Photo: Noppadol Paothong
sagebrush
We provide scientific reports, project profiles, technical tools, videos, photos, field guides, and links that tell the story of how cooperative conservation is making a difference for working lands and wildlife across the West.
News
Beavers Work Stream Restoration Magic In Birch Creek
December 16, 2025
A decade after restoring beavers to an Idaho watershed, a rancher reflects on the benefits and lessons ...
News
Grit, Grass and Gated Pipe Help A Wyoming Ranch Thrive
December 8, 2025
Colter McCumber is a generational rancher in Hot Springs County, Wyoming. He partnered with the USDA NRCS to modernize his water system and improve fences, benefiting cattle ...
News
Western Working Lands Snapshot | Kīpuka in the Sagebrush Biome
September 25, 2025
Surrounded by lava rocks that protect them from fire, grazing, and other disturbances, kīpuka are islands of intact vegetation that give a glimpse into how the sagebrush ...
News
Announcing the Conifer Encroachment Education Project
July 24, 2025
Just-launched website promotes simple and effective solutions to conifer encroachment in sagebrush ...
News
Western Working Lands Snapshot: Migratory Big Game
June 30, 2025
Learn all about the West's big game species like elk, deer, pronghorn, moose, and bighorn ...
News
Western Working Lands Snapshot | Great Basin
December 10, 2024
Learn about the topography, natural history, and communities in the Great Basin. This spectacular swath of arid rangeland covers parts of Nevada, Idaho, California, Utah, and ...
Publication Alert
The Last Continuous Grasslands on Earth
December 8, 2024
Research pinpoints the largest intact grasslands left on earth. Two of the top three are in the American West: the Central Wyoming Basin and the Nebraska ...
Podcast
Podcast: BOSH Project Restores Sagebrush Sea at Grand Scale
September 25, 2024
The BOSH Project is the largest restoration project in the sagebrush biome. Learn how it came together, what it's acheived, and what's next in this great podcast from The Art ...
News
Where Trees Are the Problem
April 10, 2024
Learn about how woody species expansion or tree encroachment is impacting sagebrush and grassland ecosystems in this story from the North American Grouse Partnership ...
News
Holding the Line: Defending Wyoming’s Sagebrush Cores from Cheatgrass
March 27, 2024
Sublette County, Wyoming has successfully treated more than 97,000 acres of cheatgrass, protecting core sagebrush ...
Ask an Expert
New Science Backs WLFW’s Biome-Wide Conservation Approach
November 6, 2023
Research shows that WLFW's updated approach to conserving intact working landscapes produces better conservation results than focusing on a single ...
Podcast
Podcast: Part 2 of “Defend the Core” Strategy for Invasive Plants
March 30, 2023
WLFW's Jeremy Maestas and Dirac Twidwell join the Art of Range podcast for part two of a two-part discussion of Defend the Core, a proactive management strategy defending ...
Podcast
Podcast: Part 1 of “Defend the Core” Strategy for Invasive Plants
February 24, 2023
WLFW's Jeremy Maestas and Dirac Twidwell join the Art of Range podcast for part one of a two-part discussion of Defend the Core, a proactive management strategy defending ...
News
How To Watch The Best Mating Dance In The West
March 29, 2022
Check out the 'sage grouse strut' this spring on a live-streaming Lek Cam, and read helpful tips for responsible wildlife viewing in the ...
Ask an Expert
The Ascent and Spread of Annual Invasive Grasses in the Great Basin
November 29, 2021
Join Joe Smith as he discusses his new research highlighting how annual invasive grasses are spreading in the Great Basin and what this means for ...
News
Turning former cropland into green grass — and green cash
July 12, 2021
Learn how one producer worked with the NRCS to turn expired CRP lands into profitable grazing lands that support wildlife while producing income for the ranch and local ...
Ask an Expert
Ask an Expert | The Green Glacier: What is Conifer Encroachment and Why is it Bad?
June 22, 2021
Learn about the "Green Glacier," the slow-moving expansion of conifer trees across western rangelands, in this Ask an Expert with NRCS's Jeremy ...
News
Sagebrush Framework in Focus: Wildlife Conservation Through Sustainable Ranching
April 22, 2021
Dig into the Framework for Conservation Action in the Sagebrush ...
