Get reliable rangeland science

In 1962, Congress allocated $16.2 million for range rehabilitation to the Vale Oregon District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Vale Rangeland Rehabilitation Program (VRRP) was offered as a solution to deteriorating public rangelands. Over the next 15 years the VRRP conducted brush control by plowing or spraying (primarily 2-4, D) and seeding of 773,000 acres to crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). Even though wildlife experts contributed to the program, the focus was on traditional land use, stock-raising. Since that time, attention has shifted to conservation of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Sage-grouse have large ranges with different habitats for different times of the year, requiring a mosaic of ecological sites. Unfortunately, 50 years later, little is known about how these historical seedings will serve as habitat. We conducted a study of sage grouse late brood-rearing/summer habitat on 15 sites in 7 seedings from the VRRP ranging in size from 1,800 - 4,500 acres and spanning 5 different ecological sites. All of the seedings were classified as preliminary priority habitat by the BLM and surrounded about 17 mapped lekking locations. We measured sagebrush canopy cover, height, and shape and perennial and annual grass, forb, and crested wheatgrass cover. Habitat potential was ranked as suitable, marginal, or unsuitable according to the BLM's Sage-grouse Habitat Assessment Framework. Suitability varied within an ecological site and within the same seeding that crossed different ecological sites, regardless of sprayed or plowed treatment. Of the sites evaluated 6 were suitable, 4 marginal and 5 unsuitable. Our findings suggest that managers will need to account for land-use history and ecological site classification when developing sage-grouse habitat conservation plans.