Initiative to Improve Sage Grouse Conservation Underway

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USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Mar 24, 2010, 08:00 ET

California Signup Runs Through April 23rd

DAVIS, Calif., March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications through April 23rd in four eastern California counties for participation in a new initiative. The effort is designed to improve sage grouse habitat while promoting the overall health of grazing land and the long-term sustainability of ranching operations.

These California signups are part of a national initiative recently announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to protect sage grouse habitat in 11 western states, using two popular NRCS programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP).

"In California, this initiative will focus on areas of sage grouse habitat in Modoc, Lassen, Mono, and Inyo counties where we have the healthiest populations," said NRCS State Biologist Tom Moore. "We are using a targeted approach to seek out projects that offer the highest potential for increasing sage grouse populations and enhancing habitat quality."

Producers will be eligible to receive payments for 75 percent of estimated cost for practices that will improve greater sage grouse habitat, such as grazing management, removing encroached juniper trees, planting native species, removing or retrofitting fences to make them more visible and wildlife-friendly, and installing wildlife escape ramps in existing watering facilities. NRCS State Conservationist Ed Burton says that the Agency's financial incentives will complement ongoing technical and monitoring work done by partnering agencies such as the federal Bureau of Land Management and the California Department of Fish and Game and the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

USDA's sage grouse initiative also will help the 11 western states respond proactively to a recent U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announcement that the greater sage grouse warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), although it will not be listed because of the need to focus on other higher priority species. Because of the DOI decision not to list the sage grouse, landowners will have additional time to take voluntary, specific actions to protect the species. USDA has been working at the local, state and national levels on behalf of voluntary sage grouse conservation for many years and this initiative will help to intensify those efforts.

SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service