Get reliable rangeland science

With the status of Sage-grouse there are a multitude of programs spanning federal, state, and local government agencies. These programs include regulatory, and mitigation type activities.� Each of these programs has merit in its aim to protect and enhance Sage-grouse habitat and ultimately the bird. Because these programs impact mineral extraction, infrastructure construction, and livestock grazing there is a need to assess habitat in a cost effective, timely, and accurate manner that reflect the entire landscape. Limited budgets and personnel make assessing and monitoring the Sage-grouse resources very difficult. Stand-alone ground based assessment and monitoring protocols are often expensive, infrequent, and not representative of the actual condition and trend. Consequently, valuable field time is spent in collecting data that does not reflect actual conditions wasting valuable time and public money. Range professionals are highly trained and competent at their jobs but are hamstrung by inadequate tools and the sheer size of the lands they manage. Their judgment and experience needs to be leveraged by their tools instead of limited. Remotely sensed data is the tool that can accomplish this.� Additionally, the limitations of new staff and agency turnover on long term monitoring efforts can also be overcome by having a standardized data set showing long term trend. We would like to demonstrate the potential of remotely sensed data used by range professionals to augment current data and long term needs posed by Sage-grouse programs.