Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation

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• 9/27/2010 News Release
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9/27/2010 News Release

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it has determined that the Gunnison sagegrouse, a bird species found only in southwestern Colorado and extreme southeastern Utah, warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but that proposing the species for protection is precluded by the need to address other higher priority species.

The Service has completed a comprehensive status review — known as a 12-month finding — and determined that there is sufficient scientific and commercial data to propose listing the species as threatened or endangered throughout its range. However, the Service is precluded from beginning work immediately on a listing proposal because its limited resources must be devoted to other higher priority actions.

The Service will add the Gunnison sage-grouse to its list of candidate species and review its status annually. When a “warranted but precluded” finding is made for a species, the Service classifies it as a candidate for addition to the federal list of threatened and endangered species. If the Service proposes the Gunnison sage-grouse for protection under the ESA in the future, the public will have an opportunity to comment. As a candidate species, the Gunnison sage-grouse will remain a statemanaged species.

The Gunnison sage-grouse currently exists in seven populations, six in Colorado and one in both Colorado and Utah. These include the Gunnison Basin, San Miguel Basin, Monticello-Dove Creek, Pinon Mesa, Crawford, Cerro Summit-Cimarron-Sims Mesa, and Poncha Pass populations. The Gunnison Basin population is the largest and represents the best opportunity for long-term conservation of the species. Gunnison sage-grouse historically occurred in southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and southeastern Utah.

In April 2006, the Service published a finding that listing the Gunnison sage-grouse as a threatened or endangered species was not warranted. The Service determined that the rangewide population of the Gunnison sage-grouse was stable and threats to the species were not significant to current, known populations.

The Service and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) will continue to work cooperatively to further the conservation interests of the sage-grouse. Since 2006, the CDOW has worked with private landowners, who have expressed an interest in participating in voluntary conservation efforts, to implement conservation actions under a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA).

The CDOW has been one of the leaders in conducting important research to enhance our understanding of the life history needs of Gunnison sage-grouse. Results of their research should provide managers with critical information that will assist in the species management. The CDOW has also been actively involved in the establishment of conservation easements that reduce the impacts of habitat fragmentation and protect habitat from future residential development. The CDOW has taken the lead and provided funding for the initiation and implementation of a captive-breeding and translocation program that has shown optimistic results to date.

Recent scientific information demonstrates the sage-grouse’s need for large expanses of unfragmented blocks of sagebrush and the influence of human-related activities on the long-term conservation of sage-grouse. Habitat fragmentation resulting from the direct and functional loss of habitat due to residential and road development in all populations poses the principal threat to Gunnison sage-grouse.

The Service acknowledges state, Federal, and local working group partners as well as private landowners for their ongoing and proposed conservation efforts across the range of the Gunnison sagegrouse. All parties are commended for their conservation efforts and are encouraged to continue these efforts.

“While the Service has found that the Gunnison Sage-grouse warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, I strongly support our private and public conservation partners and their ongoing work to conserve this species,” said Stephen Guertin, Regional Director of the Service’s Mountain-Prairie Region. “The Service will continue to collaborate with the individuals, communities, agencies and organizations to improve the status of this imperiled species.”

Local conservation groups have developed plans for six of the seven populations as well as a rangewide Gunnison sage-grouse conservation plan. While these efforts will help conserve Gunnison sagegrouse, they are at this time not adequate to address the primary threat of habitat fragmentation in a manner that effectively reduces or eliminates the most significant contributors to this threat. All of the conservation efforts are limited in size and have not been implemented at the scale (even when considered cumulatively) that would be required to effectively reduce the threats to the species across its range.

The Service will continue to work with partners to develop, implement, and monitor conservation measures to address the threats and conserve the Gunnison sage-grouse. The Service strongly supports the continued implementation of conservation measures and existing plans that reduce habitat fragmentation and thereby promote the long-term conservation and recovery of Gunnison sage-grouse. The continued efforts of all private, county, state, and Federal partners are needed to achieve long-term conservation and recovery of Gunnison sage-grouse.

The Gunnison sage-grouse is a unique species. Its mating display, physical appearance, and smaller size distinguish it from the greater sage-grouse, which is found in 11 different western states. Both species of sage-grouse are known for their elaborate mating rituals and are considered indicator species of the overall health of sagebrush ecosystems.

