Shrubland, Alpine and Grassland Ecology (SAGE) Wildlife Research Group
Active
By Fort Collins Science Center
April 29, 2026
The SAGE Wildlife Research Group consists of a large team of research scientists with an interest in conservation and management of wildlife and their ecosystems. Broadly, research involves understanding animal-habitat relationships, with an emphasis on conservation ecology and population demography, and a focus on shrubland, alpine, and grassland ecosystems. We are addressing the effects of energy development and land-use change on conserving wildlife populations, their habitats, and the ecosystems they inhabit, and work closely on these issues with state and federal partners, NGOs, conservation groups and industry.
Species we currently study include songbirds, mammals, snakes, lizards, and grouse, such as white-tailed ptarmigan and sage-grouse. We also work with plant communities and exotic invasive plants to understand how external drivers such as grazing and energy development affect plant communities and thus, wildlife. We work across spatial scales and use statistical and empirical modeling to answer research questions, many of which have direct applications for conservation and management of species, most notably sage-grouse, and their habitats.
Sagebrush Restoration and Recovery
Field of Sagebrush Dreams: Planting and Restoring Functional Sagebrush in Burned Landscapes
Field of Sagebrush Dreams: Planting and Restoring Functional Sagebrush in Burned Landscapes
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Predicting recovery of sagebrush ecosystems
Predicting recovery of sagebrush ecosystems
Soil-climate for managing sagebrush ecosystems
Soil-climate for managing sagebrush ecosystems
Invasive Annual Grasses
Economic assessment of addressing invasive annual grasses
Economic assessment of addressing invasive annual grasses
Vegetation conditions and invasive plant species on mine lands
Vegetation conditions and invasive plant species on mine lands
Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels on the Sagebrush Biome
Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels on the Sagebrush Biome
Assessing invasive annual grass treatment efficacy across the sagebrush biome
Assessing invasive annual grass treatment efficacy across the sagebrush biome
Effects of the herbicide, Indaziflam, on invasive annual grasses
Effects of the herbicide, Indaziflam, on invasive annual grasses
Evaluating potential vectors of annual grass invasion
Evaluating potential vectors of annual grass invasion
Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis
Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis
Sage-grouse Monitoring and Conservation
Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Road Ecology
Road Ecology
Development and application of genomic resources for the greater sage-grouse
Development and application of genomic resources for the greater sage-grouse
Creating range-wide predictive maps of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
Creating range-wide predictive maps of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
Wildlife Biology and Management
Predicting songbird population response to environmental change
Predicting songbird population response to environmental change
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Wild horse and livestock influences on vegetation and wildlife in sagebrush ecosystems
Wild horse and livestock influences on vegetation and wildlife in sagebrush ecosystems
Mapping wild horse densities across broad landscapes of the Western United States
Mapping wild horse densities across broad landscapes of the Western United States
Assessing vegetation and avian community response to juniper reduction treatments
Assessing vegetation and avian community response to juniper reduction treatments
Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence in Wyoming elk and deer
Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence in Wyoming elk and deer
Highlighted News from the SAGE Wildlife Research Group
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New tools for a growing threat: Co-developed science informs the fight against invasive grasses in the sagebrush biome New tools for a growing threat: Co-developed science informs the fight against invasive grasses in the sagebrush biome
In a new study, FORT scientists worked with resource managers to co-develop a strategic framework for invasive grass management across the sagebrush biome. The framework, implemented through computer simulation models, can help resource managers explore the efficacy of invasive grass management strategies and develop informed, economic conservation plans.
-
New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs
Limited information exists on the costs of public land treatments, such as controlling flammable weeds and conducting prescribed burns, but managers can pair cost information with effectiveness data to improve decision making. In a new study, researchers used data from the BLM/USGS Land Treatment Digital Library to develop land treatment cost estimates.
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FORT scientists present research at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting FORT scientists present research at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting
A group of FORT scientists presented virtually and in-person at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, from February 9–13.
