Energy Development and Conservation Tradeoffs: Systematic Planning for Greater Sage-Grouse in their Eastern Range

We developed a framework for conservation planning to evaluate options for reducing development impacts on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota that contained some of the largest populations and highest risk of energy development. We used lekcount data (N 2,336 leks) to delineate highabundance population centers, which we termed core regions, that contained 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the known breeding population. We assessed vulnerability of these areas by examining risk of future land transforming uses from energy development. Sage-grouse abundance varied by state. Core regions contain a disproportionately large segment of the breeding population, and core regions vary dramatically by risk of future energy development. Wyoming contains 64% of the known sage-grouse population and more active leks than all the other states combined within our study area. Conservation success in Wyoming will depend on leasing and permitting policy decisions because this state has the highest risk of development. Montana contains fewer sage-grouse (24%) than Wyoming, but actions that reduce sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) tillage by providing private landowners incentives to maintain sagebrush-dominated landscapes would provide lasting benefits because core regions in Montana are at comparatively low development risk. Habitat restoration in areas with low risk of development but containing fewer sage-grouse fit into the overall conservation strategy by targeting populations that promote connectivity of core regions. This vulnerability assessment illustrates the tradeoffs between conservation and energy development, and provides a framework for maintaining populations across the species’ eastern range.