Conifers such as western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) have encroached sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems and impacted greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) habitat.� This encroachment began just after European settlement of the Intermountain West resulting from anthropogenic changes in fire regimes.� Sage-grouse avoid conifers at canopy cover levels <2% and landscape-scale removal of conifers has been documented to improve nest and adult survival rates.� However, little empirical data on the impact of conifer removal on sage-grouse population abundance or growth exists.� Using a �before-after-control-impact� study design, sage-grouse marked with VHF and GPS transmitters were monitored at a treatment site with conifer removal and a control site without conifer removal in Lake County, Oregon from 2010�2017.� Conifer removal began in the treatment area in 2012 and approximately 13,134 ha were removed on public and private lands by 2017.� Over the course of the study, 417 marked females, 378 nests, and 223 broods were monitored. �Hierarchical integrated population models were used to incorporate demographic data from telemetry and count data from annual lek surveys for more informative characterization of population growth rates in the treatment and control areas.� The results of these analyses will provide insights into the potential impact of conifer removal on sage-grouse populations as well as useful information for wildlife and land managers.� A robust understanding of the impacts of management actions such as conifer removal on native wildlife including sage-grouse is critical for sustainable management of rangelands and sagebrush systems.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.