News
E&E News: USDA plans aim to bolster rangeland wildlife conservation
April 21, 2021
E&E News reports on the Framework for Conservation Action in the Sagebrush Biome. Reprinted with ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Life Cycle of Sage Grouse
September 29, 2020
Test your knowledge of the life cycle of sage grouse in this Sage Whiz ...
News
Idaho Launches the Cheatgrass Challenge
July 8, 2020
Read all about Idaho's new effort to tackle cheatgrass, an invasive annual grass that is causing serious issues across western ...
News
Ask an Expert | Mitch Faulkner, 2020 Rangeland Management Specialist of the Year, Talks Partnerships and More
May 27, 2020
Mitch Faulkner, 2020 NRCS Rangeland Management Specialist of the Year, talks about the partnerships that have advanced rangeland conservation across boundaries in South ...
News
Success Story | Innovative Small Business Owner Integral to Restoring Grazing Lands
May 6, 2020
Meet Cecil Swaggart, an innovative small business owner whose expertise is advancing sagebrush restoration in the ...
News
Ask an Expert | How Does Grazing Affect Native Pollinators
February 20, 2020
Join Gabrielle Blanchette for a deep dive into the role native pollinators play in rangelands and how grazing can impact these critical components of a healthy ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Pronghorn
October 25, 2019
Test your knowledge of pronghorn, one of the most iconic residents of the sagebrush ...
Ask an Expert
Why You Should Know About the Eastern Redcedar Science Literacy Project
September 23, 2019
Ask an Expert | What is the Eastern Redcedar Science Literacy Project and Why You Should Know About It - An interview with Dr. Dirac Twidwell of University of the ...
News
Birds of a Feather on Working Lands
August 20, 2019
Read about how Working Lands for Wildlife is benefiting the golden-winged warbler and the greater sage grouse, two bird species that have more in common than ...
News
Big Picture of Woodland Management in Sagebrush Country
May 9, 2019
Science to Solutions - New research highlights reduction and expansion of conifer encroachment in sagebrush ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Elk
April 16, 2019
Take this Sage Whiz Quiz to test your knowledge of ...
News
How Do Mule Deer Use Sagebrush?
February 5, 2019
Miles Moretti of the Mule Deer Foundation tells us how mule deer use sagebrush country and why MDF is partnering to conserve western ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Sagebrush
January 17, 2019
Take this quiz to test your knowledge of ...
News
1,800 Ranchers and Counting!
December 18, 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, the Sage Grouse Initiative caught up with Tim Griffiths, NRCS’s Western Working Lands for Wildlife Coordinator, for a glance back and a peek ...
News
Partnering To Conserve A Sagebrush Landscape
October 24, 2018
Innovative partnerships with private landowners and public land managers on working rangelands in Southwest Montana are conserving sagebrush ...
News
New Nevada Agreement Paves The Way For Landscape-Scale Conservation
October 18, 2018
Public and private partners in Nevada sign a landmark agreement that leverages funding across state, federal, and private property to accelerate sagebrush ...
News
Low-Tech Riparian And Meadow Restoration Keeps Rangelands Greener Longer
October 8, 2018
New research shows low-tech restoration methods increased vegetation productivity by 25% and kept plants greener longer, resulting in greater ...
News
NEW SCIENCE | Middle Ground Found On The Range
September 27, 2018
New research shows grazing access to public lands in the western U.S. can be good for ranching and ...
News
Running The Ranch
August 30, 2018
By Tim Griffiths | Pickup trucks, working dogs, cowboy hats, and running shoes. These were the diverse sights this past Saturday at the Montana Ranch ...
News
What Is Low-Tech Stream Restoration?
August 27, 2018
River expert Joe Wheaton explains how simple, cost-effective, hand-built structures are helping repair streams across the ...
News
Meet Leah Mori: Helping Ranchers Weather Wildfire Storms in Nevada’s Sagebrush Sea
August 20, 2018
This story features Leah Mori, a soil conservation technician in Winnemucca, Nevada, who is combating the twin threats of wildfire and ...
News
#ConservationRoadtrip | Taking No-Till To The Next Level
July 30, 2018
With help from NRCS, Montana rancher returns cropland to permanent grasses and forbs to provide forage for livestock and sage ...
