wildlife

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.

Next-gen remote sensing tools level up rangeland conservation
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Next-gen remote sensing tools level up rangeland conservation

New research highlights how remote sensing tools accurately and efficiently detail conservation outcomes on ...
Conserving Prime Hay Ground As Well As Colorado’s Famous Elk and Deer
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Conserving Prime Hay Ground As Well As Colorado’s Famous Elk and Deer

The Etchart Family worked with the NRCS, TNC, and the CO Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust to place much of the ranch in a conservation easement protecting this prime ...
Western Working Lands Snapshot | Western Meadowlarks
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Western Working Lands Snapshot | Western Meadowlarks

Our second Western Working Lands Snapshot post features the western meadowlark. This pretty bird has one of the sweetest calls in the ...
Sage Whiz Quiz | Pronghorn
Sage Whiz Quiz

Sage Whiz Quiz | Pronghorn

Test your knowledge of pronghorn, one of the most iconic residents of the sagebrush ...
Big Picture of Woodland Management in Sagebrush Country
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Big Picture of Woodland Management in Sagebrush Country

Science to Solutions - New research highlights reduction and expansion of conifer encroachment in sagebrush ...
Sage Whiz Quiz | Elk
Sage Whiz Quiz

Sage Whiz Quiz | Elk

Take this Sage Whiz Quiz to test your knowledge of ...
1,800 Ranchers and Counting!
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1,800 Ranchers and Counting!

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 ...
Harnessing Technology Improves Conservation Effectiveness
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Harnessing Technology Improves Conservation Effectiveness

Innovative Web App increases conservation effectiveness on working lands in the American West by matching the right practices to the right places using emerging science and ...
California Ranchers Safeguard Agriculture and Sage Grouse Habitat
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California Ranchers Safeguard Agriculture and Sage Grouse Habitat

A conservation easement funded in part by the NRCS-led Sage Grouse Initiative will protect some of the best habitat in California for mule deer, waterfowl, migratory ...
BEEF Magazine | Thomas Brothers Make The Ground Better In Idaho
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BEEF Magazine | Thomas Brothers Make The Ground Better In Idaho

By Brianna Randall | Partnering with the USDA-led Sage Grouse Initiative helps young ranchers improve the land for both sage grouse and ...
New Online Tool Shows Songbird Abundance Across Sagebrush Country
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New Online Tool Shows Songbird Abundance Across Sagebrush Country

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 ...
Bats, Butterflies, Bobwhites and More! New Videos About Working Lands For Wildlife
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Bats, Butterflies, Bobwhites and More! New Videos About Working Lands For Wildlife

Learn how NRCS has been scaling up the cooperative, science-based conservation model that's working for sagebrush wildlife to focal landscapes across ...
FAIR CHASE Magazine | The Value of Sagebrush Country
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FAIR CHASE Magazine | The Value of Sagebrush Country

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 | How Do Sagebrush Animals Survive Winter?
Sage Whiz Quiz

Sage Whiz Quiz | How Do Sagebrush Animals Survive Winter?

Are you a sage whiz? Test your knowledge on how animals use sagebrush range during the cold, harsh winter ...
VIDEOS | Meet The Thomas Family, Sustainable Ranchers in Idaho
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VIDEOS | Meet The Thomas Family, Sustainable Ranchers in Idaho

Watch short videos to hear how and why two young ranchers have put in place conservation practices that benefit the bird and their ...
What’s It Like To Photograph Sage Grouse?
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What’s It Like To Photograph Sage Grouse?

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 ...
#HabitatHero Mike Fenn: Leaving A Legacy For Wildlife In Wyoming
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#HabitatHero Mike Fenn: Leaving A Legacy For Wildlife In Wyoming

by Brianna Randall | Landowners like Mike Fenn in western Wyoming are voluntarily stepping up to protect and restore the sagebrush country that supports their way of ...
Do Elk Need Sagebrush?
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Do Elk Need Sagebrush?

