Laurie Riley, John Chase, Karl Christians, Jeff Tiberi

Montana NRCS Sage Grouse Partner Meeting, Annual Update

Best Western Great Northern, Helena

9:30 - 1:30  Mar 10, 2011

Learn about sage grouse recovery efforts in Montana.

• Core Area 1 - Mostly in Valley County
• Core Area 2 - Blaine, Phillips, Valley Counties
• Core Area 3 - Fergus & Petroleum Counties
• Core Area 5 - Very small portion in Petroleum and Garfield Counties
• Core Area 6 - Very small portion in Garfield County

Speakers included:

• Joe Fidel, NRCS, State sage Grouse Coordinator
• Tim Griffiths, NRCS Natl Sage Grouse Coordinator
• Jenny Woodward, NRCS Biologist
• Dave Wood, BLM
• Rick Northrup, MFWP
• Jim Stutzman, USFWS
• Jeff Tiberi, MACD
• Brian Martin, TNC
• Ben Deeble, The National Wildlife Federation

·            Karl Mattson,MT Stockgrowers Assn

·            Bruce Waage, BLM

The Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) was launched in March 2010 by the NRCS "to provide a holistic approach to conserving sage grouse and sustaining working ranches in the West" and is one of the largest success stories in the West.   There is a strong link between conditions to support sustainable ranching and habitats required for healthy sage grouse populations.  NRCS approved 223 contracts totaling over $18.5 million in financial assistance to remove threats to sage grouse on working ranches in the West. What is good for sage grouse is good for ranching: large, intact landscapes; plant diversity, and healthy ecosystems.   In MT the major threat is tillage agriculture, in WY it is oil & gas development, in OR it is conifer encroachment, in Ca it is conifer encroachment and fire. 

Fence marking within a 1/4 mile of a lek can prove a 6-fold decline in mortality.  By marking or moving 180 miles of fence, they believe 800-1,000 collisions were avoided.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is leveraging conservation funds because sage grouse core areas overlap with elk winter range.

Discussed activities and accomplishments in Core Areas 4,3,6 and 8,9,10.

In MT, 8.9 million acres contain 75% of all sage grouse in the state.   Focus is on weeds, fencing, escape ramps (water trough), working ranches/grazing.  Working with grazing plans, grass height is key.  In the Round Up area, 90,000 acres in the first year accepted NRCS rest/rotation grazing standards. This year added 30,000 more acres.  In Core Area 3, NRCS put a staff person there and approx 90,000 acres accepted NRCS standards.  In Core Area 6, NRCS put a staff person there and 200,000 acres should be signed up next year. In Core Area 1 they are using conservation easements to reduce fragmentation.  Interest is very high in SW MT (Centennial Valley).

MFWP confirmed (and inventoried) 11,052 active leks in MT.

The USFWS has a private lands program that is voluntary and based on habitat enhancement through cooperation with landowners.  They have a biologist in Sheridan

Jeff Tiberi discussed the MACD $25,000 grant program that is currently over-subscribed.  They are looking at a monitoring program.

BLM is revising 5 RMPs and deferring leasing oils and gas parcels.

In the Northern Prairies Area, the TNC Matador Ranch has a grass bank where ranchers lease at a discount in return for certain conservation practices on their own ranches; they are building a community-based approach.  Sod-busting is a big issue related to corn for biofuel production.

The National Wildlife Federation has an "Adopt-a-Lek" program started in Beaverhead County for monitoring; use of volunteers is large.

The BLM in partnership with MFWP to delineate core areas and develop local working groups (Dillon, Glasgow, Miles City).

Tim Ouellette has invited Tim Griffiths to the MRCDC quarterly meeting in Glasgow in May.  We will hopefully also incorporate a ranch tour for this meeting.