscal year 2011, 32 on-theground treatments were completed that enhanced 

30,873 acres of shrub-steppe, riparian, and pinyonjuniper habitats. The BLM’s wildlife, range, weed, 

and fire/fuels programs actively participate in 

the partnership.

Lastly, the BLM-Utah field offices continued in 

fiscal year 2011 to monitor and maintain hundreds 

of previously constructed water developments for 

pronghorn antelope, desert bighorn sheep, upland 

game, and other wildlife species, and field offices 

continued a number of greater sage-grouse research projects 

around the state.

BLM-Utah Helps Restore Native Species through 

the Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program

By providing leadership for the Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program, 

the Utah State Office and its partners helped make at least three 

native plant species available for commercial development and use 

in restoration efforts on the Colorado Plateau. The program is making 

a difference throughout the Bureau by increasing the availability of 

native seeds from the Colorado Plateau to benefit degraded areas 

within the plateau.

As of August 2011, mountain brome, muttongrass, and Sandberg 

bluegrass are available, and at least 10 other species are in commercial 

development. Other efforts of the program in 2011 include genetic 

research and common garden studies to help restore native plant 

species to the Colorado Plateau.

Numerous partners have come together to work on the Colorado 

Plateau Native Plant Program, including the U.S. Geological Survey, 

U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Colorado 

Division of Parks and Wildlife, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 

University of Utah, Northern Arizona University, Southern Utah 

University, Uncompahgre Partnership, and The Nature Conservancy.

With Help from BLM, Maguire Daisy 

Delisted After 25 Years

In fiscal year 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service delisted the previously endangered 

Maguire daisy, which occurs principally on lands 

administered by the Price Field Office in central 

Utah. The BLM worked hard to ensure that 

conditions allowed for the species to be delisted, 

including monitoring existing populations, 

inventorying any additional populations, and 

assisting in the development of a post-delisting 

monitoring plan.

Also, cleanup efforts were implemented in camping areas 

near the daisy’s habitat, and off-highway vehicle trails 

and other recreation sites were mapped so that necessary 

protection measures could be identified and implemented. 

This 25-year conservation effort is a true success story of 

partners coming together to recover a federally endangered 

species.

Also in 2011, with hopes of delisting the threatened Ute lady’s 

tresses, a native orchid, members of the Vernal Field Office and 

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument performed habitat 

improvement actions with 

volunteers and other 

partners.

A New Focus on Bison and Continuation of 

Several Wildlife Efforts

In 2011, the BLM-Henry Mountains Field Station partnered with the 

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah State University, Sportsmen 

for Fish and Wildlife, and individual grazing permittees to initiate a 

bison sightability study of the Henry Mountains bison herd, one of 

the only free-roaming bison herds on BLM-administered lands. GPS 

and radio collars were attached to select bison within the herd to 

determine bison sightability when annual helicopter surveys 

are conducted. Survey data will be used to create a bison 

population model and to provide valuable information 

on bison habitat use and movement patterns. Also, 

the data will help the BLM target areas where 

water developments and habitat treatments could 

be effective in reducing bison/livestock interactions.
30

WYOMING

Wyoming Fisheries Program Highlights

In fiscal year 2011, the BLM-Wyoming fisheries program focused on 

several projects and efforts, including inventorying and monitoring for a 

BLM sensitive species, aquatic invasive species prevention, and removal 

of fish barriers. The following examples provide more details on BLMWyoming’s efforts.

The High Desert District conducted inventorying and monitoring of 

northern leatherside chub habitats to improve knowledge about 

and monitoring efforts to reduce risks and prevent spread of aquatic 

invasive species. To assist their efforts, BLM-Wyoming provided funding 

and support in fiscal year 2011 to educate the public about aquatic 

invasive species threats and also to initiate a monitoring program to 

detect and prevent aquatic nuisance species introduction or spread into 

Wyoming waterways. Several BLM access sites were used for inspection 

and enforcement of recreational boating sanitation requirements.

The BLM’s Healthy 

Lands Initiative 

provided fiscal year 

2011 funding for 

a cooperative effort 

with Trout Unlimited 

and the Wyoming Game 

and Fish Department to 

improve fish habitat. 

