Sage Grouse Research Collaborative

Greater Sage Grouse, USFWS Pacific

Overview

The Sage-Grouse Research Collaborative (SGC) was formed in 2010 through the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative (NWCC) to coordinate studies examining the potential impacts of wind energy development on sage-grouse across their range with the goal of informing wind development and sage-grouse management strategies. The SGC was overseen by an Oversight Committee, which included representatives from academia, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, and wind developers. View an NWCC fact sheet that provides an overview of knowledge on greater sage-grouse ecology, status, conservation challenges, and current conservation efforts, and presents a summary of recent research findings on the interactions between sage-grouse and wind energy development.

View All NWCC & REWI Results on Prairie Grouse and Wind Energy

Visit the Results Catalog

Projects

Through a competitive process conducted in 2011, the SGC selected the following three research projects to support with funds raised from federal, state, and industry sources. The SGC provided funding for the research from 2011 until 2014, with $715,537 awarded in 2011, $533,500 awarded in 2012, $527,721 awarded in 2013, and $254,113 awarded in 2014.

“A study of the impacts of a wind energy development on GreaterSage-Grouse populations in southeastern Wyoming,” led by Wyoming Wildlife Consultants LLC and Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc.
“Ecology of male Greater Sage-Grouse in relation to wind energy development in Wyoming,” led by University of Missouri and Power Company of Wyoming
“Response of Greater Sage-Grouse to wind power development,” led by Idaho Department of Fish and Game
- Note: Because the proposed wind energy project on which this research was based did not move forward, the SGC decided in 2012 not to continue funding this research. Using funds already provided by the SGC, the research team continued scaled-back research (with a focus on survival data, nesting, and broods) until August 2012.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

A Study of the Impacts of a Wind Energy Development on Greater Sage-Grouse Populations in Southeastern Wyoming

LeBeau, C.W., G.D. Johnson, M.J. Holloran, J.L. Beck, R.M. Nielson, M.E. Kauffman, E.J. Rodemaker, T.L. McDonald. 2017. Greater sage-grouse habitat selection, survival, and wind energy infrastructure. Jour. Wild. Mgmt. 81: 690–711. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21231

Ecology of Male Greater Sage-Grouse in Relation to Wind Energy Development in Wyoming

Schreiber, L.A., C.P. Hansen, M.A. Rumble, J.J. Millspaugh, R.S. Gamo, J.W. Kehmeier, N. Wojcik. 2015. Microhabitat selection of brood-rearing sites by greater sage-grouse in Carbon County, Wyoming. Western North American Naturalist. 75(3): 348-363.

Fremgen, A.L., C.P. Hansen, M.A. Rumble, R.S. Gamo, J.J. Millspaugh. 2016. Male greater sage-grouse detectability on leks. Jour. Wild. Mgmt. 80: 266–274. doi:10.1002/jwmg.1001

Schreiber, L.A., C.P. Hansen, M.A. Rumble, J.J. Millspaugh, F.R. Thompson III, R.S. Gamo, J.W. Kehmeier, N. Wojik. 2016. Greater sage-grouse apparent nest productivity and chick survival in Carbon County, Wyoming. Wildlife Biology. 22: 37-44.

Hansen, C. P., L. A. Schreiber, M. A. Rumble, J. J. Millspaugh, R. S. Gamo, J. W. Kehmeier, and N. Wojcik. 2016. Microsite selection and survival of greater sage-grouse nests in south-central Wyoming. Jour. Wild. Mgmt. 80: 862–876. doi:10.1002/jwmg.1065

Funding

The Collaborative thanks the funders of the work, including:

U.S. Bureau of Land Management (administered through the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation)

U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, through the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative and Plains and Prairie Potholes Landscape Conservation Cooperative (administered through the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies)