4-12 SS Sage Grouse

The Sage-Grouse Initiative (SGI) helps pay for putting specific conservation practices in place that will improve sage-grouse habitat or reduce threats to bird survival. Many of these practices can also make rangeland conditions better for livestock. Idaho received just over $3 million for the initiative this year. Landowners in the historic range for sage-grouse are eligible to apply for the initiative.Here’s NRCS  spokesperson Alexis Collins: “Some examples of the practices are rangeland seeding that would increase food plants for sage grouse and would also improve livestock forage also installing new fencing and water developments, which would assist a rancher with rangeland management too. We are trying to show that there are benefits to both Sage grouse and ranching operations. Another activity that people have considered is removing juniper trees in some key areas that would help sage grouse have better habitat. What do Juniper trees have to do with sage grouse habitat? In areas where there is a lot of juniper, it shades out the native grasses so there isn’t going to be that food source for wildlife and also some improved grazing systems would incorporate a rest while Sage grouse are nesting.” And of coarse better habitat means better hunting.