Fish passage barriers 

were removed, and a 

statewide inventory of 

BLM-managed lands 

was conducted to 

identify problem barrier 

locations for future 

modification or removal.

BLM-Wyoming 

Wildlife 

Program 

Focuses on Bats, 

Birds, and Big Game

The BLM-Wyoming wildlife program focused efforts in 2011 on bats, 

birds, and big game, and the following information provides details on 

these efforts.

Cooperative bat inventories and monitoring studies were conducted 

by BLM-Wyoming in conjunction with the Wyoming Natural Diversity 

Database partnership. The project focused on gathering bat occurrence, 

distribution, and habitat use information for large areas of central 

WYOMING STATISTICS

Miles of fish habitat restored 140

Miles of fish habitat inventoried 255

Acres of fish habitat inventoried 240

Conservation planning for sensitive aquatic species (number of conservation 

agreements and strategies signed or in progress)

3

Acres of wildlife habitat treated for improvement 33,384

Dollars spent on wildlife conservation actions Estimated 

$2.6 million

Populations monitored to achieve cooperative wildlife management goals 908

Acres of wildlife habitat monitored for improvement 334,399

Number of recovery actions implemented for threatened and endangered species 54

Number of recovery plans prepared for threatened and endangered species 12

Acres of threatened and endangered species habitat monitored 1,357,229

Number of threatened and endangered species populations monitored 1,129

Number of restoration projects using native plants 771

Number of native plant seed collections 184

Number of BLM sensitive or rare plant species inventoried and monitored 15

Number of interns working on plant conservation program projects 7

Number of education projects related to fish, wildlife, plant, and/or threatened and 

endangered species conservation

26

this BLM sensitive species. Under the BLM’s Youth Initiative, students 

provided assistance on this project by helping the BLM improve 

potential habitats and ensure occupied habitats were monitored and 

conserved amid other BLM actions under the agency’s multiple-use 

mission. This cooperative project was funded by the BLM’s Healthy 

Lands Initiative and Brigham Young University.

The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and the Wyoming Game 

and Fish Department partnered to implement statewide prevention 
31

Wyoming that are proposed for, and have a high potential for, wind 

energy development projects. Inventory and monitoring techniques 

using sonic detection recorders, mist netting, and seasonal surveying 

to gather bat information greatly increased the BLM’s knowledge about 

bat populations and habitats in Wyoming. Due to the studies, new 

species occurrence locations have been identified, and echolocation call 

libraries have significantly improved the use of the new data to identify 

bat species. The project was funded by the BLM’s wildlife and renewable 

energy programs, and the effort will continue into 2012.

Other wildlife program efforts in fiscal year 2011 focused on birds, 

including a statewide golden eagle and ferruginous hawk monitoring 

cooperative project with the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Game and 

Fish Department using BLM renewable energy program funding. The 

Kemmerer Field Office participated in a raptor monitoring study with 

HawkWatch International, and the Cody Field Office partnered with 

the Buffalo Bill Historical Center on a golden eagle productivity study. 

Additionally, BLM-Wyoming engaged in cooperative projects with 

Partners in Flight, the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, and the Wyoming 

Game and Fish Department to monitor other Wyoming bird species.

Several habitat improvement projects were undertaken in fiscal year 

2011 by BLM-Wyoming to improve big game habitat and winter ranges. 

The projects include the Mallo Camp aspen regeneration project, Lander 

Front mule deer habitat enhancement project, Little Snake River aspen 

treatment project, Mill Creek aspen treatment project, and Wyoming 

front aspen treatment and fuels reduction project. Several of these 

projects were funded through the BLM’s Healthy Lands Initiative.

Banner Year for Botany in Wyoming

The BLM-Wyoming plant 

conservation program had 

a busy year conducting 

rare plant surveys, working 

with the Seeds of Success 

and native plant materials 

programs, hiring and 

engaging record numbers of 

youth, developing outreach efforts, and revising reclamation policy to 

encourage use of local, native plants.

Sensitive plant species were surveyed in southern Wyoming for the 

long-awned alkali wildrye (a grass species adapted to shifting sand 

dunes), stemless beardtongue, and small rockcress. New sites for all 

three species were found thanks to the BLM’s long-term partnership 

with the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database.

