Northern Plains Conservation Network (NPCN) Organization Position Summary – Greater Sage Grouse
March 1, 2016
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The USA has changed the trajectory and put numerous resources into a collaborative effort to avert listing of Greater Sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act. Canada has lessons that can be learned from the US experience. Although Canada has identified and protected some critical habitat and implemented an emergency protection order for Greater Sage-grouse, there is minimal resourcing for conservation efforts.
In the USA, environmental organizations in the Northern Great Plains are monitoring BLM plan implementation to ensure restoration of key habitats as well as Greater Sage-grouse recovery. They are largely working through administrative channels as well as directly with private landowners and permittees.
Depending on jurisdiction and organization philosophy, both litigation to tweak/expand protections and collaborative programs that increase the number of landowners involved will likely be used to recover Greater Sage-grouse.
At this time it is unclear which, if any, groups plan additional litigation over Greater Sage-grouse other than ongoing actions to work with the Government of Canada to defend Canada’s Species at Risk Act against industrial interests.
Some groups, while supporting BLM’s plans, are also asking for additional priority grouse habitat to be conserved, as recommended by scientists and top grouse conservation experts. Pursuit of additional wilderness area designations remains part of the agenda for some groups.
A major role for NPCN is to communicate information on Greater Sage Grouse. The pages below provide a brief legal background as well as a summary of various NPCN participant group positions on Greater Sage Grouse.
-Cliff Wallis, NPCN Steering Committee Member
To view a full pdf of the document, click here: SAGE GROUSE Summary NPCN MARCH 2016
