• Rocky Mountain Research Station
• 240 West Prospect
• Fort Collins, CO 80526
• (970) 498-1100

Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration

A symposium and its subsequent proceedings addresses the problems of sage-grouse restoration through a series of 14 papers that summarize current knowledge and research gaps in sagebrush taxonomy and ecology, seasonal sage-grouse habitat requirements, approches to community and landscape restoration, and currently available plant materials and revegetation technology to provide a basis for designing and implementing effective management prescriptions.

A particular problem is in reestablishing big sagebrush on rangelands now dominated by native perennial grasses, introduced perennial grasses, or exotic annual grasses, particularly cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Healthy big sagebrush stands are the obigate habitat for both sage-grouse species and serves also to stabilize soil, improve moisture availablity and nutrient recycling, increase biological diversity, and foster community stability and resiliency. A first priority in reseeding is identifying the subspceis of big sagebrush native to the site and procuring adapted, high-quality seed of that subspecies from a similar site. Seed should be planted on firm seedbeds and pressed into the soil to provide good seed-to-soil contact. Competition from invasive species and other seeded species must be minimized by siste preparation practices and use of appropriate seeding stategies and equipment.

For more information see Shaw, Nancy L., Mike Pellant, and Stephen B. Monsen, compilers. 2005. Sage-grouse habitat restoration symposium proceedings. 2001 June 4-7, Boise, ID. Proceedings RMRS-P-38. Fort Collins, CO: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 130 p.