BEND, Ore. (AP) — A new map of sage grouse breeding habitat across Oregon and the West should help land managers make decisions about development and where to focus conservation efforts.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management drafted the map after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last spring that sage grouse warrant protection under the federal Endangered Species Act — but other species are a higher priority.
At the same time, the BLM announced new policies on protecting the bird’s sagebrush habitat aimed at helping to prevent the sage grouse from being added to the endangered species list.
The Bulletin newspaper in Bend reports that, if the grouse are listed, it could result in strict rules for energy projects, grazing, development and other activities in the high desert of Oregon.
