BLM Plant Conservation Program: Its Role in Sage Grouse Conservation

Peggy OlwellBLM Plant Conservation Program LeadColorado Plateau Native Plant Program Meeting April 8, 2014

Overview

• Native Plant Materials Development Program

• Sagebrush for Conserving Sage- Grouse• Climate Change• Interagency Seed Summit• 3rd National Seed Conference (planning

stages)

FY2001 House Appropriations Conference Report Language

“The managers direct the agencies to develop a long-term program to manage and supply native plant materials for use in various Federal land management restoration and rehabilitation needs. The managers recommend that the interagency native plant conservation initiative lead this effort.”

Native Plant Materials Development ProgramFunding committed by DOI/BLMFY2001 – FY2014 ~$70 Million

Native Plant Materials Development Process

• BLM Field Offices• Chicago Botanic Garden Interns• USDA FS Bend Seed Extractory• USDA ARS Western Plant

Introduction Station• USDA ARS National Center for

Genetic Resources Preservation• Smithsonian Institution

• USGS Colorado Plateau Research Station• Great Basin Native Plant Project• USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station• University of Idaho• University of Nevada-Reno• OSU Malheur Experiment Station• University of Utah Rio Mesa Center• University of Wyoming

BLM Seed Warehouse System• Boise Regional Seed Warehouse• Ely Regional Seed WarehouseOther Partner Seed Warehouses

• BLM Public Land• Institute for Applied

Ecology• Truax Company, Inc.

NRCS Plant Materials Centers• Palmer PMC (AK) • Tucson PMC (AZ)• Lockeford PMC (CA)• Upper Colorado PMC• Aberdeen PMC (ID)• Bridger PMC (MT)• Los Lunas PMC (NM)• Great Basin PMC (NV)• Corvallis PMC (OR)• Pullman PMC (WA)GrowersSpecial K Ranch

• Growers• State Seed Certifying Agencies

Seeds of Success Collections by REA 2001-2014

REA Collection Count

Central Basin and Range 1546

Chihuahuan Desert 273

Colorado Plateau 789

Madrean Archipelago 170

Middle Rockies 114

Mojave Basin and Range 625

North Slope 45

Northern Great Basin 1104

Northwestern Great Plains 127

Seward Peninsula 123

Sonoran Desert 272

Southern Great Plains 240

Wyoming Basin 622

State Collection Count

Alaska 614

Arizona 749

California 2277

Colorado 887

Idaho 623

Montana 94

Nevada 1528

New Mexico 367

Oregon 1974

Utah 1521

Washington 243

Wyoming 768

Seeds of Success Collections By State 2001-2014

2012 Wildfires in Sage-Grouse Habitat

• 2 million acres of Sage-Grouse habitat burned

• Only 400,000 acres rehabilitated

• 1.6 million acres remain to be rehabilitated

Wyoming Big Sagebrush from 13 Locations Planted in Glenns Ferry, ID in 1987

From: Sands, Alan, and Ann Moser. 2013. ID Fish & Game Report

Seeds of Success Sage-Grouse Habitat Collections 2001-2013

Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation & Improvement Projects Across the BLM• 99 Projects in Total Across 7 Western States in 41 Field

Offices- Native Seed Collection - Post-Fire Seeding- Propagation - Germination Studies- Monitoring - Grow Out

• 29 Projects with Federal Partners- USGS - Forest Service- NRCS - ARS- BIA - Fish & Wildlife Service

• 62 Projects with NGO Partners- Mule Deer Foundation - University of WY- Chicago Botanic Garden - Great Basin Institute- NV Sagebrush Ecosystem Council

Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat with State & Federal Correctional Facilities

National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy

• The Strategy identifies seven goals to help fish, wildlife, plants and ecosystems cope with the impacts of climate change.

• Goal 2: Manage species and habitats to protect ecosystem functions and provide sustainable cultural, subsistence, recreational, and commercial use in a changing climate.– Strategy 2.3: Conserve genetic

diversity by protecting diverse populations and genetic material across the full range of species occurrences.

Thank you and

Questions