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US Fish and Wildlife Service, Legacy Region 8, Science Applications

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Understanding greater sage-grouse population trends from the lens of the WAFWA Conservation Design Strategy: implications for management of impacted, core, and growth opportunity areas within the sagebrush biome
We will apply indices of sagebrush ecological integrity, developed by WAFWA, to hierarchical population models of sage-grouse population rates of change over multiple decades to facilitate comprehensive understanding of the links between sagebrush ecosystem health and sagebrush obligate species from the lens of the Conservation Design Strategy. This research will investigate application of core area habitat concepts as it relates to sage-grouse population performance to manage lands within the sagebrush biome. The analysis framework and science deliverables developed from this study can be used as a basis to investigate the population performance of additional species of concern, beyond sage-grouse, in relation...
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Implementing SHC in the sagebrush ecosystem through enhanced technical support
There are multiple ongoing applied science technical projects and concepts for sagebrush SHC efforts that require additional capacity in the form of a dedicated full-time post-doctoral candidate to accelerate project delivery and follow up. For example, State of the Sagebrush Spatial Conservation Planning, WAFWA Conservation Design, NatureServe validation of FY21 Conservation Design, Incorporation of Ungulate Migration Areas into Conservation Design. These projects have been delayed due to lack of capacity and tangible results would be benefited and accelerated with the addition of additional capacity via a two-year hire. This $100,000 SA investment supports conservation priorities for the Sagebrush Ecosystem and...
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Sagebrush Biome Invasive Annual Grass Economic Assessment
There is a critical science need of identifying costs, amortized into the future, associated with prioritizing invasive annual grass management as fuels management to prevent costs of further wildland fire in high priority core areas. An invasive annual grass economic assessment will increase awareness of the resource needs and cost-effectiveness based on an evaluation of return on investment through a spatially prioritized approach for implementation. Realistic estimates for costs and ecological outcomes from allocation scenarios will define resources needed stepped down from a conservation design of Defend and Grow the Core Sagebrush Areas. This information will directly inform programmatic implementation levels...
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Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation actions directed for greater sage-grouse using hierarchical models and the Conservation Efforts Database
The Conservation Efforts Database (CED) is a web-based data portal collecting information from federal and non-federal partners on management actions that benefit sagebrush ecosystems and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat. This project leverages the existing hierarchical population modeling framework and modifies it to identify when significantly declining populations of sage-grouse have recovered to reflect broader-scale trends, and whether that recovery can be linked to conservation actions that occurred across the geographic range of sage-grouse aimed at improving habitat conditions or mitigating environmental stressors. Outcomes of the project will include peer-reviewed scientific evidence...
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