Step by step

Step by step

Aug 20, 2024

By late summer, vegetation on sagebrush rangelands have dried out, and broods of sage-grouse may move elsewhere to look for food and water. Sagebrush have long taproots that access the groundwater needed to produce flowers and seeds in the coming weeks, but they are less hospitable to insects and less palatable for wildlife at this time.

Greater sage-grouse tracks in dried mud| USFWS/Tom Koerner

Streambanks and meadows adjacent to sagebrush areas may still be green with native grasses and the leaves of flowering plants, where there are spiders and insects to supplement the plant-based diet.

Riparian areas (streambanks) and wet meadows (mesic areas) are primary habitat for some species
and seasonally important for others, like the greater sage-grouse. | USFWS/Tom Koerner

Intensified drought and wildfire along with other long-term climate effects can make this time more difficult for sage-grouse and other species which share these habitats. These effects are among the reasons the BLM is updating its plans for conserving greater sage-grouse habitat on the public lands it manages.

Projects that restore and conserve priority areas identified in the habitat plans represent investments in the future capacity of these lands and waters to serve a broad range of species and multiple uses. Examples from the LaBarge watershed in Wyoming's Pinedale Field Office and the Dillon Field Office in southwestern Montana are designed to keep moisture in mesic and riparian areas longer, by re-creating or mimicking conditions that pre-date drought effects.

Restored riparian areas along Little Sage Creek in the BLM Dillon Field Office with upland sagebrush in the background | BLM/Montana-Dakotas

At the end of the day, greater sage-grouse still find dry, loose soil useful for a dust bath before seeking cover for their night's rest.

Water is for drinking, dust is for bathing. | USFWS/Tom Koerner

Heather Feeney, Public Affairs Specialist