BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho bird that some environmentalists and birders feel should be protected as an endangered species, could soon be getting federal help.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has drafted a plan to strengthen conservation and management for greater sage-grouse living on public lands.
There are currently less than 800 thousand of those birds in 10 western states, including Idaho, and they rely on sagebrush lands for their population to stay healthy. The problem is that over the years habitat loss has begun taking a toll on their numbers.
“The majesty of the West and its way of life are at stake. Sagebrush lands are places where people work and play, and they are the headwaters for the West’s major rivers,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “Joint efforts to conserve the greater sage-grouse and its habitat led to the largest collaborative conservation effort in our history, and we are building on that work, together with our partners, to ensure the health of these lands and local economies into the future.”
The BLM manages the largest single share of sage-grouse habitat in the United States—nearly 67 million acres of 145 million total acres. The draft plan offers a range of alternatives for sustainable management of these lands, with six possible amendments for 69 million acres of habitat.
One option offering the most protections would ban oil and gas companies from getting new permits or leases on sage grouse habitat.
But before finalizing their plan the BLM wants the public to weigh in so they’re hosting 13 public meetings to answer questions and take further comments on the draft alternatives and analysis. Information on public meetings will be posted here on the BLM’s website.