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Ecological benefits and risks of fuel breaks vary across the sagebrush biome Ecological benefits and risks of fuel breaks vary across the sagebrush biome
Fuel breaks – strips of land managed for reduced flammability – are designed to aid wildfire suppression and management. However, construction of fuel breaks may reduce wildlife habitat and introduce invasive species to ecosystems. In a new study published in Fire Ecology, USGS and Colorado State University researchers investigated these potential trade-offs of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems.
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Considering current ecosystem condition in restoration planning Considering current ecosystem condition in restoration planning
Restoration planning requires managers to weigh the potential benefits and costs of restoration action at a site. Sometimes, managers use structured, mathematical algorithms to decide where to focus restoration efforts. However, these algorithms do not always consider the current condition of ecosystems, instead focusing on the potential value of the resulting (desired) ecosystem.
Filter Total Items: 59
Data Harmonization for Greater Sage-Grouse Populations
Long-term wildlife monitoring is imperative for understanding population changes that can inform managers. However, working with population data collected by different organizations across multiple jurisdictions and over long time periods can be challenging due to varying data management approaches and organizational priorities. Through this project, we aimed to collaborate with eleven state...
Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits and their role as an ecological indicator for the health of sagebrush ecosystems. Multiple science centers with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU) have developed the Greater Sage-Grouse...
A user-friendly decision support tool for monitoring and managing greater sage-grouse populations
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) collaborated with the Bureau of Land Management and state wildlife agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and the sagebrush ecosystems they depend on for survival and reproduction. This greater sage-grouse...
A targeted annual warning system (TAWS) for identifying aberrant declines in greater sage-grouse populations
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. Multiple science centers with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU), developed a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse (...
Estimating trends for greater sage-grouse populations within highly stochastic environments
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU), developed a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse)...
USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West
The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems for wildlife and sagebrush connectivity
To support strategic ecosystem management across the imperiled sagebrush steppe in Wyoming, USA, we developed an extension of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET). Our expanded tool leverages emerging spatial data resources to provide a structured but customizable set of scenarios that can guide landscape-scale planning efforts by prioritizing conservation and...
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET): A USGS-facilitated Decision-support Tool for Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Actions
Sagebrush ecosystems represent one of the most imperiled systems in North America and face continued and widespread degradation due to multiple factors including invasive species and increased human development. Effective sagebrush management must consider how to best conserve and restore habitats to stem the decline of species that rely on them, especially given limited conservation resources. To...
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of sagebrush ecosystems in northwestern Colorado
We are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to pilot an expansion of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET; Duchardt et al. 2021) across northwestern Colorado. We recently completed Phase I of this project where we leveraged existing data resources to provide customized scenarios that are now directly guiding landscape-scale conservation delivery by CPW...
Economic Implications of Sagebrush Treatment and Restoration Practices Across the Great Basin and Wyoming
USGS and Colorado State University researchers are conducting analyses and predictions of sagebrush recovery in the Great Basin and Wyoming and assess the role of weather, soils, and reseeding treatments.
Economic assessment of addressing annual invasive grasses across the sagebrush biome
This interdisciplinary project combines expert judgment on treatment costs with spatially explicit ecological modeling to estimate the financial resources needed to address the threat of invasive annual grass across the entire sagebrush biome. Results of the assessment will provide economic insights that can inform cost-effective resource allocation to efficiently achieve sagebrush conservation...
Creating range-wide predictive maps of Greater Sage-Grouse seasonal habitats
Through a collaborative effort with multiple state and federal agencies, university researchers, and individual stakeholders, we are producing a set of predictive seasonal habitat maps for greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) spanning the entirety of the species’ U.S. distribution. This is the largest habitat modeling effort of its kind for the species and uses a large, compiled...
The SAGE Wildlife Research Group consists of a large team of research scientists with an interest in conservation and management of wildlife and their ecosystems. Broadly, research involves understanding animal-habitat relationships, with an emphasis on conservation ecology and population demography, and a focus on shrubland, alpine, and grassland ecosystems. We are addressing the effects of energy development and land-use change on conserving wildlife populations, their habitats, and the ecosystems they inhabit, and work closely on these issues with state and federal partners, NGOs, conservation groups and industry.
