RBC I The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced Tuesday that the range-wide population of greater sage grouse does not warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.
This decision comes after years of coordination and planning among federal, state and local stakeholders to better protect sage grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species, while allowing for energy development, livestock grazing and recreation to continue.
The BLM finalized a critical step toward achieving the not-warranted finding by signing two Records of Decision that will amend nearly 100 resource management plans (RMPs) across the West to benefit the bird.
Sportsmen’s groups are encouraged by the decision and appreciative of the 11 states, federal agencies, private landowners and other vested stakeholders that have come together in a daunting, often-controversial effort.
“The work to benefit sage grouse over the last five years has been the greatest landscape-scale conservation effort undertaken in modern times,” says Steve Williams, president of the Wildlife Management Institute and former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The collaboration we’ve seen is unprecedented and extraordinary. It sets forth a model for what I believe to be the future of conservation in America.”
For many of the groups involved in this effort, the announcement comes with a cautious sense of relief.
“For years, sportsmen, ranchers, developers and biologists have anxiously awaited the day when the sage grouse listing decision would be made,” says Steve Riley, president and CEO of the North American Grouse Partnership. “Now, it is imperative that these collective conservation efforts are implemented and monitored for effectiveness in the long-term if we are to avoid winding up with sage grouse again at risk further down the road.”
Sportsmen have argued that an “all-of-the-above approach,”with distinct plans developed and implemented by the federal, state, and private sectors, was the only way to get to a not-warranted decision and sustain conservation into the future.
Howard Vincent, president and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, notes that private landowner efforts, led in part by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, were a critical piece of the success leading to the decision.
“Partnership-driven, voluntary conservation efforts have contributed to a positive decision for greater sage grouse and ranching communities in Western states, but our work has only just begun,” Vincent said. “We must continue to build upon this unprecedented level of management for sage grouse populations from federal and state agencies and the ranchers who are implementing landscape-level habitat improvements on private lands.”
The benefits of the decision, and the implementation of robust conservation plans already in progress, will extend to more than just sage grouse.
“Thriving sage grouse populations are an indicator that sagebrush ecosystems are healthy, and this is important for more than 350 species of plants and animals, including many that are popular with sportsmen,” says Miles Moretti, president and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “Now, we must remain invested in sustaining the health of this bird and the landscapes that support it.”
Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, notes that sportsmen and women will benefit as well.
“What is good for the grouse is good for the grandeur—the large landscapes being conserved will help sustain backcountry hunting opportunities and big game populations,” he says. “That’s positive for sportsmen and the local communities that depend on proceeds from outdoor recreation-based businesses.”
The work of implementing conservation on the ground is just beginning, and threats still remain. “We’re happy with the decision, which proves that collaborative conservation can work,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “But it is critical that state and federal agencies enforce the full implementation of their plans and that we continue to oppose Congressional attempts to weaken them.”
Management of sagebrush habitat is a long-term endeavor that costs money and resources, and no one understands that better than a former director of the agency responsible for Tuesday’s announcement.
“Investment in sagebrush management that balances many uses of the land, including responsible energy development and sustainable ranching, with conservation is essential for our nation’s economy and the Western way of life,” Williams said. “We have the blueprint in place, and now it’s time to build our future. Congressional support and funding can help get us there.”