The Wyoming Seeds of Success program continued its dramatic increase 

in collections, training, participation, and youth involvement with 

184 new plant collections and 14 collecting teams. These statistics help 

illustrate the activity and momentum of the Seeds of Success program 

to collect, conserve, and develop native plant materials for stabilizing, 

rehabilitating, and restoring lands. Some current examples of ways 

BLM-Wyoming is using the native plant materials is the reclamation 

of energy development sites and bentonite mine sites, with this latter 

example in partnership with the University of Wyoming.

The BLM-Wyoming plant conservation program engaged record 

numbers of youth in fiscal year 2011, including interns, 12 weeks of 

participation from the Youth Conservation Corps from 4 states, and 

Native American and middle school students that helped with native 

seed collection work. The plant conservation program and interns 

greatly improved outreach by overhauling the program’s public website 

and producing two brochures that highlight the program. The program 

also participated in other outreach activities including Frontier Days 

and the Wyoming State Parks Summer Slam. Graduate-level lectures on 

the Seeds of Success Program and high-elevation reclamation provided 

additional outreach to university partners. Lastly, the program provided 

plant identification assistance and training throughout the fiscal year.

Threatened and Endangered Species 

Program Highlights

The BLM-Wyoming threatened and endangered species program 

participated in several partnerships in fiscal year 2011 to aid in the 

recovery and conservation of several threatened and endangered plant 

and animal species. 

For the animal species, BLM-Wyoming continued its participation with 

grizzly bear working groups to conserve the grizzly bear within the 

Yellowstone ecosystem and on BLM-administered lands. Also, the BLM 

conducted surveys for the endangered black-footed ferret and mapped 

the occupancy of recovery areas. The BLM continued habitat inventory 

work for the endangered Wyoming toad and other amphibian species. 

Lastly, BLM-Wyoming invested a great deal of time and money into 

greater sage-grouse conservation and management in cooperation 

with the State of Wyoming, local working groups, the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, and numerous other partners to help prevent the 

species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act.

For the plant species, surveys efforts continued for endangered blowout 

penstemon habitats through the partnership with the Wyoming 

Natural Diversity Database, helping to locate three 

new population sites in southern Wyoming within the 

Rawlins Field Office area. Seed germination research 

on blowout penstemon also continued. In addition, 

the BLM’s ongoing work with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service and the Wyoming Natural Diversity 

Database will develop a recovery and management 

plan for the threatened desert yellowhead.
32

NATIONAL OPERATIONS 

CENTER

NOC Focuses on Aquatic Resources 

and Monitoring 

The National Operations Center’s (NOC’s) Branch of Assessment and 

Monitoring aquatic program had a very active and collaborative 2011, 

with numerous developments and contributions toward meeting the 

programmatic goals of the wildlife, fisheries, and threatened and 

endangered species programs. A primary focus this fiscal year was 

integration with other aquatic programs across the agency, including 

the riparian and soil, water, and air programs. The NOC started and 

continues to work on developing an aquatic component to the BLM’s 

assessment, inventory, and monitoring program, which will play a 

critical role in achieving the monitoring initiatives outlined in the BLM’s 

“Winning the Challenges of the Future: A Road Map for Success in 2016.” 

Most significantly, the NOC focused several efforts regarding the 

National Aquatic Monitoring Center (NAMC or the “Buglab”). NAMC is a cooperative agreement between the BLM and Utah State University 

which seeks to encourage and foster scientifically sound watershed 

monitoring programs on public lands. In 2011, the NOC’s Branch 

of Assessment and Monitoring hired a new director for NAMC, and 

through this cooperative agreement, the BLM worked on a variety of 

projects in 2011, including a review of the BLM’s rapid ecoregional 

assessments, with NAMC providing data for more than 7,500 aquatic 

macroinvertebrate samples to assess freshwater biological integrity; 

development and implementation of field office training in freshwater 

bioassessment; and the processing of more than 2,000 aquatic 

macroinvertebrate samples for the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and 

other federal partners.

