Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem Russell George Executive Director Colorado Dept. of...
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Transcript of Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem Russell George Executive Director Colorado Dept. of...
Conservation Design and the Sagebrush Ecosystem
Russell George
Executive Director
Colorado Dept. of Natural Resources
Sagebrush in Western Colorado
• Distributed throughout western Colorado
• Largest patches in northwestern and north-central Colorado, and the Gunnison Basin.
Distribution:Current & Historic
Patch Size Distribution
Maps show only the western half of Colorado.
Many stakeholders are involved:• Western Governor’s Assoc.
– Sagebrush Council
• State Agencies– Div. of Wildlife, Oil & Gas Cons. Comm.,
State Land Board, and others
• Federal Agencies– BLM, USFWS, USFS, NPS, and others
• Environmentalists• Sportsmen – Big Game and Small
Game• Industry• Livestock Operators• Private Landowners
Conservation Concern & Status• Gunnison Sage-grouse
– ESA Candidate Status (Jan. 2000)– Rangewide Conservation Strategy developed
(WAFWA - May 2005)– Not Warranted Finding (April 2006)
• Greater Sage-grouse– Not Warranted Finding on Petitions (Jan. 2005)– Rangewide Conservation Strategy (WAFWA -
Dec. 2006) – Colorado Statewide Conservation Plan (2007)
Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan
DistributionThreats – energy
Threats – housing
Potential linkages
Cons. easements
Other Sagebrush Dependent Species
• A diversity of species are partially or exclusively dependent on sagebrush habitats.
• Some are addressed by specific conservation plans or assessments
• Many lack basic conservation recommendations.
• Identified in State Wildlife Action Plan.
Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment &
Strategy
• Assess current and historic status of sagebrush habitat in Colorado.
• Identify declining or potentially-declining sagebrush dependent wildlife, not addressed by other planning efforts.
• Establish conservation goals, objectives and strategies to prevent further declines.
Colorado Sagebrush:A Conservation Assessment &
StrategySagebrush distribution & status
Modeled threats
Species distributions
Species richness
Mgmt. Emphasis Areas
Big Game
WELD
MESA
MOFFAT
BACA
PARK
LAS ANIMAS
YUMA
ROUTT
PUEBLO
GARFIELD
GUNNISON
BENT
LINCOLN
LARIMER
SAGUACHE
EL PASO
EAGLE
ELBERT
RIO BLANCO
LOGAN
GRAND
KIOWAMONTROSE
DELTA
OTERO
LA PLATA
KIT CARSON
WASHINGTON
JACKSON
PROWERS
CHEYENNE
FREMONT
ADAMS
PITKIN
MONTEZUMA
HUERFANO
CONEJOS
MORGAN
COSTILLA
CHAFFEE
DOLORES
ARCHULETA
HINSDALE
SAN MIGUELCUSTER
MINERAL
DOUGLAS
PHILLIPS
TELLER
CROWLEY
BOULDER
OURAY
LAKE
SUMMIT
RIO GRANDE
JEFFERSON
ARAPAHOE
ALAMOSA
SEDGWICK
SAN JUAN
CLEAR CREEK
GILPIN
DENVER
BROOMFIELD
High Priority Habitat-Acquisition AreasUsing Mule Deer and Elk Range DataCritical Mule Deer and Elk Habitat
Source project: CDOW Big Game Habitat Acquisition Plan
20 0 20 40 60 80
Miles
JK 07/10/06, g:\projects\speciesconservation\cscp\targetareasmap\targetareasmdek06.mxd
• Substantial overlap of priority habitat for big game and sagebrush-dependent species in Western Colorado.
WELD
MESA
MOFFAT
BACA
PARK
LAS ANIMAS
YUMA
ROUTT
PUEBLO
GARFIELD
GUNNISON
BENT
LINCOLN
LARIMER
SAGUACHE
EL PASO
EAGLE
ELBERT
RIO BLANCO
LOGAN
GRAND
KIOWAMONTROSE
DELTA
OTERO
LA PLATA
KIT CARSON
WASHINGTON
JACKSON
PROWERS
CHEYENNE
FREMONT
ADAMS
PITKIN
MONTEZUMA
HUERFANO
CONEJOS
MORGAN
COSTILLA
CHAFFEE
DOLORES
ARCHULETA
HINSDALE
SAN MIGUELCUSTER
MINERAL
DOUGLAS
PHILLIPS
TELLER
CROWLEY
BOULDER
OURAY
LAKE
SUMMIT
RIO GRANDE
JEFFERSON
ARAPAHOE
ALAMOSA
SEDGWICK
SAN JUAN
CLEAR CREEK
GILPIN
DENVER
BROOMFIELD
High Priority Habitat-Acquisition AreasUsing definitions from four separate evaluation projects.
One evaluation source project
Two evaluation source projects
Three evaluation source projects
Four evaluation source projectsSource projects: Colorado Species Conservation Program, CDOW Real Estate Plan,
TNC/ GOCO Legacy Project, CDOW Big Game Habitat Acquisition Plan
20 0 20 40 60 80
MilesJK 052406, g:\projects\speciesconservation\cscp\targetareasmap
Combined Perspectives
Tools for Implementation
• Land Protection– Colorado Wildlife Habitat Protection Program
• $20 million available for conservation easements• Funding from a diversity of sources
– Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA)
• Being developed for Gunnison Sage-grouse• 19 ranches currently enrolled• 58,449 acres
– USDA Farm Bill Programs• CRP, WHIP, EQIP, etc. may be useful tools for working with
landowners to protect private land
Tools for Implementation
• Habitat Management– Sagebrush Ecology &
Management– Sagebrush Restoration Manual– On-the-ground habitat
management and restoration
Tools for Implementation• Work with partners
– Bureau of Land Management• National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy
• Research and habitat management
– Intermountain West Joint Venture• Identification of IWJV Bird Habitat Conservation Areas that
include priority sagebrush habitats.
• IWJV funding available for “all-bird” habitat projects.
– Other State Agencies• Management of sagebrush species requires a rangewide
perspective
Conclusions
• Conservation Design projects have been undertaken for a variety of sagebrush species in Colorado.
• Various methods, levels of detail, and geographic focus areas have been used.
Conclusions• Integration of results has allowed for the
identification of large and significant sagebrush landscapes for conservation efforts.
• A wide diversity of management techniques and funding sources are being used and combined to provide multiple species benefits.
• Greater conservation impacts will likely results than with non-integrated, taxa-specific conservation design plans.