ESSENTIALS
What We Know:
- The Greater Sage-grouse has been designated as a Species at Risk by the Government of Alberta, and as an Endangered species by the Government of Canada
- The Greater Sage-grouse population in southeastern Alberta is in sharp decline, with only 13 displaying males counted in 2011
- The decline in Sage-grouse population has been linked to increased human (industrial) development on or near Sage-grouse habitat
What is Being Done:
- Using the Conservation & Development by Design principles, the GIS models for Sage-grouse Habitat and Land-use Intensity were merged to identify five conservation & development zone types
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These zones identify:
- Key Sage-grouse habitat, both current, which would need to be maintained, as well as where restoration may be effective in adding new suitable habitat in the future
- Current land-use activities, including oil & gas development
- Areas where conservation offsets would be beneficial, as a means of balancing the impact of any development projects
- Conservation offsets are intended to increase the number of Sage-grouse and enhance (in quality and/or size) their habitat
- A translocation project began in April of 2011, which will see around 160 Sage-grouse from Montana brought to the Alberta Sage-grouse habitat over the next four years
Based on a presentation made by Dr. C. C. Gates, June 8 2011, at the Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network's "Wicked Problems" workshop.
THE DETAILS:
1. Links to Greater Sage-grouse information from Alberta, Canada and the US
