Skip to main content
Advanced Search

Folders: ROOT > ScienceBase Catalog > Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative > WLCI Projects ( Show direct descendants )

142 results (32ms)   

Location

Folder
ROOT
_ScienceBase Catalog
__Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative
___WLCI Projects
View Results as: JSON ATOM CSV
thumbnail
This is a collaborative, two-part project to compile and analyze resource data to support WLCI efforts. Part 1 entails directing data synthesis and assessment activities to ensure that they will inform and support the WLCI LPDTs and Coordination Team in their conservation planning efforts, such as developing conservation priorities and strategies, identifying priority areas for conservation actions, evaluating and ranking conservation projects, and evaluating spatial and ecological relations between proposed habitat projects and WLCI priorities. In FY2014, we helped the Coordination Team complete the WLCI Conservation Action Plan and BLM’s annual report, and we provided maps and other materials to assist with ranking...
thumbnail
This project would increase diversity of forbs and invertebrates in riparian and transitional riparian/upland areas through mowing and seeding of native forb species. A tractor powered mower with a seeder would be used to create an enhanced vegetative mosaic within riparian or transitional riparian areas lacking in vegetative species and structural diversity. A contractor would provide a tractor or seeder for distribution of native seed. This project would focus on improving habitat for a diversity of species, particularly sage grouse and other BLM sensitive avian species such as the Brewer's sparrow and sage thrasher, which rely on riparian habitats for critical brood rearing requirements in the Sand Hills ACEC...
thumbnail
This project will provide for deer crossing the Baggs highway (789) to reduce vehicle collisions. Construction of 3-4 miles of deer proof fence to funnel a portion of a migrating deer herd to existing culvert under HWY 789 to reduce deer vehicle collissions. Installation of 6 cattleguards in current access points to prevent deer access through fences at these points. Further, the project would cover several years and work toward providing safe wildlife passage. Industry and WDOT are being approached to partner with the WGFD on this project. Providing deer crossings of HWY 789 will reduce the incidences of vehicle and deer collisions, reducing deer mortality and damage to vehicles. The project would be done in a...
thumbnail
Prescribed burns to restore aspen habitat on one of the most important elk calving areas for Afton herd and important for aspen-dependent species, transition and winter range for elk, mule deer, and moose east of Alpine, transition and winter range for mule deer and elk of crucial winter range just east of Smoot, and sagebrush, aspen, meadow, and willow habitat on transition range for mule deer and elk 30 miles up the Greys River. In addition, determine 1) locations and distribution of aspen stands on the district that are in need of treatment and 2) prioritize stands relative to level of risk, this information to be used in formulating an aspen treatment schedule. (This assessment would be consistent with methodology...
Approximately 298 acres of seasonal shallow water wetland habitat will be established or enhanced for water birds and waterfowl by constructing and repairing low level dikes and installing 6 water control structures. In addition, permanent water wetlands will be constructed enhance the wetland complex.
thumbnail
Project Synopsis: the Ferris Mountain project area consists of mainly timbered slopes, interspersed with upland areas dominated by sagebrush, grass, and mountain shrub communities. Timber stands within the project unit consist of Douglas fir, subalpine fir, spruce, lodgepole pine, limber pine, and aspen, in addition to scattered locations of Rocky Mountain juniper. Long-term suppression of wildfires has promoted the encroachment of conifers into shrublands, aspen stands, and drainages supporting aspen, waterbirch and willows, to the point where many of these communities are non-functional. Decadence and disease is commonly observed in terms of mistletoe, blister rust, and bleeding rust, and pine beetles have...
thumbnail
The Muddy Creek watershed, part of the Upper Colorado River watershed, is a semi-arid catchment in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem. A synoptic watershed assessment was conducted in 2010 to identify areas within the watershed that are more susceptible to mobilization of trace elements that occur in soils forming on marine shale. Samples of soil, stream sediment, and water were collected and assayed for major elements and a suite of trace elements. Formation waters discharged from two wells within the watershed were sampled in 2011 to evaluate their potential contribution of organic carbon, nitrogen (N) species, and trace elements to surface waters. In FY2012, analyses of the soil, rock, and water samples collected...
