By Dustin Bleizeffer 

The overall sage grouse population is actually on the rise here in Wyoming as part of the bird’s cyclical trends, according to local wildlife officials.

And the state’s “core areas” conservation plan for the bird is hailed by many as a more practical, effective alternative to a listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Yet the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which oversees a bulk of sage grouse habitat in the state, has not come forward with its own comprehensive sage grouse conservation plan — nor is it strictly adhering to the state’s conservation plan for the bird.

Despite the bird’s stronghold here, hot spots of oil and gas development have proven detrimental to some local sage grouse populations.

All of these factors fall on the “list” side of the ESA calculation, according to Brian Rutledge, executive director and vice president of Audubon Wyoming.

“They (BLM) are flirting at the edge of the listing because they are ignoring the efforts of the state and its governor,” Rutledge said.

Others believe the state’s sage grouse conservation plan, and BLM’s moderate cooperation with the state on it, go far enough that if the sage grouse were to be listed, the ESA restrictions would have a limited impact in Wyoming.

“That’s the million-dollar question,” said Marty Griffith,
Wyoming BLM’s chief of natural resources.

“We’re putting our best efforts in mapping and monitoring,”
Griffith continued. “So, yeah, we’re pretty confident we’re
doing the best we can. But we’ll see.”

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