Species we currently study include songbirds, mammals, snakes, lizards, and grouse, such as white-tailed ptarmigan and sage-grouse. We also work with plant communities and exotic invasive plants to understand how external drivers such as grazing and energy development affect plant communities and thus, wildlife. We work across spatial scales and use statistical and empirical modeling to answer research questions, many of which have direct applications for conservation and management of species, most notably sage-grouse, and their habitats.
Sagebrush Restoration and Recovery
Field of Sagebrush Dreams: Planting and Restoring Functional Sagebrush in Burned Landscapes
Field of Sagebrush Dreams: Planting and Restoring Functional Sagebrush in Burned Landscapes
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Predicting recovery of sagebrush ecosystems
Predicting recovery of sagebrush ecosystems
Soil-climate for managing sagebrush ecosystems
Soil-climate for managing sagebrush ecosystems
Invasive Annual Grasses
Economic assessment of addressing invasive annual grasses
Economic assessment of addressing invasive annual grasses
Vegetation conditions and invasive plant species on mine lands
Vegetation conditions and invasive plant species on mine lands
Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels on the Sagebrush Biome
Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels on the Sagebrush Biome
Assessing invasive annual grass treatment efficacy across the sagebrush biome
Assessing invasive annual grass treatment efficacy across the sagebrush biome
Effects of the herbicide, Indaziflam, on invasive annual grasses
Effects of the herbicide, Indaziflam, on invasive annual grasses
Evaluating potential vectors of annual grass invasion
Evaluating potential vectors of annual grass invasion
Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis
Invasive Annual Grass (IAG) Spatial Dataset Compilation and Synthesis
Sage-grouse Monitoring and Conservation
Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Hierarchical Population Monitoring Framework for Greater Sage-Grouse
Road Ecology
Road Ecology
Development and application of genomic resources for the greater sage-grouse
Development and application of genomic resources for the greater sage-grouse
Creating range-wide predictive maps of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
Creating range-wide predictive maps of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
Wildlife Biology and Management
Predicting songbird population response to environmental change
Predicting songbird population response to environmental change
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Wild horse and livestock influences on vegetation and wildlife in sagebrush ecosystems
Wild horse and livestock influences on vegetation and wildlife in sagebrush ecosystems
Mapping wild horse densities across broad landscapes of the Western United States
Mapping wild horse densities across broad landscapes of the Western United States
Assessing vegetation and avian community response to juniper reduction treatments
Assessing vegetation and avian community response to juniper reduction treatments
Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence in Wyoming elk and deer
Modeling chronic wasting disease prevalence in Wyoming elk and deer
Highlighted News from the SAGE Wildlife Research Group
-
-
New tools for a growing threat: Co-developed science informs the fight against invasive grasses in the sagebrush biome New tools for a growing threat: Co-developed science informs the fight against invasive grasses in the sagebrush biome
In a new study, FORT scientists worked with resource managers to co-develop a strategic framework for invasive grass management across the sagebrush biome. The framework, implemented through computer simulation models, can help resource managers explore the efficacy of invasive grass management strategies and develop informed, economic conservation plans.
-
-
New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs
Limited information exists on the costs of public land treatments, such as controlling flammable weeds and conducting prescribed burns, but managers can pair cost information with effectiveness data to improve decision making. In a new study, researchers used data from the BLM/USGS Land Treatment Digital Library to develop land treatment cost estimates.
-
-
FORT scientists present research at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting FORT scientists present research at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting
A group of FORT scientists presented virtually and in-person at the Society for Range Management 2025 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, from February 9–13.
-
-
Ecological benefits and risks of fuel breaks vary across the sagebrush biome Ecological benefits and risks of fuel breaks vary across the sagebrush biome
Fuel breaks – strips of land managed for reduced flammability – are designed to aid wildfire suppression and management. However, construction of fuel breaks may reduce wildlife habitat and introduce invasive species to ecosystems. In a new study published in Fire Ecology, USGS and Colorado State University researchers investigated these potential trade-offs of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems.