In addition, the BLM, through NAMC, is currently 

working to increase the ease by which 

managers can use macroinvertebrate 

data to inform management 

decisions. This will be 

accomplished by adopting 

an analytical approach 

that measures how 

closely sampled taxa 

match the expected taxa 

predicted to occur at 

regional reference 

conditions. This 

approach is being 

applied across the 

entire United States 

by multiple state and 

federal agencies and thus provides a common currency for assessing 

freshwater biological integrity. The BLM is working to provide this 

information for all samples submitted to the lab for processing.

The BLM also has been involved with several projects to design and 

implement aquatic monitoring programs to support field office-scale 

initiatives incorporating aquatic macroinvertebrates. Some projects 

include the quantification of prey resource availability for migratory 

shorebirds in Colorado’s Lara wetlands; monitoring to detect impacts of 

gas development throughout the Roan Plateau in Colorado; assessing 
33

Steve Sharp, National Wild Turkey Federation

the impacts of flow releases from Flaming Gorge Dam on aquatic 

resources across the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and National Park Service 

lands; and the design and implementation of probabilistic surveys to 

determine the status and trend of BLM freshwater resources 

throughout Utah and northern California. 

Lastly, the NOC’s Branch of Assessment and Monitoring published two 

brochures in fiscal year 2011 to highlight the work of NAMC and the 

BLM fisheries programs. One brochure describes the BLM fisheries 

program and the many conservation partnerships which focus on 

habitat conservation and restoration, monitoring, and fish passage 

improvements. Another brochure focused on NAMC, providing an 

indepth description of the cooperative agreement between the BLM 

and Utah State University.

Partnerships Key in Mapping Wildlife Habitat

In fiscal year 2011, the NOC continued its operational, technical, 

and analytical support of the BLM wildlife and threatened and 

endangered species programs. One way the NOC did this is by 

participating in numerous partnerships to map wildlife habitat on 

BLM-administered land.

To begin, the NOC partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

to map critical habitat, which is essential for the conservation of 

threatened and endangered species. The NOC also partnered with the 

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to map elk habitat, the National Wild 

Turkey Federation to map wild turkey habitat, and the Association of 

Fish and Wildlife Agencies to map mule deer and bighorn sheep habitat.

The NOC provided additional mapping and analysis expertise on a 

variety of smaller projects. Included are assessments of wildlife habitat 

in relation to BLM wild horse and burro herd management areas, 

high wind potential areas, National Landscape Conservation System 

units, oil and gas development, solar energy, oil shale and tar sands 

development, among many other multiple uses. Additionally, the NOC 

provided extensive support for greater sage-grouse habitat mapping 

and analysis, as well as a compilation of field office and state office 

wildlife data.

In another partnership, the NOC is collaborating with the U.S. Forest 

Service to assess the potentiality of bighorn sheep-occupied habitat 

co-occurring with BLM and U.S. Forest Service domestic sheep and 

goat grazing. This partner collaboration also includes cooperation 

with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to model 

bighorn sheep source habitat, and the NOC continues ongoing work to 

incorporate the Western Governors’ Association’s Wildlife Council Crucial 

Habitat Assessment Tools (CHATs) into wildlife habitat analyses and 

BLM rapid ecoregional assessments. The NOC is assisting with project 

management and review of BLM rapid ecoregional assessments, with a 

strong wildlife component in all of the current assessments.

Lastly, the NOC is currently developing a threatened and endangered 

species expenditure database that will also include the tracking of BLM 

special status species.
34

CROSS-PROGRAM 

FEATURES

same day that provides consistent protection measures for greater 

sage-grouse that will be incorporated into one or more alternatives in 

the land use planning process.

PIONEERING PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR 

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION WORKSHOPS

In 2010, the BLM began partnering with the H. John Heinz III Center for 

Science, Economics and the Environment (The Heinz Center) to develop 

a set of indicators that will allow managers at multiple levels to track 

the progress of fish and wildlife management activities on BLM lands 

and other key western landscapes. The project brings together wildlife 

monitoring experts and land managers from a wide variety of agencies, 

organizations, and institutions for a series of collaborative workshops.

Workshops are held on a state-by-state basis in order to take advantage 

of the partnerships that support state wildlife action plans and to 

correspond with existing jurisdictional boundaries (state wildlife 

agencies and BLM state offices). To date, workshops have been 

completed in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming. The next workshops 

are targeted for Alaska, California, and New Mexico.

