Updated Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse in Utah released
By Ben Nadolski
Utah has an updated greater sage-grouse conservation plan, Gov. Gary Herbert announced Jan. 14. The updated Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse in Utah can be viewed online. The plan will guide the management of greater sage grouse in Utah for the next five years.
Gov. Herbert authorized the first version of the plan in 2013. Since then, the plan has led countless state, federal, and private partners in conserving greater sage grouse in Utah. Statewide populations have thrived as a result.
In 2017 and 2018, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in coordination with the governor’s Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office, worked with a broad group of stakeholders to review the plan and recommend further improvements. Herbert said the updated plan incorporates new science, knowledge, and key lessons learned while building on the progress made under the past plan. With the ongoing commitment and collaboration of the state of Utah and its many conservation partners, including private landowners, the plan gives Utah a new chapter in sage grouse conservation.
“Utah has a long history of successful wildlife management,” Herbert said. “It is thanks to these efforts that we have been able to protect this species, and I trust that these developments will continue to promote healthy habitat for the sage grouse throughout the State.”
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources director Mike Fowlks said that a conservation plan is only as effective as the partnerships that apply it to the state’s landscapes.
“This new plan will continue to support the collaborative partnerships we’ve built together through a proven model of community-based conservation that works for the people and wildlife of Utah,” Fowlks said.
Ben Nadolski is a Division of Wildlife Resources policy analyst.
Articles related to “Updated Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse in Utah released”
Interior announces grants for wetlands, waterfowl conservation, access to public lands
Letter to the editor: The Lake Powell Pipeline, conservation, and Navajo Sandstone
