by Brianna Randall | Bill Zeedyk teaches Westerners how to “think like water” to restore precious wet habitat in the sagebrush desert.

New research shows that 86% of hens avoided nesting in sagebrush habitat invaded by conifers. Luckily, the studies also show that removing conifers in otherwise high-quality habitat is a boon to nesting sage grouse.

The Sagebrush Project, part of the Sustainability in Prisons Project, expands the opportunities for 175 inmates in 11 prisons across 6 states by teaching them to grow sagebrush seedlings. In turn, these seedlings restore vital habitat for sage grouse and other wildlife on BLM lands across the West.

Conifer encroachment spells bad news for birds that need intact, wide open spaces–sage grouse and lesser prairie-chickens included. This new report released by our partner, the Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative, explains why.

Today, the Sage Grouse Initiative is unveiling a new tool to catalyze and improve habitat conservation efforts across the western United States. The free SGI Interactive Web Application presents cutting-edge geospatial data covering 100 million acres.

The newest Science to Solutions report is based on findings from a 25-year case study on a ranch in Utah. The study shows that sustainable grazing practices and sagebrush treatments enhanced herbaceous understory for sage grouse in years with average winters, but that bird populations declined following severe winters.

By Eugene W. Schupp, Chad S. Boyd, and Shane Green | This new Great Basin Fact Sheet discusses how reducing woody plant cover can increase the production of perennial grasses and forbs, improve habitat for wildlife, and reduce the intensity and severity of wildfires.

Frederick B. Pierson, C. Jason Williams and Peter R. Robichaud | This fact sheet provides an overview of the hydrologic impacts of fire, as well as the effectiveness of different types of treatments that reduce runoff and erosion post-fire.

By Susan E. Meyer and Thomas W. Warren | This fact sheet provides land managers with state-of-the-art information on establishing big sagebrush through direct seeding, particularly in areas burned by large-scale wildfire.

By Matthew J. Germino | Wind erosion is a problem in the Great Basin, particularly following large wildfires. This factsheet helps resource managers with a “how to” for assessing the risk of erosion, and responding to it proactively.