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 ...
Stewardship With Vision | David Spicer Conserves Habitat In Nevada
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Stewardship With Vision | David Spicer Conserves Habitat In Nevada

Nevada rancher and miner shares his story of why he believes in conserving Nevada's Oasis Valley in a new video produced by the Western Landowners ...
Learning To Think Like Water & Photos From SGI’s 7th Annual Workshop
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Learning To Think Like Water & Photos From SGI’s 7th Annual Workshop

Over 170 sagebrush conservation partners from around the West met in Colorado to learn what's working for the bird and the herd. Watch the video ...
Take This Quiz To See If You’re A Sage Whiz | Pygmy Rabbit
Sage Whiz Quiz

Take This Quiz To See If You’re A Sage Whiz | Pygmy Rabbit

Learn cool facts and test your knowledge about the pygmy rabbit, one of 350 species that depends on healthy, intact sagebrush ...
How Do We Find (And Protect) Precious Wet Places In The West?
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How Do We Find (And Protect) Precious Wet Places In The West?

Mesic areas comprise only 1-2% of the western landscape, but 80% of animals depend on them -- including sage grouse and livestock. Learn why they're important and how to ...
Cherish The Soils And Roots That Support Life On The Range
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Cherish The Soils And Roots That Support Life On The Range

The roots of wildflowers on the range support a hidden world of living organisms that produce healthy soils. Nurturing these native plants creates healthier soils and keeps ...
Fun Fact Friday: A Natural Winter Windbreak In Sagebrush
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Fun Fact Friday: A Natural Winter Windbreak In Sagebrush

by Nancy Patterson, BLM | What are wildlife to do out in the sagebrush 'Big Empty' to protect themselves from harsh winter weather conditions? Let sagebrush come to the ...
#350Species – Autumn In The Sagebrush Ecosystem
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#350Species – Autumn In The Sagebrush Ecosystem

by Nancy Patterson, BLM Rocky Mountain Region, via mypubliclands.tumblr.com | Greater sage-grouse, 350+ other species, and millions of people depend on the iconic sagebrush ...
Helmick Family Conserves Vital Habitat For Sage Grouse In Idaho
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Helmick Family Conserves Vital Habitat For Sage Grouse In Idaho

To this multi-generational family, conservation and ranching are one and the same. Learn how they've worked with SGI to increase carrying capacity and grass production for the ...
Rockin’ TD Ranch Champions Rangeland Conservation in Nevada
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Rockin’ TD Ranch Champions Rangeland Conservation in Nevada

Tony and Diane Stobiecki partner with the Sage Grouse Initiative to improve habitat for wildlife and their ranch's bottom line by putting in place projects that improve water ...
Partnership Positions Allow NRCS To Double The Amount of Conservation In The West
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Partnership Positions Allow NRCS To Double The Amount of Conservation In The West

Thanks to hundreds of partners who help us achieve wildlife conservation through sustainable ranching, the Sage Grouse Initiative, has proven to be a model for cooperative, ...
New Report | Sage Grouse Populations On the Rise
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New Report | Sage Grouse Populations On the Rise

According to a new report by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the population of the greater sage-grouse has grown by nearly two-thirds since 2013 across ...
Oregon Rancher Gary Bedortha Removes Juniper Trees to Create a Safe Haven for Sage Grouse
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Oregon Rancher Gary Bedortha Removes Juniper Trees to Create a Safe Haven for Sage Grouse

Rancher Gary Bedortha shares his story of juniper removal on 12,000 acres of his private ranchland near Paulina to benefit sage grouse and the sagebrush-steppe ...
Montana Outdoors: Last Stand of the Sage-Grouse
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Montana Outdoors: Last Stand of the Sage-Grouse

Where Can Sage-Grouse Live? Why good grazing practices and more state and federal land-use regulations are essential for keeping these beleaguered birds off the endangered ...