BLM: Greater Sage-grouse Maps Available for Public Comment

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW),  the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the United States Forest Service (USFS) have completed a set of sage-grouse habitat maps which will be used as planning tools for the management of greater sage-grouse and its habitat in Nevada.  These maps can be viewed at NDOW.org, at blm.gov/nv, and at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/htnf/sagegrouse.

The NDOW’s Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Categorization Map is an analysis tool that incorporates the best available data (lek observations, telemetry locations, survey and inventory reports, vegetation cover, soils information, and aerial photography) into a statewide prioritization of greater sage-grouse habitat.  This tool provides resource managers with information to guide conservation and land-use planning efforts in the context of greater sage-grouse management at the landscape scale.

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A second map was generated to identify habitat on public lands managed by the BLM and the USFS.  This map combines NDOW categories one and two to identify them as Preliminary Priority sage-grouse habitat.  The NOD category three was used to create the Preliminary General Habitat.   “These maps will be a great one tool to support management of the species in Nevada,” said BLM Nevada State Director Amy Lueders.  “They are a statement of habitat value and bird use based upon the best information we have available.  As new information becomes available map revisions may be made.”

 “I want to recognize the NDOW for their hard work in developing the habitat characterization map. By using their expertise and data we have been able to develop the federal maps, which will be a tremendous step forward in our planning for sage-grouse habitat,” said Lueders.“These maps are an important resource to help managers and stakeholders determine how best to develop strategies to effectively manage important habitat for sage grouse and conserve the species,” said Jeanne Higgins, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Supervisor. 

"This mapping effort shows great collaboration, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to assisting in the collaboration to conserve sage-grouse,” said Ren Lohoefener, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director for the Pacific Southwest Region.

These maps will provide information for the Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy.  They will be used in the development of alternatives to be considered in the California-Nevada Environmental Impact Study process to amend the BLM Resource Management Plans and USFS plans.  The final Priority Habitat and General Habitat with resultant land use direction will be developed through this planning process scheduled to be completed September 2014.General comments on the NDOW Habitat Categorization Map should be directed to: sagegrouse@ndow.org. Those who would like to comment on the BLM map as part of the federal sage-grouse scoping process can submit information to: sagewest@blm.gov ; fax to 775-861-6747; or mail to Western Region Project Manager, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502 by March 23.