News
High School Students Help Restore Montana Sagebrush
July 12, 2018
Partners come together -- including youth field crews -- to improve working lands for wildlife in southwest ...
News
NEW Story Map Highlights Rural Communities & Positive Partnerships
June 28, 2018
Check out this new story map that highlights the people working together across sagebrush rangeland to protect the places that matter to ...
News
Lessons & Photos from SGI’s 8th Annual Workshop: Combating Wildfire & Weeds
June 18, 2018
The 2018 SGI field tour and presentations focused on cooperative, science-based conservation that's working to thwart fire and invasives in sagebrush ...
News
NEW REPORT: Recommendations For Reducing The Spread Of Weeds & Wildfire
June 13, 2018
New report pinpoints gaps in combatting invasive grasses and wildfires across vast sagebrush rangelands in the western ...
News
Wildfire and Weeds: 5 Things Ranchers Should Know
May 29, 2018
Here is what you should know about invasive weeds--which lead to wildfires out West--and how to combat ...
News
Idaho Models “3 C’s”: Collaboration, Cooperation, Conservation
May 8, 2018
In Idaho, agencies and landowners are working together across boundaries to restore sagebrush ...
News
What Causes Wildfires In The West?
April 23, 2018
Wildfires are now more frequent and more intense in sagebrush country. Learn why (and how to reduce fire risk) from BLM fire planner Darcy ...
News
New Online Tool Shows Songbird Abundance Across Sagebrush Country
January 16, 2018
Check out the latest map additions to the SGI Web App, which allow users to easily visualize songbird distribution, bolstering multi-species conservation across the American ...
News
FAIR CHASE Magazine | The Value of Sagebrush Country
December 8, 2017
by Josh Millspaugh | This feature in the December 2017 issue of Fair Chase Magazine highlights how sage grouse conservation benefits hunters and a host of wildlife ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | How Do Sagebrush Animals Survive Winter?
December 6, 2017
Are you a sage whiz? Test your knowledge on how animals use sagebrush range during the cold, harsh winter ...
News
New Science: When Trees Are Cut, Grasses & Shrubs Return
November 14, 2017
Research shows that conifers decrease the native sagebrush grasses and shrubs that wildlife and livestock rely on, and confirms that forage comes back when trees are ...
News
What’s It Like To Photograph Sage Grouse?
October 23, 2017
Wildlife photographer, Noppadol Paothong, spent 5 years on his newly released book, Sage Grouse: Icon of the West. Learn how and why he created this beautiful book featuring ...
Ask An Expert
Do Elk Need Sagebrush?
September 11, 2017
Historically, elk were found in all but five states in the U.S. However, due to over-hunting, elk populations declined from more than 10 million to less than 100,000 by the ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Sage Whiz Quiz | Do You Know Your Western Roots?
July 24, 2017
Test your knowledge of plants that live on sagebrush rangelands, and learn fun facts about native plants' root systems in the American ...
News
Latest Science Reveals Most Effective Conifer Removal Treatments
July 13, 2017
New research on conifer cutting and prescribed burning helps resource managers and landowners plan sagebrush conservation projects that deliver the best results for the bird ...
Sage Whiz Quiz
Take This Quiz To See If You’re A Sage Whiz | Pygmy Rabbit
June 7, 2017
Learn cool facts and test your knowledge about the pygmy rabbit, one of 350 species that depends on healthy, intact sagebrush ...
News
Sage Grouse Need Intact Landscapes For Long-Distance Movement
March 28, 2017
New science shows that keeping big landscapes healthy and connected is essential for maintaining bigger-than-expected sage grouse ...
News
What Do Sage Grouse Do All Winter?
February 1, 2017
Sage grouse are tough birds, surviving through cold winters in western North America. Learn how they thrive, even during the harshest ...
News
Sagebrush Songbirds Under the Sage Grouse Umbrella
October 25, 2016
New songbird maps provide tools to help expand the benefits of sage grouse conservation to more wildlife species in the sagebrush community. Learn more from our latest Science ...