In each workshop, participants identify three to five landscape-scale 

conservation “targets,” which are typically ecosystems, ecoregions, or 

large-scale vegetation communities. Threats, stressors, conservation 

actions, and desired conditions are identified for each of these targets, 

and a visual diagram is developed that shows the causal linkages 

among these elements. Finally, a set of indicators is identified that 

could be used to measure status or trends in the key ecosystems, states, 

and processes. A list of ongoing monitoring efforts which track these 

indicators has been compiled.

The project is focused on “outcome” or “big picture” measures that 

directly relate to threats, stressors, species, and habitats. Monitoring 

these variables tracks the cumulative impacts of management actions 

as well as the effects of threats and stressors on a large scale. Directly 

tracking threats, stressors, species, and habitats is especially important 

for answering questions from Congress, the Office of Management 

and Budget, and the public who want to know how fish and wildlife 

resources are faring as a result of federal management activities.

As workshops progress, common targets and indicators are emerging. 

Sagebrush habitat and riparian systems have been identified by most of 

the states as conservation priorities. Common status indicators for these 

targets have been presence/absence of invasive species, stream channel 

alteration, instream flow, groundwater utilization, fire frequency and 

extent, and vegetation and animal species diversity and composition. 

Monitoring for many of these indicators already occurs in most states, 

either through BLM methods, such as the Assessment, Inventory, and 

Monitoring Strategy, or through state or federal wildlife agencies.

As the BLM moves to improve the reporting of management activities 

through updated performance measures, these workshops and the 

associated reports will be key to identifying core indicators. For more 

information, visit www.wildlife.heinzctrinfo.net/.

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS INITIATIVE

The BLM fisheries, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, 

and plant conservation programs are important components of the 

America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. In 2011, the programs supported 

the initiative by serving on a team to identify actions that will help 

further the goals of the initiative. Specifically, the programs funded 

on-the-ground projects that focus on fish and wildlife species and 

habitats within a large landscape context designed to conserve and 

restore ecosystems. The team also prioritized restoration actions that 

will connect and enable youth to work and volunteer in the outdoors.

HEALTHY LANDS INITIATIVE

In fiscal year 2011, $3.2 million in funds were provided through the 

BLM’s healthy landscapes program to support BLM fisheries, wildlife, 

BLM INITIATES NATIONAL GREATER 

SAGE-GROUSE PLANNING STRATEGY

In July 2011, the BLM announced a “National Greater Sage-Grouse 

Planning Strategy” to provide for the conservation of greater sagegrouse and its habitat. This effort followed a decision by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service in February 2010 that found the listing of the 

greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act “warranted 

but precluded” by other higher priority listing decisions. A major factor 

in the service’s finding identified the BLM’s inadequate regulatory 

mechanisms, specifically its land use plans. The strategy spans 10 

western states and covers 68 BLM planning units.

The BLM issued a notice of intent to prepare environmental impact 

statements to incorporate greater sage-grouse conservation measures 

into land use plans on December 9, 2011. Conservation measures will be 

incorporated into land use plans through plan amendments or revisions. 

The BLM expects to release records of decision for these amendments 

and revisions by the end of fiscal year 2014. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service is expected to make its final listing decision on greater sagegrouse in fiscal year 2015. The conservation measures that the BLM 

plans to incorporate into land use plans should provide regulatory 

mechanisms on BLM lands to ensure the conservation of the greater 

sage-grouse and its habitat on public lands and prevent the species 

from being listed under the Endangered Species Act.

On December 27, 2011, the BLM issued a national instruction 

memorandum that provides immediate (interim) direction for the 

management of greater sage-grouse habitat while the BLM works on 

amending and revising land use plans across the range of the greater 

sage-grouse. Another instruction memorandum was issued on the 
35

threatened and endangered species, and plant conservation projects. 

These projects help implement restoration and recovery actions on a 

landscape scale and across multiple jurisdictions to benefit fish and 

wildlife species, habitats, and native plant communities. The BLM’s 

healthy landscapes program is a major effort to restore and improve 

the health and productivity of western public lands. Funds provided 

through this program are used in collaboration with funds provided 

by partners, including public agencies, tribes, private landowners, and 

nongovernmental organizations. These partnerships are essential to the 

success of the healthy landscapes program and associated projects.

