The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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Last updated: 07/21/03
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Bureau of Land Management Draft National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy Web Site |
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| BLM Issues Draft National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy The Bureau of Land Management has developed a draft Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy that seeks to reverse the declining trend of sage-grouse and their habitats on BLM-administered public land in the West. The public may comment on the draft Strategy, which is on the BLM’s Web site at www.blm.gov, from July 21 through August 20. Answers to frequently asked questions are also on the Web site. The BLM’s final national Strategy, scheduled to be released September
30, 2003, will provide consistent Bureau-wide guidance for BLM state offices
as they develop and implement state-level habitat conservation strategies
for public land they manage. Multiple petitions to protect both the greater sage-grouse and the Gunnison sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act have been filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. An Endangered Species Act listing of the sage-grouse would affect a wide scope of activities either conducted or authorized by the BLM, which administers the largest amount of remaining sage-grouse habitat held by a single entity—over 50 million acres, or approximately half of all remaining habitat. An interdisciplinary BLM team has been identifying BLM activities and authorized land uses that may adversely affect sage-grouse and their habitat. This Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy Team has completed its preliminary analysis and in the draft Strategy has recommended actions the BLM can take to eliminate or minimize those adverse effects. The intent is to ensure that sage-grouse habitat conservation is fully considered in the BLM’s public land management decisions at the state and field office level. Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are large upland game birds that were once abundant in sagebrush habitat of the western United States and Canada. Weighing from two to seven pounds, these birds are best known for their spring mating behavior, when the males spread their tail feathers, strut, and inflate air sacs on their breasts, producing a distinctive, steady “plopping” sound. This attracts females and protects their territory from other males. In the summer, the birds depend on sagebrush for shelter from predators, while the grass and plants under the sagebrush provide materials for nesting and high-protein insects for food, a critical diet for chicks in their first month of life. In winter, over 99 percent of their diet is sagebrush leaves and buds. The greater sage-grouse and Gunnison sage-grouse populations have declined 90 percent over the last century due to loss of habitat for a variety of reasons. Comments may be submitted from the Web site or mailed to: BLM Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy Team, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83709-1657. If you are unable to obtain a copy of the draft Strategy from the Web site, please request a copy from the team at the above address address. The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land — 261 million surface acres — than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1.9 billion and a workforce of some 10,000 full-time, permanent employees, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on the public lands.
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