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Matt Kales

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Impacts of Conifer Removal on Sagebrush Songbirds
Conifer encroachment is one of the most significant threats to sagebrush habitats and the species that rely on them. Removal of encroaching conifers is beneficial for Greater Sage-Grouse, but impacts on other sagebrush-obligate species are not well understood. This project aims to quantify the impact of conifer removal on sagebrush songbird abundance and reproductive success. Work has been initiated through a previously-supported (by IR5/7 SA) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit project across six conifer-removal and six conifer-remaining (control) plots of ca. 55 ha each. Initial results suggest that conifer removal benefits both abundance and nesting success of sagebrush-obligate species (Brewers Sparrows...
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Assessment of fuel break performance fire risk, ecology, and economy
Invasive annual grasses are a primary, serverre, and challenging threat to habitat conservation and restoration for sge-dependent wildlife across federal, state and private lands. Successful management solutions for sagebrush ranglands vary and require an integrated approach involving some sequence of interventions such as herbicides, seeding of competitive natives that also create habitat, and temporarily alter land use such as grazing, in an adaptive-management approach. The proposed work will test different herbicides and options for applying them with different seeding and land uses in differnet sites across the sagebrush landscpae within Interior Regions 5,7,9, and 10. Research outcomes will identify and demonstrate...
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This dataset contains a raster representing current (2017-2020) core sagebrush, growth opportunity areas, and other rangelands on tribal and federal lands that are estimated to be climate resilient into the future (2030-2060). We determined climate-resiliency by comparing current (2017-2020) core sagebrush, growth opportunity areas, and other rangelands to estimated future (2030-2060) conditions of core and growth opportunity areas under mid-century climate change (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5) conditions (Doherty et al. 2022). The Department of the Interior (DOI) Sagebrush Keystone Initiative (KI) team worked with partners to identify areas within the sagebrush biome for strategic investments in conservation...
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Sagebrush Collaborative Restoration Landscapes to Support Management Efforts Improving Fire Resiliency and Restoration in the Sagebrush Biome
The sagebrush ecosystem spans over 175 million acres in the western United States, and is biologically, culturally, and economically significant to the country. Many disturbances including prolonged drought, pinyon-juniper encroachment, and cycles of invasive grasses and wildfire, pose significant threats to the resilience of the sagebrush biome. To conserve the sagebrush biome and promote community and economic sustainability, the Department of the Interior’s bureaus and offices are working together with many public and private partners to implement a “defend and grow the core” approach to conserve remaining intact sagebrush habitat and ecosystem functions, as well as restore other habitat types which are important...
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Sagebrush Ecosystem Team (SET)
The SET is a cross-programmatic, cross-regional team consisting of US Fish and Wildlife Service sagebrush ecosystem conservation practitioners.Our mission: The SETs mission is to represent and work across US Fish and Wildlife Service programs and partnerships to deliver strategic conservation solutions for the sagebrush biome.Our vision: Our vision is for a healthy, functional sagebrush biome that supports wildlife AND people.Operational approach: The SET thrives on inclusion, partnerships, actionable science and delivery. We believe conservation investments should be transparent, accountable, and focused on strategic investments in common landscape-scale priorities and objectives. We understand the Service is but...
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