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM

The BLM fisheries, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, 

and plant conservation programs worked closely with the National 

Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) to fund fish and wildlife species 

and habitat work related to wild and scenic rivers and national historic 

trails. The NLCS is an important component of the BLM’s threatened 

and endangered species program. More than 240 listed species and 

approximately 450 rare plants occur on BLM-administered lands, 

and 155 of these species occur only within NLCS-designated units. 

An additional 114 species have a large percentage (greater than 50 

percent) of all known occurrences found within NLCS-designated units. 

Furthermore, of the 8.2 million acres of critical habitat designated on 

BLM-administered lands, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, 5.5 

million acres (or 67 percent) occur within the NLCS.

In fiscal year 2011, the NLCS research support program funded 

multiple projects that focused on fish, wildlife, and plant species and 

habitat. In terms of recovery, for example, most national monuments, 

national conservation areas, and similar designations are taking 

action to support threatened and endangered species. Actions include 

riparian area restoration, lead exposure reduction, area and seasonal 

restrictions, invasive species treatments, and road decommissioning.

CHALLENGE COST SHARE PROGRAM

The BLM’s Challenge Cost Share program continues to work with 

partners to implement conservation actions that benefit public 

lands. Through the program, every dollar of federal investment in 

conservation is matched with more than $2 in nonfederal partner 

investment. In prior years, a broad spectrum of conservation actions 

have been implemented, ranging from rare plant conservation to 

fisheries habitat restoration to monitoring migratory birds. In 2011, 

the program focused on projects with partners to conserve greater 

sage-grouse and sagebrush habitat. Since working on bighorn sheep 

conservation in 1985 during the program’s inception, the program has 

expanded to work with a wide spectrum of conservation partners across 

the United States. The BLM fish, wildlife, threatened and endangered 

species, and plant conservation programs will continue to work with 

nongovernment conservation interests through this program to 

optimize and maintain partnerships and collaborative conservation.

LINDA SIEBERT 

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2011

At the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in 

Kansas City, Missouri, in March 2011, the BLM presented the 2011 Linda 

Siebert Career Achievement Award to Patrick Coffin of the BLM-Nevada 

Elko District. The Linda Siebert Career Achievement Award recognizes 

a current or retired BLM employee who has significantly contributed 

to the conservation of fish, wildlife, and/or botanic resources over 

the course of their career and who exemplifies the characteristics 

and professional dedication of one of the BLM’s finest biologists, 

Linda Siebert. Coffin was recognized for his long and productive 

career that spanned 5 decades and three agencies (the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, State of Nevada, and BLM) while working to improve 

watersheds and the recovery of redband and Lahontan cutthroat trout.

OTHER BLM CONSERVATION AWARDS

The Conservation Project Award recognizes development and 

implementation of a joint U.S. Forest Service/BLM project with 

outstanding conservation accomplishments for fish, wildlife, and/or 

native plants and their habitat on public lands. In 2011, this award 

went to the BLM-New Mexico Socorro Field Office for its work with 

partners on the East Magdalena Landscape Restoration Project in 

central New Mexico.

The Conservation Partner Award recognizes a conservation 

organization or an individual representing a conservation organization 

for demonstrating sustained dedication, leadership, and commitment 

to work collaboratively to build partnerships that promote sound land 

management practices and the conservation of wildlife, fisheries, 

and/or native plant resources that depend on U.S. Forest Service 

and BLM public lands. In 2011, this award went to the Salmon 

Valley Stewardship.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – Elk Conservation 

Award recognizes people and projects in three categories: individual 

achievement, habitat enhancement, and partnership. In 2011, 

awards went to the BLM-Wyoming Rawlins Field Office for habitat 

enhancement and to Jim Wolf in the BLM-Wyoming Wind River/

Bighorn Basin District Office for individual achievement. An award for 

partnership was not given in 2011.

The Mule Deer Foundation – Mule Deer Conservation Award

recognizes a BLM field office or employee(s) for development and 

implementation of a project that exemplifies excellence in mule deer 

and/or black-tailed deer conservation. In 2011, the award went to John 

Hansen in the BLM-New Mexico Farmington Field Office.

