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Release No. 2011.06-002 Landowners Encouraged to Apply Now for Funding to Improve Sage-Grouse
Habitat and Manage Juniper PORTLAND, Ore., June 15, 2011— The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications from private landowners in eastern Oregon for funding to enhance sage-grouse habitat and improve the sustainability of working ranches. Applications for fiscal year 2012 funding will be accepted at local USDA service centers through August 19, 2011. In Oregon, the NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative (SGI) focuses primarily on providing financial assistance for removal of juniper in the early stages of succession, focusing in high priority sage-grouse habitat areas. The goal is to alleviate the threat of juniper expansion to sage-grouse habitat, improve rangeland health, and prevent further resource degradation. Efforts also include the marking of fencing near known sage-grouse mating areas, or leks, to prevent accidental collisions.
This year’s sign-up follows two years of private landowners working with NRCS under the SGI to remove over 55,000 acres of juniper in priority sage-grouse habitat areas and mark over 21,000 feet of high-risk fences to reduce accidental bird collisions near breeding sites. “We’ve had overwhelming success with participation in this program these past two years,” said Ron Alvarado, Oregon NRCS State Conservationist. “It’s clear that restoration practices such as removing invasive juniper in the sagebrush steppe ecosystems benefit not only sage-grouse habitat, but also improves the overall health of the rangeland, maximizing the long-term sustainability of these ranching operations.” This initiative will continue to focus primarily on juniper management in high priority habitat areas located across Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Harney, Lake and Malheur counties. Payments to land owners for removing juniper depend on stand density, and have generally ranged between $29 and $141 per acre, according to Maestas. Practices are funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Updated payment schedules for 2012 will be posted on the Oregon NRCS SGI website in the coming months. Additional practices to alleviate secondary threats to sage-grouse may also be covered, including marking fences to increase their visibility and reduce sage-grouse mortality; installing escape ramps for wildlife in livestock watering troughs; resting treatment areas from grazing to increase residual grass cover and increase grouse nest success; and treating noxious or invasive weeds to improve range condition and sage-grouse habitat. Landowners in the following counties who are interested in this program should contact their local service center to apply prior to the August 19 cut-off date.
For more information on this and other conservation opportunities, landowners are urged to contact their local USDA-NRCS Service Center. Additional information can also be found on the Oregon NRCS Web site at: www.or.nrcs.usda.gov. Image: Strutting male sage-grouse in eastern Oregon; spring, 2011. Photo by Sara Magenheimer, NRCS ### The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership
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“The
Sage-Grouse Initiative gives landowners and NRCS an opportunity to work together
to implement the right conservation practices, at the right time, and in the
right places before the opportunity to do so is lost,” said NRCS Statewide
Habitat Biologist, Jeremy Maestas. “This science-based, strategic approach helps
private landowners proactively work to prevent sage-grouse from being listed
under the Endangered Species Act.” 
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