Registration Underway for USU-led Sage-Grouse Summit

The patchwork of state, federal and private land across Utah often makes it difficult to manage wildlife habitat. In response, the Utah Sage-Grouse Working Group Summit takes place March 13-14 in downtown Salt Lake City to explore the successes, trials and future of community-based sage-grouse conservation programs.

“This is a report card on these programs thus far,” said Terry Messmer, Utah State University Extension wildlife specialist and professor in the College of Natural Resources’ Wildland Resources Department. “All the local working groups from around the state will present their findings. This should give us a good overview of the state of sage-grouse health around the state.”

 

About 30 percent of the sagebrush-steppe lands in the West are privately owned, Messmer said. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources estimates that in Utah, more than 50 percent of the remaining sage-grouse populations inhabit private land. To address these declines, concerned stakeholders in the affected areas have formed local working groups or coalitions to increase local ownership and involvement in the development of community-based conservation plans and agreements.

 

Keynote speakers for the gathering are Mike Styler, executive director, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and Noelle Cockett, vice president for USU Extension and dean of the College of Agriculture.

 

The conference will be held at the Salt Lake City Red Lion Inn, 161 West 600 South. Cost for the two-day gathering is $85 and participants are encouraged to register by March 1. One-day registration is available for $40.

 

Full registration includes breakfast and lunch both days and two breaks each day, one dinner, the Summit Information Packet and a specially designed hat.

 

For registration and conference information, visit the Web site or contact Rae Ann Hart at 435-797-2556. 

 

 

Contact: Rae Ann Hart [rangesci@cc.usu.edu], 435-797-2556