The Extraordinary Action in Support of Fish Habitat 

Conservation Award is presented by the National Fish Habitat 

Action Plan. In 2011, the award went to the BLM-Oregon/Washington 

Coos Bay District Office.
36

THANK YOU PARTNERS!

The BLM fisheries, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and plant conservation programs would like to sincerely thank all 

of our partners for providing support to conserve natural resources on America’s public lands. Since we have so many wonderful 

partners, we may have inadvertently missed a few. Also, many thanks to the countless volunteers who donate their valuable time 

to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants.

City of Eugene, Oregon

City of Santa Fe, New Mexico

City of Twin Falls, Idaho

Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Native Plant Society

Colorado Natural Heritage Program

Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

ConocoPhillips-Alaska

Conservation Force

Copper River Watershed Project

Craighead Beringia South

Defenders of Wildlife

Delta Waterfowl Foundation

Desert Bighorn Council

Desert Fish Habitat Partnership

Desert Research Institute

Desert Tortoise Council

Ducks Unlimited

Earth Sangha

Eastern Illinois University

Ecological Society of America

Ecotrust

Fairfax County, Virginia

FishAmerica Foundation

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Future Fisherman Foundation

Garden Club of America

Glennallen High School

Grasslands National Park (Canada)

Great Basin Bird Observatory

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project

Great Basin Restoration Initiative

Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership

Hawks Aloft

HawkWatch International

Idaho Botanical Garden

Idaho Conservation Data Center

Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Idaho Native Plant Society

Institute for Applied Ecology

Izaak Walton League of America

Kenny Lake School

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Lake Havasu Fisheries Improvement Partnership

Maggie Creek Ranch

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Native Plant Society

Montana Natural Heritage Program

Montana State University

Montana Trout Unlimited

Mule Deer Foundation

National Association of Conservation Districts

National Audubon Society

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

National Council for Air and Stream Improvement

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

National Fish Habitat Action Plan

National Garden Clubs, Inc.

National Park Service

National Rifle Association

National Shooting Sports Foundation

National Trappers Association

National Wild Turkey Federation

National Wildlife Federation

Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Native American tribal organizations

Native Plant Society of New Mexico

Native Plant Society of Oregon

Native Village of Unalakleet

Natural Areas Association

Natural Heritage New Mexico

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Natural Resources Defense Council

NatureServe

Navajo Nation

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Nevada Department of Wildlife

Nevada Native Plant Society

Nevada Natural Heritage Program

Nevada Partners for Conservation and Development

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Newmont Mining Corporation

North American Bear Foundation

North American Grouse Partnership

North Carolina Botanical Garden

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Pacific Research Board

Northern Arizona University

Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation

Nushagak-Mulchatna Wood-Tikchik Land Trust

Okanogan Conservation District

Oregon Biodiversity Information Center

Oregon Department of Agriculture

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Oregon Eagle Foundation

Oregon Hunters Association

Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources 

Management

Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation

People for Native Ecosystems

Pheasants Forever

Phoenix Union High School District

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

Pollinator Partnership

Pope and Young Club

Portland Water Bureau

Powder River Basin Restoration

PPL Montana

Prairie Dog Advocacy Watch Group

Project Healing Waters

Public Lands Council

Public Lands Foundation

Pure Fishing, Inc.

Raptor Research Foundation

Raptor View Research Institute

Recreation Boating and Fishing Foundation

Red Butte Garden, University of Utah

Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership

River Network

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Ruffed Grouse Society

Sandy River Basin Partners

Sandy River Basin Watershed Council

Sierra Club

Sierra Pacific Industries

Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History

Society for Conservation Biology

Society for Ecological Restoration

Society for Range Management

Society of American Foresters

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks

South Dakota State University

Southern Utah University

Special K Ranch

Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife

St. Joe Company

Student Conservation Association

Taos County Weed Control Committee

Teton Science Schools

The Conservation Fund

The Freshwater Trust

The Middle River Group, LLC

The Nature Conservancy

The Peregrine Fund

The Wilderness Society

The Wildlife Society

The Xerces Society

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Trout Unlimited

TS Ranch

Twenty-five Ranch

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Geological Survey

Uncompahgre Partnership

United States Botanic Garden

University of Alaska

University of Calgary

University of Montana

University of Nevada

University of Utah

University of Wyoming

Utah Conservation Data Center

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Utah Native Plant Society

Utah Natural Heritage Program

Utah State University

Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Washington Native Plant Society

Watchable Wildlife, Inc.

