BLM implements measures to restore and maintain habitat for the Sheeprocks greater sage-grouse population in central Utah
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SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in coordination with state and federal partners has evaluated data related to the status of greater sage-grouse (GRSG) populations and habitat throughout Utah. The vast majority of GRSG populations throughout Utah remain at normal population and habitat levels based on criteria jointly developed by the agencies. However, one population located in Juab, Tooele, and Utah Counties, the Sheeprocks area, has experienced a nearly 40 percent decrease in population over the last four years, with an annual decrease in eight of the last ten years.
This serious decline in the Sheeprocks GRSG population indicates the need to adaptively manage the habitat in the population area to help prevent further declines, in accordance with the conservation measures identified in BLM’s GRSG land use plan amendments, finalized in 2015. For example, the BLM will prioritize habitat restoration efforts in this area, make the area a focal point for fire suppression, and seek to minimize impacts from rights-of-way developments. The BLM will also meet with state and federal agencies and each of the counties to determine if other management changes are needed to reduce threats to this population, including consideration of the management of GRSG predators and wild horses.
The BLM and stakeholders at the county, state, and federal level, as well as universities and the public have been working together for nearly 20 years to monitor and manage GRSG in the Sheeprocks area. In the past five years, a variety of proactive measures have been implemented by state and federal agencies to address the concerning trends in population and habitat, including: habitat restoration, translocation of birds, fire and fuel management, intensive monitoring efforts, and predator control. The BLM will continue to work with these partners to collectively improve the conditions of the habitat in this population area.
Greater sage-grouse are considered indicators of sagebrush habitat health. More than 350 species depend on the sagebrush ecosystem for their survival.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.