Gunnison sage-grouse depend on a variety of shrub-steppe habitats throughout their life cycle and are dependent on sagebrush. Their diet consists of 100 percent sagebrush in the winter, and forbs and insects during the remainder of the year. In addition to serving as a primary year-round food source, sagebrush also provides cover for nests and from predators. Thus, Gunnison sage-grouse distribution is strongly correlated with the distribution of sagebrush habitats, with large expanses of unfragmented habitat providing better overall habitat conditions. Gunnison sage-grouse exhibit strong loyalty to particular areas that provide for their breeding, nesting, brood rearing, and wintering seasonal habitat needs.

The remaining 4,000 to 4,500 Gunnison sage-grouse currently occupy approximately 940,000 acres scattered across the seven isolated populations. The Gunnison Basin population encompasses approximately 590,000 acres and over 87 percent of the species’ total number of birds. The remaining six populations contain highly fragmented patches of sagebrush habitat, from 10 to approximately 200 birds each.

In November 2006, San Miguel County (Colorado), Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians and others filed a lawsuit regarding the not-warranted finding. Under a stipulated settlement agreement, the Service agreed to submit a 12-month status review finding to the Federal Register by June 30, 2010. The Court approved an extension of the June 30, 2010, deadline to September 15, 2010.

The public is encouraged to provide information to the Service regarding the status of the Gunnison sage-grouse. Information can be provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service, Western Colorado Field Office, 764 Horizon Drive, Building B, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-3946.

For more information about the Gunnison sage-grouse, visit the Service’s web site at www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/gunnisonsagegrouse or contact Dan Reinkensmeyer or Al Pfister at 970-243-2778 ext. 39 and 29, respectively.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Questions and Answers Regarding the Gunnison Sage-Grouse Candidate Species Status

1. What is the Service’s determination regarding the status of the Gunnison sage-grouse?

Answer: After evaluating all the available scientific and commercial information regarding the Gunnison sage-grouse, including an analysis of the threats to the species and sagebrush habitat, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is warranted. However, listing the Gunnison sage-grouse at this time is precluded by the need to address other listings of higher priority.

The Gunnison sage-grouse will be added to the list of candidate species under the ESA and will be proposed for listing when funding and workload priorities for other listing actions allow.

If the Service proposes the Gunnison sage-grouse for listing in the future, the public will have an opportunity to comment.

As a candidate species, the Gunnison sage-grouse will not have Federal protection and will remain a state-managed species.

2. Why did the Service make this decision?

Answer: Recent science accepted for publication by the Cooper Ornithological Society demonstrates the sage-grouse’s need for large expanses of unfragmented blocks of sagebrush and the influence of human related activities on the long-term conservation of sage-grouse. Currently, habitat fragmentation resulting from the direct and functional loss of habitat due to residential and road development in all populations, including the largest population in the Gunnison Basin, is the principal threat to Gunnison sage-grouse.

Functional habitat loss also contributes to habitat fragmentation as sage-grouse typically avoid areas affected by human activities, including noise, even when sagebrush remains intact. The collective disturbance from human activities around residences, roads, and other human infrastructure, along with other threats such as invasive plants, reduces the effective habitat, making these areas inhospitable to Gunnison sage-grouse.

Human populations are increasing in Colorado and throughout the range of Gunnison sagegrouse. The resulting habitat loss and fragmentation is diminishing the probability of Gunnison sage-grouse persistence. The fragmented nature of the remaining habitat amplifies the negative effects that factors such as predation and genetics are having on the current populations.

The Service believes that because of these factors, the Gunnison sage-grouse and its habitat should be protected under the ESA.

3. What is a candidate species?

Answer: Candidate species are plants and animals for which the Service has sufficient information on their biological status and threats to propose them for listing as endangered or threatened under the ESA, but for which development of a proposed listing regulation is precluded by higher priority listing actions to address species in greater need.

Candidate species receive no statutory protection under the ESA. The Service encourages voluntary cooperative conservation efforts for these species because they are, by definition, species that warrant future protection under the ESA.

4. What is being done to conserve Gunnison sage-grouse?

Answer: State, federal, and local working groups as well as private landowners have developed ongoing and proposed conservation efforts to benefit the Gunnison sage-grouse across its range. We commend these conservation partners and encourage them to continue these efforts.

The Service and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) have worked cooperatively to further the conservation interests of Gunnison sage-grouse through implementation of a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) that was finalized in late 2006. Since that time, the CDOW has been actively engaged in working with local landowners to implement conservation measures to benefit the Gunnison sage-grouse under the CCAA. This CCAA is a voluntary agreement whereby local landowners commit to implement conservation measures that will aid in the recovery of the Gunnison sage-grouse and in return, receive assurances that they will not be subject to future land use restrictions should the Gunnison sagegrouse become a listed species.

