Wildfires often result in the loss of native perennials and increases in exotic annual grasses, which can create problems for wildlife that depends on fire intolerant plants. Post-fire restoration using herbicides, seeding, and planting of native perennials such as sagebrush are common in western North America, but there have been few assessments of greater sage-grouse response to these treatments. USGS, BLM, and Idaho Fish and Game researchers surveyed for sage-grouse scat in the area burned by the 2015 Soda Wildfire in Idaho and Oregon. The researchers compared the probability of sage-grouse presence to landscape features and land treatments. In general, sage-grouse scat increased with elevation, sagebrush abundance, and proximity to sagebrush seedling plantings. However, sage-grouse and scat were still scarce five years post-fire and it was difficult to draw clear conclusions about factors affecting sage-grouse recovery. Using scat to assess habitat use is a low-cost, non-invasive method for monitoring wildlife in restored landscapes but may be more effective for longer-term studies. 

Germino, M.J., Anthony, C.R., Kluender, C.R., Ellsworth, E.A., Moser, A.M., Applestein, C.V., and Fisk, M.R., 2022, Relationship of greater sage-grouse to natural and assisted recovery of key vegetation types following wildfire- insights from scat: Restoration Ecology, e13758. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13758