Growing Returns

Selected tag(s): sage grouse initiative

USDA taps ranchers to continue stewarding sage-grouse habitat

By Eric Holst / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: August 27, 2015

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a four-year strategy to invest more that $200 million in greater sage-grouse conservation efforts.

The strategy, known as Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0, will build on successful public and private conservation efforts to improve sage-grouse habitat by providing additional assistance for ranchers to make conservation improvements to their land.

It’s encouraging to see USDA remaining at the forefront of federal efforts to move sage-grouse protection forward. This funding is a huge boost for sage-grouse, but there are opportunities through emerging programs for impact industries to do even more to protect this iconic bird. Read More »

Posted in Habitat Exchange, Wildlife Protection / Also tagged ecosystems, greater sage-grouse, habitat exchange, sage grouse, Secretary Vilsack, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA | Comments are closed

Wyoming ranchers steward land, cattle and the greater sage-grouse

By Sara Brodnax / Bio / Published: October 9, 2014

Cattle ranching and greater sage-grouse can not only coexist, but thrive.

Ranchers and other private landowners have a critical role to play in conserving wildlife like the greater sage-grouse, which could face listing under the Endangered Species Act in 2015.

Home to nearly half of the greater sage-grouse’s remaining habitat, Wyoming is a landscape critical to the recovery of the species. A full 40 percent of the bird’s habitat in the state is privately held. Therefore, common sense solutions are needed to reward ranchers and other private landowners for conservation actions that protect vital habitat.

A rural, working landscape

Private lands in the West are often found near water, as ranches and other homesteaders put down stakes where they had ready access to water. For similar reasons, these areas are also critically important to wildlife.

Posted in Habitat Exchange, Wildlife Protection / Also tagged agriculture, ecosystems, endangered species, ESA, greater sage-grouse, habitat, Jonah Field, Partnerships, Pinedale Anticline, ranching, Sublette County Conservation District, Upper Green River Conservation Exchange, wildlife, Wyoming, Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, Wyoming Association of Stock Growers, Wyoming Conservation Exchange | Comments are closed