EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSERVATION ACTIONS AND POPULATION TRENDS OF GREATER SAGE-GROUSE (CENTROCERCUS UROPHASIANUS) IN THE BI-STATE DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT

Steven R Mathews; U.S. Geological Survey; smathews@usgs.gov; Peter Coates, Brian Prochazka, Sarah Webster, Cali Weise, Cameron Aldridge, Michael O'Donnell, Kevin Doherty, John Tull

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations have declined significantly across their range and in the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (DPS), largely attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation. Over the last few decades, wildlife managers have implemented habitat conservation actions aimed at restoring sage-grouse populations in the Bi-State DPS. Using a Progressive Change Before-After-Control-Impact Paired Series design, we evaluated the effects of conservation actions on sage-grouse population abundance using count data from 57 leks for which we had lek data prior to and after conservation implementation during 1990–2021. Relative to leks with no conservation actions, leks within 5 km of a conservation action had an average annual increase in abundance of 4.4% since 2012, resulting in a total increased abundance of 37.4%. While Bi-State sage-grouse populations declined overall through our study, the total sage-grouse abundance in the Bi-State DPS today is 37.4% higher than if no conservation actions had occurred. Additionally, we estimated sage-grouse population trends across six population cycles from 1960–2023. Estimated population growth of the Bi-State DPS across the last two (15 years), four (28 years), and six (45 years) population cycles was 0.976 (95% CRI = 0.964 – 0.986), 0.990 (0.977 – 0.999), and 0.979 (0.969 – 0.987), respectively.

Restoring/Monitoring Wildlife Populations and Habitats III