Sage-grouse Initiative Grassbanking Business Plan

A blueprint for creating long-term, market-based incentives for ranchers to conserve sage-grouse by linking NRCS’ Sage-Grouse Initiative with grassbanks.

Vision

A sustainable conservation model that maintains large and intact landscapes in order to support viable livestock ranching and abundant sage-grouse populations. A future where ranching is recognized as fully supportive and beneficial to healthy sage-grouse habitat and populations and where public and private investments reward ranchers for providing these ecosystem services on private lands.

Goals

• Secure and expand the conservation benefits being generated by ranchers participating in the NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative (SGI) by establishing market-based
  incentives for ranchers to continue providing benefits into the future,
• Develop and demonstrate a market-based approach that produces tangible benefits for grouse and ranchers in a way that is economically viable, environmentally responsible, and socially beneficial.

Objectives

• Link the NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative with the concept of grassbanking to show how grassbank forage can be used to leverage long-term sage-grouse conservation,

• Define the specific conservation benefits that can be exchanged for discounted forage on SGI-Grassbanks,
• Design a model that is financially sustainable and make the business case for investing in SGI-Grassbanks.

Content

1. Vision/Goals/Objectives
2. Purpose and Need
3. Linking the SGI with Grassbanking
4. The SGI-Grassbank Conservation Model
5. SGI-Grassbank Financial Plan