News
Tracking Success – 2016 Report | Maintaining Momentum To Conserve Sagebrush Country
September 22, 2016
As the Sage Grouse Initiative finishes our 6th year, we are proud to be a model for how to enhance working lands and wildlife. Check out our "Tracking Success - 2016 Report" ...
News
Sagebrush Rangelands Help Maintain Water Availability
August 3, 2016
Water delivery is delayed by an average of nine days in sagebrush systems compared to juniper-dominated systems. Holding water later into the summer season helps the sagebrush ...
News
The Science of Sagebrush: Measuring the Resilience of Rangelands
July 11, 2016
by Joshua Dillon | An Oregon field trip with SGI partners examines the ability of sagebrush landscapes to recover from a fire. Read the full story ...
News
Scientific Research Shows How To Reduce The Risk Of Crop Cultivation To Protect Sage Grouse
July 7, 2016
A new scientific study published in Biological Conservation explains how to reduce the threat of converting native sagebrush habitat into crops. Read how the research can be ...
News
SGI Introduces New Resources That Show Why Roots Matter in the Sage-Steppe
April 21, 2016
In the West's sagebrush sea, most of the plant matter grows below your feet -- just like an upside-down forest. SGI is releasing a new poster and postcard that show the ...
News
New NRCS Resource Aims to Reduce Wildfire Impacts in Sage Grouse Country
March 31, 2016
A new resource released by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will help private and public land managers work collaboratively to get ahead of the curve and ...
News
Seeding Techniques for Sagebrush Community Restoration After Fire
March 22, 2016
By Jeff Ott, Anne Halford, and Nancy Shaw | This new Great Basin Fact Sheet outlines important considerations and options for post-fire seeding, including the selection of ...
News
How Do Sage Grouse Mate?
March 14, 2016
Learn for sagebrush expert Trisha Cracroft, NRCS Idaho State Biologist, about when sage grouse congregate to strut their stuff, and why healthy sagebrush is important for hens ...
News
Grazing and Sagebrush Treatments: A 25-year Case Study in Utah
January 9, 2016
The newest Science to Solutions report is based on findings from a 25-year case study on a ranch in Utah. The study shows that sustainable grazing practices and sagebrush ...
News
Seeding Big Sagebrush Successfully on Intermountain Rangelands
November 14, 2015
By Susan E. Meyer and Thomas W. Warren | This fact sheet provides land managers with state-of-the-art information on establishing big sagebrush through direct seeding, ...
News
Assessing Fuel Loads in Sagebrush Steppe and PJ Woodlands
October 22, 2015
By Stephen C. Bunting and Jeff Rose | This fact sheet helps define wildland fuels and review the approaches used to assess fuel loads in the Great ...
News
New Guide Available | Sagebrush Bird Communities in the Intermountain West
September 21, 2015
A new tool is available for land managers in sagebrush country. The Sagebrush Bird Habitat Guide, created by several of our partners, provides information on breeding habitat ...
News
New Tools For Land Managers | Predicting Vegetation Response to Treatments and Wildfire
August 31, 2015
Maintaining a resilient sagebrush steppe is job number one for sustaining sage grouse populations in the West. New tools are available to help conservationists better assess ...
News
New Research Shows Grazing Plans Are Good for Grouse and for Bugs
August 17, 2015
Learn how Montana State University entomologist Hayes Goosey is studying "a mini-metropolis of arthropods" on five ranches in eastern Montana where the Sage Grouse Initiative ...
News
Establishing Big Sagebrush and Other Shrubs from Planting Stock
July 16, 2015
Bareroot or container seedlings can be used to quickly re-establish big sagebrush and other native shrubs post-fire or other disturbances in situations where direct seeding is ...
News
Fuel Breaks That Work
July 16, 2015
This fact sheet provides a framework for using established fuel breaks for protecting sagebrush ecosystems that are prone to fire due to the invasion of nonnative annual ...
News
Conifer Removal in the Sagebrush Steppe
July 8, 2015
This transition from shrub steppe to woodland has broad, concerning impacts on ecosystem function and services. This fact sheet explains the "why when, where, and how" of ...
News
Conifer Removal Restores Sage Grouse Habitat
April 23, 2014
Hundreds of thousands of acres of intact sagebrush lands--and the grouse that depend upon them--are threatened by invading conifers. SGI helps remove the threat to prevent ...