Tag: sage grouse

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) is working National Policy issues that AFFECT ALL SPORTSMEN

Posted on by Dave Barus
Click the Picture to Take Action.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) is working on national policy issues that affect all sportsmen, here is an update:

National Monuments 

BHA responded in force to the Trump administration’s unprecedented rollback of monument protections on more than 2 million acres of American public lands. Thanks to many of you who have spoken up, we’ve been sending a clear message that this decision undermines the longstanding bipartisan legacy of the Antiquities Act. We’ve responded to this historic attack with a series of ads, press releases and opinion articles. To make sure you have the facts needed to respond accordingly, we’ve compiled Frequently Asked Questions to help you better understand our stance.

Greater Sage Grouse

Our sagebrush ecosystems play a critical ecological role that not only supports the sage grouse, but mule deer, pronghorn, elk and a multitude of other species. For decades, habitat loss and degradation from development, invasive species and fire and have negatively impacted these iconic places. BHA has fought hard to see conservation plans implemented but a small faction in Congress and the current administration is intent on unraveling this historic collaborative conservation success. After BHA and our partners successfully averted attempts to scuttle conservation plans in defense spending legislation, the Interior Department issued a notice of intent to consider amending all, some or none of the 98 management plans. According to the DOI notice, this review is a result of one plan’s failure to prepare an environmental impact statement for its sagebrush focal areas. BHA and our chapters around the West have attended public meetings and submitted comments to the BLM. We’re remaining diligent and we will let you know as more comments and action are needed.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 

Despite widespread opposition from sportsmen and many others, the Senate passed a tax bill earlier this month that includes a provision to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to energy development. With House and Senate legislation now combined into a package that will likely be sent to President Trump for his signature before Christmas, the refuge, home to the largest migratory caribou heard in the world, is a backcountry treasure at risk Check out this video that features national board member J.R. Young, his wife Renee and Alaska volunteer extraordinaire Barry Whitehill. It’s not too late to let your members of Congress know where you stand.

Mountain Bikes in Wilderness 

Earlier this month the House Natural Resource Committee held a hearing on the latest version of a Trojan horse bill to allow mountain bikes and other forms of mechanized recreation in wilderness. Our position on maintaining traditional uses and intact habitat in wilderness area remains unchanged, and we’d welcome your help in making this position known by writing a letter to the editor, setting up meetings with your members of Congress or sharing your opinion on social media. If you can lend a hand, please let us know. Find a rundown of many of the issues that BHA is actively working on here.

Sabinoso Wilderness Grand Opening sabinoso.jpg

A huge shout-out to the New Mexico chapter for responding in true BHA fashion to the opening of the Sabinoso Wilderness for the first time. BHAer Brad Jones was the first citizen to go through the gates, which opened on Nov. 10. Brad authored a great opinion column giving thanks, and the chapter convened a celebratory hike on Dec. 9! Thanks go to New Mexico’s U.S. Senate delegation and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for their efforts to open the Sabinoso, pictured below:

Thanks to all of you for supporting Backcountry Hunters& Anglers. If you’re not yet a member of our organization and you’d like to get involved with your local BHA community, please join us here. 

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers http://www.backcountryhunters.org/

Sage Grouse Initiative Program and Wildlife Conservation

Posted on by stoadmin
Sage Grouse are incredibly unique and beautiful birds that are benefiting from this unique new program entitled the Sage Grouse Initiative. Photo by Rick McEwan

Sustainable Ranching is Renewable Goal for Field Staff

The Sage Grouse Initiative is a new paradigm for conserving at-risk wildlife that works through voluntary cooperation, incentives, and community support.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service launched SGI in 2010, applying the power of the Farm Bill to target lands where habitats are intact and sage grouse numbers are highest – covering 78 million acres across 11 western states.  While private lands are the primary focus, the Initiative serves as a catalyst for public land enhancements.  Today, the Initiative belongs to the many partners shaping history.

Working together, we are conserving wildlife habitat and managing ranchlands in ways that also create more nutritious forage for livestock.  We are passing on our western heritage of vast skies, unbroken sagebrush-steppe, and room for wildlife and people to roam.

Conservation easements help protect habitat that is critical to Sage Grouse survival. Photo by Jeremy R. Roberts

SGI is now entering its seventh year, has proven to be a model for cooperative, science-based, landscape-scale, habitat conservation.  Our partners are led by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Program, but SGI works hand-in-hand with local community groups, federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, nonprofits, and thousands of agricultural landowners to ensure Farm Bill conservation programs reach their full potential for habitat conservation.

SGI’s partnership positions are funded by a host of participating nonprofit organizations, state fish and wildlife agencies, or federal partners.  We now have over two dozen field staff located in 11 states who comprise our Strategic Watershed Action Team (SWAT).  These dedicated and enthusiastic range conservationists, wildlife biologists, and natural resource specialists continue to deliver on-the-ground conservation results during the first quarter of 2016. The field capacity provided by SGI SWAT partnership positions have enabled NRCS to double the amount of conservation projects across the West.

The Intermountain West Joint Venture takes the lead in coordinating SGI’s Strategic Watershed Action Team.  IWJV also produces quarterly reports to track success on the range, like this new report.  Since 2010, our SWAT team has helped plan or implement the following gains for sage grouse, wildlife, and working rangelands:

  • 2,293,260 acres of rangeland improved to increase sage grouse hiding cover during nesting season. Additional grass cover is expected to increase sage grouse populations by eight to ten percent.
  • 291,613 acres of conifer removed in key nesting, brood-rearing, and wintering habitats. Removing encroaching conifers from sagebrush rangelands eliminates tall structures in otherwise suitable habitat. As birds re-colonize former habitats, increased bird abundance is anticipated.
  • 193 miles of “high-risk” fence marked or removed near sage grouse mating leks. Marking fences is expected to reduce sage grouse fence collisions by 83%.

In addition, SGI ramped up our science and outreach efforts in 2016, with several new reports, stories, and web tools designed to enhance conservation efforts on the ground.

To learn more or become a volunteer, please visit: http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/about/new-paradigm/.