BLM CA Vya Sage Grouse Habitat Use and Fitness

The Bureau of Land Management, Applegate Field Office will collaborate with a partner to monitor sage-grouse habitat use and demographic structure in relation to on-going habitat improvement projects -juniper removal- within the Vya Project Planning Area. A hierarchical assessment will consist of the following components: 1. quantifying sage-grouse population-level responses -habitat use and demographics) at local and landscape scales; 2. monitoring changes in vegetation within areas where juniper removal occurs; and 3. measuring the fitness response of individual birds to juniper removal. This project will allow BLM to determine treatment effectiveness and to design and prioritize future treatments within high-priority habitats. This project will also contribute to public understanding of population dynamics and trend within the Vya Project Planning Area.