Helping People Help the Land

In 2010, the United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) launched a new and 

exciting effort to sustain working ranches 

and conserve Greater sage-grouse 

populations in the West. The Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

is using popular voluntary conservation 

programs to assist producers in 11 western states (California, Colorado, 

Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, 

Washington and Wyoming) to simultaneously improve habitat for sagegrouse, and productivity of native rangelands. 

Sage-grouse, a ground-dwelling bird native to the sagebrush steppe 

ecosystem of the American West, is highly dependent on sagebrush 

for food and cover. These birds have experienced a significant decline 

in population over several decades. About 40 percent of sage-grouse 

habitat that supports populations occurs on privately owned lands. The 

link with private lands makes NRCS uniquely positioned to focus agency 

resources to benefit sage-grouse, improve ranch sustainability and 

maintain livestock grazing as the prevailing land use. 

Healthy, working ranchlands are 

key to conserving this species. 

Partnering with ranchers and using 

win-win conservation solutions 

that benefit grazing lands and 

sage-grouse habitat, SGI seeks to 

proactively conserve the species 

and keep populations healthy 

enough to avoid an ESA listing. 

NRCS uses scientific evaluations 

carried out by independent 

scientists to provide the feedback 

necessary to adaptively manage 

SGI, thus maximizing its biological 

return on conservation investments. 

Background/Purpose Goals/Objectives

Sage-Grouse

Initiative

February 2012
Map depicts sage-grouse population 

centers or “core areas” across the 

species range. Warmer colors indicate 

larger populations and are additive 

with red areas containing 25 percent of 

nesting birds, red combined with orange 

is 50 percent of birds.

Conservation Funding/

Practices 

NRCS and its conservation partners 

in the West have worked to improve 

sage-grouse habitat for some time. 

NRCS built on these efforts by 

declaring the Sage-Grouse Initiative a 

national priority in 2010.

NRCS provides financial and technical 

assistance to implement the Initiative 

and targets its efforts within high 

sage-grouse abundance centers to 

maintain large and intact grazing 

lands, resulting in landscape-wide 

improvements across the species’ 

range. Conservation actions include 

establishing conservation easements 

to prevent working ranches from 

being converted into subdivisions; 

implementing sustainable grazing 

systems to improve hiding cover for 

birds; removing invasive conifers 

from grasslands to allow birds to recolonize otherwise suitable habitat; 

and marking or moving “high-risk” 

fences near breeding sites to reduce 

bird collisions.

Participation/ 

Partnerships

Partnerships are critical to our 

success. Ranchers in 11 western 

states (California, Colorado, Idaho, 

Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, 

Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, 

Washington and Wyoming) are 

participating in SGI to conserve this 

at-risk species. 

Close collaboration with many 

stakeholders, including state, local and 

federal agencies, Tribes, and nongovernment organizations, ensures 

that NRCS activities complement 

efforts already underway. SGI fosters 

coordination and implementation on a 

landscape-wide scale while ensuring 

local input and actions.

Benefits to Producers

What’s Good for the Rancher is Good 

for the Grouse

By addressing threats common 

to sage-grouse and sustainable 

rangelands, ranchers can improve the 

productivity of their grazing resources 

with assurances that their actions 

are viewed as beneficial for the 

Sage-grouse under the ESA. Healthy 

sage-grouse habitats also benefit 

other wildlife species. If an eventual 

ESA listing takes place, participating 

ranchers know they can continue 

implementing their SGI conservation 

plans without increased restrictions or 

regulations.

Benefits to Resources 

and the Public

SGI is a win-win solution for 

ranchers and for the grouse. Healthy 

rangelands that include habitat for 

sage-grouse and other wildlife will 

help ensure the viability of western 

ranching and preserve a rural way of 

life in the West. 

For more information, go to 

www.nrcs.usda.gov 

and search “SGI.”

or contact your local NRCS office.

www.nrcs.usda.gov

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