The CCAA outlines important conservation measures to assist the species, and provides regulatory protection to enrolled landowners. However, due to its voluntary nature, the CCAA provides no long-term regulatory protection for the species.

The CDOW has been a leader in conducting important research to enhance our understanding of the life history needs of Gunnison sage-grouse. Results of their research should provide managers with critical information that will assist in the species management. The CDOW has also been actively involved in the establishment of conservation easements that reduce the impacts of habitat fragmentation and protect habitat from future residential development. The CDOW has taken the lead and provided funding for the initiation and implementation of a captive-breeding and translocation program that has shown optimistic results to date.

Local working groups have developed conservation plans for six of the seven Gunnison sagegrouse populations as well as a range-wide conservation plan.

The Service recognizes these ongoing and proposed conservation efforts by all entities across the range of the Gunnison sage-grouse. At this time, the measures, although individually positive, do not cumulatively address the primary threat of habitat fragmentation.

The Service will continue to work with agencies and landowners to further implement ongoing and future conservation measures that will help conserve Gunnison sage-grouse and provide for the long-term recovery of the species.

5. Now that the Service has designated the Gunnison sage-grouse as a "candidate," what will happen next?

Answer: When a species becomes a candidate it is given a "listing priority number" (LPN). This number is given because there are not enough Service personnel, time, or money to propose all the candidate species for listing. The purpose of the LPN is to ensure that the species that are in the most trouble are given the highest priority.

We have assigned an LPN of 2 to the Gunnison sage-grouse, which places it near the top of the Service’s nationwide listing priorities.

It is difficult to predict how long it might be before the Service prepares a proposed rule for the Gunnison sage-grouse, as it will depend on the number of LPN 2s that must be addressed by the Service and the funding available. While the Gunnison sage-grouse is a candidate, we will review its status and work with States, other Federal agencies, private landowners, and other partners to step up efforts to conserve the species.

6. What if the Gunnison sage-grouse is proposed for listing again?

Answer: When a "warranted but precluded" finding is made for a species, the Service classifies it as a candidate for listing. If the Service proposes the Gunnison sage-grouse for listing in the future, the public will have an opportunity to comment. When the Service proposes a species for listing, it opens a public comment period, which allows the public an opportunity to provide comment and information on the proposed listed species. The Service then considers all received information in finalizing its listing decision.

7. If the Gunnison sage-grouse is listed in the future, what activities could be impacted?

Answer: Depending on the type of vegetation where a proposed action will occur and the extent and scale of the action, activities such as residential development, road development and access, recreational activities, grazing, energy development, fenceline and/or powerline construction, vegetation control/management, and land-use conversions could be impacted.

8. What can landowners do to conserve candidate species?

Answer: The Service works with private landowners, Tribes, and other Federal and State agencies including other programs within the Fish and Wildlife Service to forge voluntary conservation agreements that benefit candidates and other species-at-risk. We provide technical assistance on designing and implementing conservation actions to address threats identified in our species assessments.

The Service and other federal partners can provide technical and financial assistance for conservation of candidate species on private land. The Service provides financial and technical assistance to landowners seeking to conserve candidate species on their land through its Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Additional financial assistance is available through various Service grants and agreements, as well as through Farm Bill and Department of Defense programs. In addition, the Service has the ability to take advantage of the additional management flexibility afforded to candidate species by facilitating development and implementation of Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCAs) and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs).

CCAs are formal, voluntary agreements between the Service and one or more parties to address the conservation needs of one or more candidate species. Participants voluntarily commit to implement specific actions designed to remove or reduce threats to the covered species. CCAs can involve both Federal and non-Federal lands. Development and implementation of CCAs can provide CCA participants with a strong indication of how activities will be conducted when a species becomes listed. For non-Federal landowners seeking regulatory assurances, CCAAs are an effective tool. A CCAA provides participating property owners with a permit containing assurances that if they implement certain conservation actions for species included in the agreement, they will not be required to implement additional conservation measures beyond those in the CCAA in the event the species becomes listed. Also, additional land, water, or resource use limitations will not be imposed on them should the species become listed in the future, unless they consent to the change. For additional information on these tools, see http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/cca.html.

9. What if someone has important information regarding Gunnison sage grouse?

Answer: The public is encouraged to continue to provide information to the Service regarding the status of the Gunnison sage-grouse. Information provided by the public is an important source in making the best possible decision. Information can be provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service, Western Colorado Field Office, 764 Horizon Drive, Building B, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-3946.

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