Little Snake (NW Colorado) Field Office

Reclaimed minelands create new sage-grouse habitat 

A study of how sage-grouse might use reclaimed minelands took place on two former surface coal mining areas off of state Highway 13 in northwestern Colorado -- the Colowyo Coal Mine, approximately 25 south of Craig, Colorado; and the Trapper Mine, 6.5 miles south of Craig.

Managing approximately 150,000 acres makes Colowyo Coal one of the largest landowners in northwest Colorado. The company has also been continuously reclaiming the lands it mines for 20 years and started sage-grouse research in 2002, with some 1,500 acres of mined land currently in various stages of post-reclamation succession.

The company has been proactively managing lands critical to sage-grouse for a number of years and has identified areas used by Greater sage-grouse for breeding, nesting, brood-rearing and wintering. Monitoring by mine personnel, Colorado Division of Wildlife staff and research technicians shows that reclaimed lands are being used by sage-grouse at various times of the year with Greater sage-grouse commonly seen on these lands.

Colowyo Coal shares its data with the Colorado Division of Wildlife for use in the Division’s on-going research on sage-grouse habitat selection, nesting success and mortality factors in the northwestern part of the state. The company also uses the data to plan future development and reclamation.

Colowyo also actively monitors livestock grazing operations conducted on its properties to ensure rangeland health. The company has installed water features to draw livestock and big game wildlife to the uplands and keep them out of critical riparian areas greater sage-grouse use for brood-rearing.

Trapper Mining has also monitored sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse use of its reclaimed mine lands. Data from Trapper areas indicate that when sage-grouse do use reclaimed lands, it is land that has been in reclaimed status for 15 to 20 years. Most use has been for brood-rearing activities, but one male sage-grouse was recently seen strutting on reclaimed Trapper land. In addition, there is evidence of increasing Greater sage-grouse use of reclaimed lands where baseline studies showed little or no species use of these lands before they were mined.

Local BLM Contact: Tim Novotny, wildlife biologist, Little Snake Field Office - (970) 826-5090

Land previously mined has been reclaimed and now provides suitable habitat for sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse.  Evidence shows increasing Greater sage-grouse use of reclaimed lands where little or no species use of these lands was evident before they were mined.