thumbnail
Limits on the time and financial resources available for monitoring efforts, coupled with the complexities of natural resources and stakeholders, are challenges in resource monitoring. To help address these and related challenges, the USGS Monitoring Team (MT) has linked conceptual monitoring specialists with habitat and wildlife biologists to inform and develop creative, scientifically defensible approaches for monitoring the status and trends of populations and habitats across the WLCI region. This collaboration has led to spatially balanced monitoring designs that will make it possible to interpret conditions across the WLCI region and a mechanism for integrating species’ distributions and population responses...
thumbnail
Regional-scale studies, such as those being conducted for the WLCI, are well suited for the use of remote-sensing techniques. Derivative products from remote-sensing instruments, such as Landsat, have been used successfully for decades in studies of geology, vegetation, environmental change, and many other types of scientific research. The continuous coverage of Landsat data since 1972 makes it possible to establish baseline conditions in areas affected by renewable and nonrenewable energy development. In this study, various Landsat datasets are being used to map current and pre-development conditions in the WLCI study area for a selected set of scientific interests. Landsat scenes have been mosaicked to produce...
thumbnail
In the WLCI region, the quality and condition of sagebrush steppe is a concern given the extent of rangewide land-use change, habitat conversion, and rapid energy development in sagebrush systems. Three migratory songbird species are considered near-obligates of sagebrush shrublands: Brewer’s and sagebrush sparrows and sage thrasher, all of which are designated Species of Great Conservation Need in Wyoming (Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 2010) and nest in Green River Basin. In collaboration with the WGFD, we initiated this multiphase project to address the WLCI management need to identify the condition and distribution of sagebrush songbird habitats and key drivers of change in those habitats. In Phase I (2008...
thumbnail
Muddy Creek, a tributary to the Little Snake River, is a semi-arid catchment that drains about 1,200 mi2 in south-central Wyoming. The drainage basin is characterized as a sagebrush steppe ecosystem. The area is undergoing energy exploration and development, including conventional natural gas wells and coalbed natural gas wells. Geologic formations that underlie the drainage basin include soluble marine shales, which are a natural source of dissolved solids (for example, sodium, chloride, and sulfate) and Se. As a result, the water quality of Muddy Creek is naturally high in dissolved constituents, including Se. The WDEQ has listed chloride and Se as impairments to aquatic life for Muddy Creek. Dissolved solids...
thumbnail
The Muddy Creek watershed has been identified as having a high conservation value for Wyoming's fish species, big game crucial winter range and parturition areas, myriad neotropical migrant birds, abundant sage-grouse, and occupied habitat for the only population of Columbian sharp-tail grouse in Wyoming. Objectives of this project are to 1) Construct or maintain 4 vegetation exclosure projects, 2) Plant riparian vegetation, 3) improvement projects, monitoring of the area would be conducted to document the success of management efforts and identify areas where improvement is needed. Implementation of this project will benefit a diversity of fish and wildlife resources within an important ecosystem including...
thumbnail
The Platte Valley watershed area between Seminoe Reservoir and the Wyoming/Colorado state line provides important seasonal habitat for a variety of wildlife species including five big game species (mule deer, antelope, elk, bighorn sheep and moose), as well as identified core areas for greater sage grouse, and historic sage grouse ranges outside of core areas. Habitat conditions throughout the watershed center on proper multiple use management, including domestic livestock and wildlife, so that the standards for rangeland health on both uplands and riparian areas are met. The area was reviewed for conformance with the Wyoming Standards and Guidelines for Healthy Rangelands in 2004 and 2005. While the majority...
thumbnail
Convert fences in mule deer crucial winter range, in the Powder Rim allotment, where the design of fence (5-6 barbed) to improve big game passage and reduce stress, energy loss, injury, and mortality.
thumbnail
Project Synopsis: BLM Kemmerer Field Office (KFO) proposes to construct riparian exclosures within the “Sage” sage-grouse core area as designated by the Wyoming Governor’s Executive Order (EO 2011-5). During late summer, fall and early winter of 2011 the BLM mapped and inventoried approximately 190 reservoirs and 50 springs/seeps in the Ruby Priority Project area. After compiling 2011 data, the BLM identified several springs/seeps as priorities for protection/enhancement. The springs/seeps are repeatedly grazed to the extent that hummocks are forming or have already formed. Once hummocks form or start to form, the immediate threat is a high soil compaction which could result in a lower water table, the spring/seep...