-
-
Considering current ecosystem condition in restoration planning Considering current ecosystem condition in restoration planning
Restoration planning requires managers to weigh the potential benefits and costs of restoration action at a site. Sometimes, managers use structured, mathematical algorithms to decide where to focus restoration efforts. However, these algorithms do not always consider the current condition of ecosystems, instead focusing on the potential value of the resulting (desired) ecosystem.
Filter Total Items: 59
Data Harmonization for Greater Sage-Grouse Populations
Long-term wildlife monitoring is imperative for understanding population changes that can inform managers. However, working with population data collected by different organizations across multiple jurisdictions and over long time periods can be challenging due to varying data management approaches and organizational priorities. Through this project, we aimed to collaborate with eleven state...
Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits and their role as an ecological indicator for the health of sagebrush ecosystems. Multiple science centers with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU) have developed the Greater Sage-Grouse...
A user-friendly decision support tool for monitoring and managing greater sage-grouse populations
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) collaborated with the Bureau of Land Management and state wildlife agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and the sagebrush ecosystems they depend on for survival and reproduction. This greater sage-grouse...
A targeted annual warning system (TAWS) for identifying aberrant declines in greater sage-grouse populations
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. Multiple science centers with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU), developed a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse (...
Estimating trends for greater sage-grouse populations within highly stochastic environments
Land and wildlife managers require accurate estimates of sensitive species’ trends to help guide conservation decisions that maintain biodiversity and promote healthy ecosystems. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with Colorado State University (CSU), developed a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse)...
USGS Sagebrush Science: Supporting Public Safety and Economic Decision Making Across the West
The sagebrush biome is one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Encompassing nearly one-third of the continental U.S., it provides critical resources for millions of Americans and a home for hundreds of plants and animal species in the West. Natural resource management in sagebrush ecosystems can be complex, and science can support management decisions by providing knowledge and tools to...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems for wildlife and sagebrush connectivity
To support strategic ecosystem management across the imperiled sagebrush steppe in Wyoming, USA, we developed an extension of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET). Our expanded tool leverages emerging spatial data resources to provide a structured but customizable set of scenarios that can guide landscape-scale planning efforts by prioritizing conservation and...
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET): A USGS-facilitated Decision-support Tool for Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Actions
Sagebrush ecosystems represent one of the most imperiled systems in North America and face continued and widespread degradation due to multiple factors including invasive species and increased human development. Effective sagebrush management must consider how to best conserve and restore habitats to stem the decline of species that rely on them, especially given limited conservation resources. To...
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of sagebrush ecosystems in northwestern Colorado
We are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to pilot an expansion of the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET; Duchardt et al. 2021) across northwestern Colorado. We recently completed Phase I of this project where we leveraged existing data resources to provide customized scenarios that are now directly guiding landscape-scale conservation delivery by CPW...
Economic Implications of Sagebrush Treatment and Restoration Practices Across the Great Basin and Wyoming
USGS and Colorado State University researchers are conducting analyses and predictions of sagebrush recovery in the Great Basin and Wyoming and assess the role of weather, soils, and reseeding treatments.
Economic assessment of addressing annual invasive grasses across the sagebrush biome
This interdisciplinary project combines expert judgment on treatment costs with spatially explicit ecological modeling to estimate the financial resources needed to address the threat of invasive annual grass across the entire sagebrush biome. Results of the assessment will provide economic insights that can inform cost-effective resource allocation to efficiently achieve sagebrush conservation...
Creating range-wide predictive maps of Greater Sage-Grouse seasonal habitats
Through a collaborative effort with multiple state and federal agencies, university researchers, and individual stakeholders, we are producing a set of predictive seasonal habitat maps for greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) spanning the entirety of the species’ U.S. distribution. This is the largest habitat modeling effort of its kind for the species and uses a large, compiled...