Linking post-fire sagebrush restoration and sage-grouse habitat recovery
Many revegetation projects are intended to benefit focal wildlife species. Yet, few scope the ability of revegetation efforts to yield habitat. To investigate the ability of alternative sagebrush planting strategies to recover habitat conditions for wildlife like sage-grouse, USGS and Colorado State University scientists developed a spatial vegetation-habitat recovery model. Scientists combined sagebrush growth data with sage-grouse resource selection to project the amount and suitability of habitat recovered 15-years after a fire in the Tuscarora region of Nevada.
USGS Study
Researchers evaluated the degree to which post-fire restoration by transplanting and growing sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) could help accelerate the recovery of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat. The team developed a spatial vegetation-habitat recovery model based on sagebrush growth data from a large field study in the Great Basin and sage-grouse habitat selection in the Tuscarora region of Nevada. Models projected the growth of vegetation associated with sage-grouse habitat through time among alternative planting design scenarios that varied in planting density and distribution. Researchers quantified annually expected recovery of habitat and compared results among scenarios to provide a metric of potential benefits to sage-grouse. This revegetation-habitat-recovery model can help managers and conservationists gauge the return on restoration investments intended to benefit sage-grouse and other wildlife species as part of restoration project planning.
Major Findings
- Planting effort (for example, number of seedlings) and seedling survival were key factors influencing the proportion of restored habitat for all seasons (spring, summer, winter).
- Post-fire restoration by planting sagebrush in densities that are likely to result in habitat jumpstarted habitat restoration in localized areas but resulted in limited restoration of high suitability habitat across the landscape.
There is a potential mismatch between the small areas that are commonly planted after fire, and the expansive areas of sagebrush required by wide-ranging wildlife like sage-grouse.
Management Applications
The study provides an example of how linked revegetation-habitat modeling approaches can be used to scope expected return on restoration investment for habitat improvements and support strategic use of limited restoration resources. Some examples for how this model can help land managers and analysts include:
- Exploring the scope of planting needed to achieve habitat targets.
- Assessing the feasibility of creating habitat for sage-grouse by replicating the model and workflow for other locations.
- Using the model to quantify the expected amount of habitat gained by specific vegetation restoration plans and projects.
- Adapting the model and workflow to conduct similar analyses for other species and landscapes.
For More Information
This study has been published in Conservation: Heinrichs, J.A., M.S. O'Donnell, E.K. Orning, D.A. Pyke, M.A. Ricca, P.S. Coates, and C.L. Aldridge. 2024. Modeling the potential habitat gained from planting sagebrush in burned landscapes. Conservation 4(3):364-377. https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4030024.
The project team included Julie Heinrichs, Michael O’Donnell, Elizabeth Orning, David Pyke, Peter Coates, Mark Ricca, and Cameron Aldridge. For further information or to request a briefing on this research, please contact Cameron Aldridge (aldridgec@usgs.gov).
Using simulation models to project and evaluate post-fire success in restoring sage-grouse habitat over large landscapes
Simulating the influence of sagebrush restoration on post-fire sage-grouse population recovery
Field of Sagebrush Dreams: Planting and Restoring Functional Sagebrush in Burned Landscapes
Many revegetation projects are intended to benefit focal wildlife species. Yet, few scope the ability of revegetation efforts to yield habitat. To investigate the ability of alternative sagebrush planting strategies to recover habitat conditions for wildlife like sage-grouse, USGS and Colorado State University scientists developed a spatial vegetation-habitat recovery model. Scientists combined sagebrush growth data with sage-grouse resource selection to project the amount and suitability of habitat recovered 15-years after a fire in the Tuscarora region of Nevada.
USGS Study
Researchers evaluated the degree to which post-fire restoration by transplanting and growing sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) could help accelerate the recovery of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat. The team developed a spatial vegetation-habitat recovery model based on sagebrush growth data from a large field study in the Great Basin and sage-grouse habitat selection in the Tuscarora region of Nevada. Models projected the growth of vegetation associated with sage-grouse habitat through time among alternative planting design scenarios that varied in planting density and distribution. Researchers quantified annually expected recovery of habitat and compared results among scenarios to provide a metric of potential benefits to sage-grouse. This revegetation-habitat-recovery model can help managers and conservationists gauge the return on restoration investments intended to benefit sage-grouse and other wildlife species as part of restoration project planning.
Major Findings
- Planting effort (for example, number of seedlings) and seedling survival were key factors influencing the proportion of restored habitat for all seasons (spring, summer, winter).
- Post-fire restoration by planting sagebrush in densities that are likely to result in habitat jumpstarted habitat restoration in localized areas but resulted in limited restoration of high suitability habitat across the landscape.
There is a potential mismatch between the small areas that are commonly planted after fire, and the expansive areas of sagebrush required by wide-ranging wildlife like sage-grouse.
Management Applications
The study provides an example of how linked revegetation-habitat modeling approaches can be used to scope expected return on restoration investment for habitat improvements and support strategic use of limited restoration resources. Some examples for how this model can help land managers and analysts include:
- Exploring the scope of planting needed to achieve habitat targets.
- Assessing the feasibility of creating habitat for sage-grouse by replicating the model and workflow for other locations.
- Using the model to quantify the expected amount of habitat gained by specific vegetation restoration plans and projects.
- Adapting the model and workflow to conduct similar analyses for other species and landscapes.
For More Information
This study has been published in Conservation: Heinrichs, J.A., M.S. O'Donnell, E.K. Orning, D.A. Pyke, M.A. Ricca, P.S. Coates, and C.L. Aldridge. 2024. Modeling the potential habitat gained from planting sagebrush in burned landscapes. Conservation 4(3):364-377. https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4030024.
The project team included Julie Heinrichs, Michael O’Donnell, Elizabeth Orning, David Pyke, Peter Coates, Mark Ricca, and Cameron Aldridge. For further information or to request a briefing on this research, please contact Cameron Aldridge (aldridgec@usgs.gov).