The sagebrush steppe ecosystem covers about 120 million acres and extends across 11 Western states and 2 Canadian provinces and over 60% of the ecosystem is located on public land. This ecosystem provides significant ecological, cultural, economic, and recreational resources for the Nation. In recent decades the sagebrush steppe ecosystem has received increasing attention due to declines in greater sage-grouse populations and multiple petitions for listing the species under the Endangered Species Act. In addition to the greater sage-grouse, more than 350 other wildlife species depend on sagebrush steppe for all or part of their life requirements.
Conservation and restoration of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem is a major challenge. There are numerous threats to the ecosystem including increasing risk of wildfire, invasion by exotic annual grasses, expansion of conifer trees, development for agricultural use and energy extraction, and many other natural and human caused disturbances. Restoration of sagebrush steppe habitat following a disturbance is complicated by moisture availability and the length of time required for the vegetation community to recover.
To meet this conservation challenge, it is critical that land management is guided by the best available science so that actions are effective and located in the places where they can have the best overall outcome.
USGS has been a leader in sagebrush steppe ecosystem research and continues to meet the priority science needs of management agencies. We bring a diversity of expertise and capabilities to address a wide variety of science needs at multiple spatial scales and are committed to provide high quality science to our management partners.
For more information about USGS sage-grouse and sagebrush steppe research programs, contact:
Steve Hanser
(703) 648-4054
shanser@usgs.gov
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In the News |
USGS Assesses Mineral Potential for Sagebrush Habitats in Six Western States
USGS has completed a comprehensive assessment and inventory of potential mineral resources covering approximately 10 million acres of Federal and adjacent lands in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The assessment, conducted at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, ranked the mineral potential in select areas of these states along a gradient of no potential, low potential, moderate potential, and high potential.
The 10 million acres align with seven areas termed Sagebrush Focal Areas, identified by the Department of the Interior as important landscape blocks with high breeding population densities of sage-grouse and existing high quality sagebrush. The areas are all federally managed. The inclusion of private or other lands in the assessment has no implications regarding land values, management alternatives or recommendations for disposition. Native American lands were excluded from the study. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
