Greater Sage-grouse Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative

The Sage-grouse Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative is offered in 11 Western states under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Both programs will offer financial assistance through the Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative. The purpose is to provide assistance to agricultural producers to implement practices that will alleviate or reduce threats to sage-grouse habitat.

Applicants will complete a Threat Checklist to determine the number and type of threats associated with sage-grouse habitat.  This checklist also helps identify the treatments that a producer is ready, willing, and able to implement. 

Applications will be prioritized and ranked based on criteria such as: identified threats that will be addressed in the contract, percent of the operation to be enrolled, and location of the operation in relation to the core, current, or historic sage-grouse range.

Interested producers may apply for a Conservation Activity Plan (110 Grazing Management Plan) under EQIP. Under this option, a Technical Service Provider works with the producer to develop a Grazing Management Plan on the participant’s operation as a single, stand-alone program contract.  The plan must be developed within 12 months after obligation.  A subsequent application for EQIP or WHIP to contract implementation of structural practices may be considered.

The following practices are available under this special initiative.  Applicants should work with their local Natural Resources Conservation Service staff to select and design appropriate practices that will improve rangeland health or benefit sage-grouse habitat directly.

The following documents require Adobe Reader.

Wyoming Sage-grouse Threat Checklist (PDF, 62 KB) new!
Sage-grouse Core Current Historic Areas Map (PDF, 254 KB)
Sage-grouse Field Guide (PDF, 2149 KB)
Sage-grouse Screening Tool (PDF, 67 KB) new!
FY 2013 Wyoming EQIP Sage-grouse Initiative Payment Rate and Guidelines (PDF, 203 KB) Coming Soon!
Sage-grouse Ranking Tool (PDF, 261 KB) new!

State Contact:

Cheryl Grapes, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, 307-233-6757
Mary Schrader, Resource Conservationist/Farm Bill, 307-233-6762

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Last Modified: 01/29/2013