Oregon Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy and Habitat Designation Update, 2023

Overview

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife first developed a plan for the conservation and management of greater sage-grouse in Oregon in 2005. This document, the Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon (or “CAAS”) (pdf), was last updated in 2011. The 2011 update to the CAAS included a process for defining and delineating the most important sage-grouse habitats in Oregon.  These “Priority Areas for Conservation” are necessary to conserve 90% of Oregon’s greater sage-grouse population and include both core and low-density habitats.

The CAAS recommends the core and low-density habitat maps be updated as new information is obtained on sage-grouse distribution and habitat use in Oregon. Over the past 12 years, Oregon has discovered over 150 new leks, acquired over a million locations from radio- and GPS- marked sage-grouse, and has benefitted from improved habitat suitability models.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider the updated maps and CAAS for adoption in December 2023.

The goal for this effort is to ensure that ODFW is managing sage-grouse with the most current scientific knowledge of sage-grouse populations and their habitats for the long-term benefit of the species and the public interest.

ODFW welcomes public questions and comments about the updated draft version of the core area maps and the CAAS as they become available.

Questions and comments can always be submitted to the Sage-Grouse Management Plan Team via email.

• You can also submit your input here via web form.
  
  

Final Draft Core and Low-Density Sage-Grouse Habitat - November 17, 2023 (pdf) Final Draft Core and Low-Density Sage-Grouse Habitat - Nov (pdf)

Updated DRAFT Oregon Sage-grouse Habitat Designations Map

• SageCon Landscape Planning Tool
• Partners should use these criteria (pdf) as a guide when suggesting potential modifications to the draft revised sage-grouse core and low-density habitat boundaries

• How to view the updated draft core and low-density habitat layers on the SageCon Landscape Planning Tool (pdf)
• Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
  
  

Public meetings will be scheduled for each ODFW District with sage-grouse habitat

• Baker District
  Location: Baker County Courthouse, 1995 3rd St, Baker City, OR; 5:30 – 7:30 pm on August 29, 2023. Meeting agenda.

• Deschutes District
  Location: The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Ave, Bend, OR; 5:30 – 7:30 pm on August 21, 2023. Meeting agenda.
  
  
• Harney District
  Location: Harney County Courthouse, Basement Meeting Room. Harney Natural Resources Advisory Committee meeting. 6:00 - 7:30 pm on August 1, 2023.
  
  
• Lakeview District
  Location: Lake County Memorial Hall. 6:00 - 8:00 pm on August 2, 2023. Meeting agenda.
  
  
• Malheur District
  Afternoon meeting: Malheur Education Service District, 363 A Street West, Vale; 12:30 – 3:30 pm (MDT) on August 16th. Meeting agenda.
  Evening meeting: Jordan Valley Lions Club, 902 US 95 (Bassett), Jordan Valley; 6:00 – 8:00 pm (MDT) on August 16th. Meeting agenda.
  
  
• Ochoco District
  Location: Crook County Open Campus Building. Crook Natural Resources Advisory Committee meeting. 1:00 - 3:00 pm on August 9, 2023.

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Updated DRAFT Sage-Grouse Management Plan

Each section will be made available for review once the draft is completed

• Section I:  Introduction
• Section II:  Overview of Greater Sage-grouse Ecology
• Section III:  Sage-grouse Populations in Oregon
• Section IV:  Sage-grouse Habitat in Oregon
• Section V:  Sage-grouse Conservation Guidelines
• Section VI:  Implementation and Monitoring
• Appendices