Jeremy Maestas NRCS State Habitat Biologist -Oregon

Jeremy MaestasNRCS State Habitat Biologist -Oregon

Greater

Greater

Potential risk factors for sage-grouse in Oregon

Wildfire Invasive weeds Juniper expansion Prescribed fire Vegetation treatments (e.g., sagebrush removal) Improper livestock grazing Predation Realty (e.g., land use changes) Energy development and transmission Recreation West Nile Virus

Oregon’s Strategic Approach

Pick “low-hanging fruit” first

• Targeted Threat: Juniper Expansion

Focus resources in the right places

Maximizing Biological ROIPhase I (early)

Phase II (mid)

Phase III (late)

~212,000 acres Phase I & II juniper on private land within 3 miles of leks

Oregon’sSage-

Grouse Initiative

Targeted Sage-

Grouse Areas

Objective: Treat one quarter of the problem (53,000 ac) on private lands by the end of 2012

National Sage-Grouse Initiative

PURPOSE: Strategically focus resources to alleviate threats to sage-grouse and improve the sustainability of working ranches

March 2010, $16 million in EQIP and WHIP made available to 11 western states

“Implement the right practices, in the right locations, at the appropriate scale”

Oregon Results – FY10 28 landowner contracts

$2.3 million obligated

20,656 acres of juniper removal

Remove/Mark Problematic Fences

Retrofit Troughswith Escape Ramps

Remove Conifers

Improve Grazing Management

Restore Vegetationin Degraded Areas

40,000 Ac

640,000 Ac

11,000 Ac

941,000 Ft (180 mi)

318

FY10 Range-Wide Accomplishments –$18.5 M obligated

FY11 Funding

$3.5 million available in Oregon (EQIP and WHIP)

Strong interest so far (~50 apps)

Effectiveness Monitoring BLM, NRCS, ODFW, U of

I, landowners

150 radio-marked birds

Treat 27,000 ac public & private over next 5 yrs

Provides science to inform ESA listing decisions

Warner Mountain Core Area Study

Questions?

http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/sage-grouse/index.html