Wellwood Nature Preserve

Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Western Governors’ Wildlife Council

Western Native Trout Initiative

Western States Land Commissioners Association

Wild Salmon Center

Wild Sheep Foundation

WildEarth Guardians

Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

Wildlife Conservation Society

Wildlife Forever

Wildlife Habitat Council

Wildlife Management Institute

Williams Company

World Wildlife Fund

Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment

Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative

Wyoming Native Plant Society

Wyoming Natural Diversity Database

XS Platinum, Inc.

Youth Conservation Corps (various states)

Zoological Society of San Diego

Agricultural Research Service

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Alaska Fly Fishers

Alaska Natural Heritage Program

American Bird Conservancy

American Botanical Council

American Conservation Experience

American Fisheries Society

American Forests

American Hiking Society

American Public Gardens Association

American Rivers

American Seed Trade Association

American Society of Landscape Architects

American Sportfishing Association

American Wildlands

AmeriCorps

Amigos Bravos

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona Native Plant Society

Avian Science Center

Barrick Goldstrike Mines, Inc.

Bat Conservation International

Bear Trust International

Berry Botanic Garden

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Boise State University

Bok Tower Gardens

Boone and Crockett Club

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (U.S.)

Botanical Society of America

Bowhunting Preservation Alliance

Brigham Young University

Bristol Bay Native Corporation

Buffalo Bill Historical Center

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Bureau of Reclamation

California Department of Fish and Game

California Native Plant Society

California Natural Diversity Database

Carson Valley Chukar Club

Center for Plant Conservation

Chicago Botanic Garden

36
CONTACT INFORMATION

ALASKA STATE OFFICE

222 W. 7th Ave. #13

Anchorage, AK 99513

(907) 271-5960

www.blm.gov/ak/st/en.html

ARIZONA STATE OFFICE

One North Central Ave., Suite 800

Phoenix, AZ 85004-4427

(602) 417-9200

www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html

CALIFORNIA STATE OFFICE

2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1623

Sacramento, CA 95825

(916) 978-4400

www.blm.gov/ca/st/en.html

COLORADO STATE OFFICE

2850 Youngfield St.

Lakewood, CO 80215-7093

(303) 239-3600

www.blm.gov/co/st/en.html

EASTERN STATES OFFICE

7450 Boston Blvd.

Springfield, VA 22153

(703) 440-1600

www.blm.gov/es/st/en.html

IDAHO STATE OFFICE

1387 S. Vinnell Way

Boise, ID 83709

(208) 373-4000

www.blm.gov/id/st/en.html

MONTANA/DAKOTAS 

STATE OFFICE

5001 Southgate Dr.

Billings, MT 59101

(406) 896-5000

www.blm.gov/mt/st/en.html

NEVADA STATE OFFICE

1340 Financial Blvd.

Reno, NV 89502

(775) 861-6400

www.blm.gov/nv/st/en.html

NEW MEXICO STATE OFFICE

P.O. Box 27115

Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115

(505) 954-2000

www.blm.gov/nm/st/en.html

OREGON STATE OFFICE

333 S.W. 1st Ave.

Portland, OR 97204

(503) 808-6001

www.blm.gov/or/st/en.html

UTAH STATE OFFICE

P.O. Box 45155

Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155

(801) 539-4001

www.blm.gov/ut/st/en.html

WYOMING STATE OFFICE

P.O. Box 1828

Cheyenne, WY 82003-1828

(307) 775-6256

www.blm.gov/wy/st/en.html

NATIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER

Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 50

Denver, CO 80225-0047

(303) 236-0478

NATIONAL FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANT 

CONSERVATION INFORMATION

20 M St. S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20003

(202) 912-7230

www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/fish__wildlife_and.html

BLM National Web Address

www.blm.gov

Production services provided by:

Bureau of Land Management

National Operations Center

Information and Publishing Services Section

P.O. Box 25047

BLM/WO/GI-12/003+6600

Denver, CO 80225