A new study funded in part by the NRCS-led Sage Grouse Initiative found that survival rates of both female sage grouse and their nests increased where encroaching juniper trees were removed.

In Oregon’s largest county — where cattle outnumber people 14 to 1 — the local soil and water conservation district has a recipe for collaborative conservation that’s improving the odds for both sage grouse and ranchers.

Rancher Mike Greeley uses conservation-minded management to sustain his working lands in eastern Oregon for wildlife and livestock. Check out this video of Mike on his ranch!

The Sage Grouse Initiative seeks a range and wildlife conservationist to work with agricultural producers on conservation programs in eastern Oregon.

by Rebecca Heisman,bioGraphic | When mature juniper cover reaches just 4 percent—picture taking a standard checkerboard and filling in just two and a half of the squares—sage-grouse abandon their leks. Read more about the conifers that are taking over sagebrush rangelands in the West.

Wildlife biologist Fozz Foster works on restoring and improving habitat in Oregon’s sagebrush sea. In this ‘Ask an Expert’ interview, he tells SGI about how he works collaboratively to address the problem of encroaching conifers — one of the main threats to sage grouse in the West.

“My neighbors have all been getting on board one by one, now that they are seeing how well it’s working,” says Oregon rancher John O’Keeffe. Read this opinion piece by O’Keeffe describing why SGI is a good investment for the land, livestock, and sage grouse.

SGI is looking for qualified, motivated people who are passionate about working with private, agricultural landowners to restore and protect sage grouse habitat in eastern Oregon. Read the job description here.

Discover the iconic denizen of the sagebrush sea at the High Desert Museum’s new exhibit in Oregon, “Sage Grouse: Icon of the Sagebrush Sea.” This exhibit explores the birds’ role in the sagebrush ecosystem, the unprecedented conservation efforts to save it, as well as its important cultural value to Native Americans, hunters, and birdwatchers.

New research released as part of the Sage Grouse Initiative’s Science to Solutions series shows that restoring sagebrush ecosystems not only benefits ranching and sage grouse but other wildlife, too, including key songbirds.