Restore and enhance wetland habitat for spring through fall habitat for trumpeter swans and other wetland dependent avian species.
thumbnail
Migratory ungulates are susceptible to effects of development along their migration corridors. For example, impermeable barriers such as tall fences preclude movements of migratory populations. Most forms of development in the West, however, represent semipermeable barriers, and their influences on migration remain unclear. This study entails using fine-scale mule deer movement data to evaluate the influence of anthropogenic barriers on the animals’ migratory behaviors. Our efforts include evaluating the rate of travel, duration of stopovers, and route fidelity of deer migrating across a gradient of development in Southwest Wyoming. In FY2014, we analyzed mule deer movement metrics and use of migration stopover...
In 2006/2007 the Adobetown Herd Management Area (HMA) was rounded up to bring the HMA to its Appropriate Management Level (AML). Given that the HMA is now at AML, a suite of projects have been identified that will improve wildhorse and livestock distribution, rangeland health, and reduce wildhorse movement outside the HMA. The majority of livestock use in this area includes winter sheep, and water development is lacking throughout the HMA. Six miles of pipeline, a number of short pipelines, troughs and supplies for several water wells are proposed. An existing network of pipelines and troughs could be rehabilitated with the purchase and installation of a large solar pump. Four spring developments and small pits...
The objective of the project is to improve the infrastructure of the Red Rim Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) as well as conduct habitat improvements. Two windmills will be upgraded to solar pumps and panels. Six and a half miles of fence will be converted from woven wire to wildlife friendly fencing and 8 miles of fence will have single strand conversion to meet BLM and WGFD wildlife standards (i.e. the bottom wire is too low or the top wire is too high). An exclosure will be erected around a riparian area to keep cattle out, sagebrush will be thinned (approx. 140 acres), weeds will be treated (approx. 200 acres) and native grasses and legumes sown (approx. 170 acres). The Red Rim WHMA is located southwest...
thumbnail
This project is an ongoing cooperative project to restore 6,300 feet of Battle Creek and replace two irrigation structures which currently block seasonal fish migration. This joint project will improve native Colorado Cutthroat fish habitat, improve thermal and low flow habitat, and reduce bank erosion. Restoration will include narrowing the channel to accommodate for 590 cfs bankfull flows; excavating pools and installing fish-hook vane structures to improve low flow trout habitat; and re-establishing riparian vegetation to prevent further erosion. At a minimum, the project will include the following: installing 10 fish-hook vanes, excavating 12 pools, installing bank full benches to narrow the channel, installing...
map background search result map search result map Baggs Area Fence Conversion Muddy Creek Enhancements (by Wyoming Youth Conservation Corps) Platte Valley Mule Deer Habitat Management (Condit) Riparian Restoration, Carbon County Baggs Deer Crossing Mud Lake Trumpeter Swan Nest Site Enhancement Project Adobetown Range Area Improvements Red Rim Wildlife Habitat Management Area Improvements Battle Creek Restoration Grey's River Prescription Burn - Bug Creek Wetland Construction and Enhancements, Lincoln County Application of Comprehensive Assessment to Support Decisionmaking and Conservation Actions BLM Ferris Mountain Prescribed Burn Phase 1 Sage-grouse Core Area Riparian Exclosure Project Baggs Deer Crossing Grey's River Prescription Burn - Bug Creek Battle Creek Restoration Baggs Area Fence Conversion Muddy Creek Enhancements (by Wyoming Youth Conservation Corps) Sage-grouse Core Area Riparian Exclosure Project Platte Valley Mule Deer Habitat Management (Condit) Riparian Restoration, Carbon County BLM Ferris Mountain Prescribed Burn Phase 1 Application of Comprehensive Assessment to Support Decisionmaking and Conservation Actions