Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem

Russell George

Executive Director

Colorado Dept. of Natural Resources

Sagebrush in Western Colorado

• Distributed throughout western Colorado

• Largest patches in northwestern and north-central Colorado, and the Gunnison Basin.

Distribution:Current & Historic

Patch Size Distribution

Maps show only the western half of Colorado.

Ownership of Sagebrush Habitat in Colorado

Many stakeholders are involved:• Western Governor’s Assoc.

– Sagebrush Council

• State Agencies– Div. of Wildlife, Oil & Gas Cons. Comm.,

State Land Board, and others

• Federal Agencies– BLM, USFWS, USFS, NPS, and others

• Environmentalists• Sportsmen – Big Game and Small

Game• Industry• Livestock Operators• Private Landowners

Greater

Gunnison

Sage-grouseDistribution and

Habitat in Colorado

Conservation Concern & Status• Gunnison Sage-grouse

– ESA Candidate Status (Jan. 2000)– Rangewide Conservation Strategy developed

(WAFWA - May 2005)– Not Warranted Finding (April 2006)

• Greater Sage-grouse– Not Warranted Finding on Petitions (Jan. 2005)– Rangewide Conservation Strategy (WAFWA -

Dec. 2006) – Colorado Statewide Conservation Plan (2007)

Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan

DistributionThreats – energy

Threats – housing

Potential linkages

Cons. easements

Other Sagebrush Dependent Species

• A diversity of species are partially or exclusively dependent on sagebrush habitats.

• Some are addressed by specific conservation plans or assessments

• Many lack basic conservation recommendations.

• Identified in State Wildlife Action Plan.

Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment &

Strategy

• Assess current and historic status of sagebrush habitat in Colorado.

• Identify declining or potentially-declining sagebrush dependent wildlife, not addressed by other planning efforts.

• Establish conservation goals, objectives and strategies to prevent further declines.

Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment &

StrategySagebrush distribution & status

Modeled threats

Species distributions

Species richness

Mgmt. Emphasis Areas

Big Game

WELD

MESA

MOFFAT

BACA

PARK

LAS ANIMAS

YUMA

ROUTT

PUEBLO

GARFIELD

GUNNISON

BENT

LINCOLN

LARIMER

SAGUACHE

EL PASO

EAGLE

ELBERT

RIO BLANCO

LOGAN

GRAND

KIOWAMONTROSE

DELTA

OTERO

LA PLATA

KIT CARSON

WASHINGTON

JACKSON

PROWERS

CHEYENNE

FREMONT

ADAMS

PITKIN

MONTEZUMA

HUERFANO

CONEJOS

MORGAN

COSTILLA

CHAFFEE

DOLORES

ARCHULETA

HINSDALE

SAN MIGUELCUSTER

MINERAL

DOUGLAS

PHILLIPS

TELLER

CROWLEY

BOULDER

OURAY

LAKE

SUMMIT

RIO GRANDE

JEFFERSON

ARAPAHOE

ALAMOSA

SEDGWICK

SAN JUAN

CLEAR CREEK

GILPIN

DENVER

BROOMFIELD

High Priority Habitat-Acquisition AreasUsing Mule Deer and Elk Range DataCritical Mule Deer and Elk Habitat

Source project: CDOW Big Game Habitat Acquisition Plan

20 0 20 40 60 80

Miles

JK 07/10/06, g:\projects\speciesconservation\cscp\targetareasmap\targetareasmdek06.mxd

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

WELD

MESA

MOFFAT

BACA

PARK

LAS ANIMAS

YUMA

ROUTT

PUEBLO

GARFIELD

GUNNISON

BENT

LINCOLN

LARIMER

SAGUACHE

EL PASO

EAGLE

ELBERT

RIO BLANCO

LOGAN

GRAND

KIOWAMONTROSE

DELTA

OTERO

LA PLATA

KIT CARSON

WASHINGTON

JACKSON

PROWERS

CHEYENNE

FREMONT

ADAMS

PITKIN

MONTEZUMA

HUERFANO

CONEJOS

MORGAN

COSTILLA

CHAFFEE

DOLORES

ARCHULETA

HINSDALE

SAN MIGUELCUSTER

MINERAL

DOUGLAS

PHILLIPS

TELLER

CROWLEY

BOULDER

OURAY

LAKE

SUMMIT

RIO GRANDE

JEFFERSON

ARAPAHOE

ALAMOSA

SEDGWICK

SAN JUAN

CLEAR CREEK

GILPIN

DENVER

BROOMFIELD

High Priority Habitat-Acquisition AreasUsing definitions from four separate evaluation projects.

One evaluation source project

Two evaluation source projects

Three evaluation source projects

Four evaluation source projectsSource projects: Colorado Species Conservation Program, CDOW Real Estate Plan,

TNC/ GOCO Legacy Project, CDOW Big Game Habitat Acquisition Plan

20 0 20 40 60 80

MilesJK 052406, g:\projects\speciesconservation\cscp\targetareasmap

Combined Perspectives

Tools for Implementation

• Land Protection– Colorado Wildlife Habitat Protection Program

• $20 million available for conservation easements• Funding from a diversity of sources

– Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA)

• Being developed for Gunnison Sage-grouse• 19 ranches currently enrolled• 58,449 acres

– USDA Farm Bill Programs• CRP, WHIP, EQIP, etc. may be useful tools for working with

landowners to protect private land

Tools for Implementation

• Habitat Management– Sagebrush Ecology &

Management– Sagebrush Restoration Manual– On-the-ground habitat

management and restoration

Tools for Implementation• Work with partners

– Bureau of Land Management• National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy

• Research and habitat management

– Intermountain West Joint Venture• Identification of IWJV Bird Habitat Conservation Areas that

include priority sagebrush habitats.

• IWJV funding available for “all-bird” habitat projects.

– Other State Agencies• Management of sagebrush species requires a rangewide

perspective

Conclusions

• Conservation Design projects have been undertaken for a variety of sagebrush species in Colorado.

• Various methods, levels of detail, and geographic focus areas have been used.

Conclusions• Integration of results has allowed for the

identification of large and significant sagebrush landscapes for conservation efforts.

• A wide diversity of management techniques and funding sources are being used and combined to provide multiple species benefits.

• Greater conservation impacts will likely results than with non-integrated, taxa-specific conservation design plans.