Sage-Grouse and Working Lands in Nevada

1. Sage-Grouse and Working Lands in Nevada Photo: Gail Patricelli (http://www.eve.ucdavis.edu/gpatricelli/Patricelli_Research_Interests.html)

2. Background:Sage-GrouseHabitat in Nevada • Estimated 32,000,000 acres of sage-Grouse habitat in Nevada. • Only 4,400,000 of those acres are privately owned. • Estimated 1,894 leks (active and inactive) • 248 leks occur on privately owned lands

3. Public/Private ownership of Sage Grouse Habitat

4. Wildfire Threatens Rangeland Health and Wildlife Habitat • In the past 10 years, wildfires have had a great impact on Nevada. Especially Nevada’s grazing lands, wildlife, and wildlife habitat. • From 1999-2007 wildfires have burned an estimated 6 million acres. • 1.1 million acres of sage-grouse habitat has burned on privately owned lands

5. What can landowners do to increase rangeland health while improving wildlife habitat? • Remove encroached pinyon and juniper trees especially from around lek and spring sites • Re-vegetate areas that have been affected by wildfire • Remove any unnecessary fences–they can hinder wildlife movements and contribute to mortality • Install fence markers on fences near leks, especially new fences making them more visible to wildlife • Provide wildlife escape ramps in livestock water troughs

6. Pinyon and Juniper Removal New growth of understory after trees were removed was 10 to 14 inches

7. Pinyon and Juniper Removal Around Spring Sites Since the trees have been removed, the spring now runs year round.

8. Range Planting in Wildfire Burned Areas Re-establishing native and improved vegetation after wildfires helps prevent soil erosion and cheat grass invasion while providing livestock forage and wildlife habitat. July 2007 July 2009

9. Fence Treatment – relocate, remove, or mark • Making fences more visible to wildlife becomes extremely important for sage-grouse around lek areas. • WyomingGame and Fish found 170 bird strikes (mortalities) in 5 mi. of fence in 7 months.

10. Wildlife Escape Ramps • Wildlife often drown in livestock troughs when they can’t find a way out. • Providing an escape ramp that extends to the sides and bottom of the tank allows wildlife escape route, should they become trapped. • Provides cleaner water for livestock in that it prevents wildlife from drowning and decaying in the water.

11. Long–term actions to promote rangeland health and wildlife habitat • Restore hydrology to wet meadow and riparian systems • Repair headcuts, manage grazing, remove encroaching shrub/tree species • Manage livestock grazing to leave adequate vegetative cover • This not only provides good nesting habitat for sage-grouse and other sage-obligate species but also provides for healthy sustainable rangelands with diverse vegetative species

12. Wet Meadow Brood Habitat

13. Grazing Management

14. WHIP & EQIP Special Initiative • NRCS provides Technical and Financial Assistance for all treatments previously mentioned and many more. • 2010 funding will focus on: • P/J removal in sage-grouse habitat • Range planting in sage-grouse habitat • Removing/marking fences to improve visibility • Installing wildlife escape ramps in existing troughs

15. QUESTIONS?