Hi folks,

Just got the November issue of the Journal of Range Management, the
scientific publication of the Society for Range Management. Among the
several articles on grazing management, rangeland improvement,
measurement/sampling, soils, plant ecology, and plant/animal relationships
was the following article on sage grouse habitat, by University of Idaho and
Idaho Dept Fish & Game authors. Thought that some of us on the list might
be interested.

Pamela J Nelle, Kerry P Reese and John W Connelly. 2000. Long-term effects
of fire on sage grouse habitat. J. Range Manage. 53(6): 586-591.

Abstract: "This study documented the long-term (> 10 years) impact of fire
on sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus Bonaparte) nesting and
brood-rearing habitats on the Upper Snake River Plain in southeastern Idaho.
The habitat of the study area is primarily mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata vaseyana Rydb.) - grassland. Twenty different-aged burns were
sampled from 1996 to 1997, ranging from wildfires which burned during the
1960s to prescribed fires set during the 1990s. Canopy coverage and height
of vegetation, and relative abundance of invertebrates, were estimated at
burned and unburned sites within burns. Fourteen years after burning,
sagebrush had not returned to pre-burn conditions. No difference was
detected in forb abundance between different-aged burns. Relative abundance
of ants and beetles was significantly greater in the 1-year old burn
category but had returned to unburned levels by 3-5 years postburn. No
benefits for sage grouse occurred as a result of burning sage grouse nesting
and brood-rearing habitats. Burning created a long-term negative impact on
nesting habitat because sagebrush required over 20 years of postburn growth
for percent canopy cover to become sufficient for nesting."

The consequences of fire - especially including prescribed burning - in
sagebrush habitats are negative for the declining populations of sage
grouse. This has implications for those of us in the birding community
('specially me, who have yet to see a sage grouse in Washington...), as well
as for a lot of users of the public lands - if sage grouse end up listed
under the ESA....

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net