Sage Grouse Initiative

Sage Grouse Initiative

Sage Grouse Initiative. I'm Greg Martin with Washington Ag Today.

Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a four-year strategy that will invest approximately $211 million through 2018 in conservation efforts to benefit the greater sage-grouse. The strategy, known as Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0, will build on successful public and private conservation efforts made since 2010 to improve sage grouse habitat. The new plan will provide additional assistance for ranchers to make conservation improvements to their land, which mutually benefits the iconic bird and agricultural operations in 11 Western states. NRCS recently released a document called "Success On The Range" and NRCS Chief, Jason Weller talks about it.

WELLER: It's really a retrospective look about experiences of private families, private landowners and what they're bringing to the table to both improve the success and sustainability of their ranching operations but also how they are contributing to a greater good, in this case the conservation of the sage steppe, the open spaces and all the species including the sage grouse that live in that range.

NRCS leaders from California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming worked with conservation partners to develop the four-year strategy. The wildfires devastating Western communities also impact habitat for wildlife like sage grouse.  Under the SGI 2.0 strategy, NRCS will focus on reducing the threat of wildfire and spread of invasive grasses after fires to restore wildlife habitat and quality livestock forage. 

And that's Washington Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.

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