Steven E Hanser
Since 2019, Steve Hanser has provided senior leadership at the Fort Collins Science Center, serving as Deputy Center Director and, since April 2025, as Acting Center Director. He guides major scientific initiatives that support management of complex natural‑resource challenges.
Steve Hanser’s career centers on advancing applied science that supports decision‑making across the Department of the Interior, Federal agencies, State wildlife agencies, and partner organizations. His scientific work spans landscape ecology, species and habitat assessments, and the development of integrated data and decision‑support tools. Steve has led interdisciplinary teams that produce high‑impact science used to inform policy and on‑the‑ground management. His work includes synthesizing natural resource information across large landscapes, developing multi‑agency research priorities, and improving access to authoritative data for species and habitat management. He has overseen the development of geospatial analyses, monitoring frameworks, and integrative modeling tools that help agencies evaluate vegetation conditions, assess risk, and allocate resources more effectively.
In his leadership roles, Steve has strengthened inter‑agency coordination, expanded collaborative research networks, and championed efforts to improve communication and data sharing across the natural resource community. His focus on transparent, accessible, and actionable science has helped ensure that research produced by USGS and the Fort Collins Science Center directly supports management needs across ecosystems and jurisdictions.
Professional Experience
Center Director (Acting), Fort Collins Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: April 2025 - Present
Deputy Center Director, Fort Collins Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: June 2019 - Present
Chief, Social and Economic Analysis Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: December 2024 - Present
Chief, Invasive Species Science Branch, U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: July 2022 - December 2024
Chief, Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics Research Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: July 2019 - January 2022
Chief, Decision Support Science and Tools Branch (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO: April 2019 - June 2020
Sagebrush Ecosystem Program Specialist (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: June 2019 - Sept 2019
Sagebrush Ecosystem Program Specialist, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: January 2015 – June 2019
Wildland Fire Science Coordinator (Acting), U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA: July 2014 - Oct 2014
Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, ID: 2002-2015
Biological Science Technician, U.S. Geological Survey, Boise, ID: 2002
GIS Intern, City of Pocatello, Pocatello, ID: 2002
Graduate Research Assistant, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID: 1999–2002
Research Technician, Iowa State University, Ames, IA: 1998-1999
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Iowa Cooperative Research Unit, Ames, IA: 1998-1999
Education and Certifications
M.S. Biology, Idaho State University, 2002
Geotechnologies Post-baccalaureate Certification, Idaho State University, 2002
B.S. Biology, Iowa State University, 1999
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 62
Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin
A recurrent challenge in the conservation of wide-ranging, imperiled species is understanding which habitats to protect and whether we are capable of restoring degraded landscapes. For Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern in the western United States, we approached this problem by developing multi-scale empirical models of occupancy in 211...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Steven E. Hanser, Matthew L. Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James B. Grace, Kevin C. Knutson, David A. Pyke, Justin L. Welty
Diffuse migratory connectivity in two species of shrubland birds: evidence from stable isotopes Diffuse migratory connectivity in two species of shrubland birds: evidence from stable isotopes
Connecting seasonal ranges of migratory birds is important for understanding the annual template of stressors that influence their populations. Brewer’s sparrows (Spizella breweri) and sagebrush sparrows (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) share similar sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats for breeding but have different population trends that might be related to winter location. To link breeding...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Matthias Leu, John T. Rotenberry, Steven E. Hanser, Kurt Fesenmyer
Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy
The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Daniel J. Manier
Modeling ecological minimum requirements for distribution of greater sage-grouse leks: implications for population connectivity across their western range, U.S.A. Modeling ecological minimum requirements for distribution of greater sage-grouse leks: implications for population connectivity across their western range, U.S.A.
Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus (Bonaparte) currently occupy approximately half of their historical distribution across western North America. Sage-grouse are a candidate for endangered species listing due to habitat and population fragmentation coupled with inadequate regulation to control development in critical areas. Conservation planning would benefit from accurate...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Kristine L. Preston
Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS
The Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS is a tool that extends the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS 10 Desktop application to aid with the visualization of relationships between two raster GIS datasets. A dose-response curve is a line graph commonly used in medical research to examine the effects of different dosage rates of a drug or chemical (for example...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Cameron L. Aldridge, Matthias Leu, Scott E. Nielsen
Ecological influence and pathways of land use in sagebrush Ecological influence and pathways of land use in sagebrush
Land use in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) landscapes influences all sage-grouse (Centrocer-cus spp.) populations in western North America. Croplands and the network of irrigation canals cover 230,000 km2 and indirectly influence up to 77% of the Sage-Grouse Conservation Area and 73% of sagebrush land cover by subsidizing synanthropic predators on sage-grouse. Urbanization and the demands of...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Richard F. Miller, David A. Pyke, Michael J. Wisdom, Sean P. Finn, E. Thomas Rinkes, Charles J. Henny
Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for shrubland passerine birds: a multiscale assessment Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for shrubland passerine birds: a multiscale assessment
Working groups and government agen-cies are planning and conducting land actions in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats to benefit Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations. Managers have adopted an umbrella concept, creating habitat characteristics specific to sage-grouse requirements, in the belief that other wildlife species dependent on sagebrush will benefit. We...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Steven T. Knick
Conservation of greater sage-grouse- a synthesis of current trends and future management Conservation of greater sage-grouse- a synthesis of current trends and future management
Recent analyses of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations indicate substantial declines in many areas but relatively stable populations in other portions of the species? range. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats neces-sary to support sage-grouse are being burned by large wildfires, invaded by nonnative plants, and developed for energy resources (gas, oil, and wind)
Authors
John W. Connelly, Steven T. Knick, Clait E. Braun, William L. Baker, Erik A. Beever, Thomas J. Christiansen, Kevin E. Doherty, Edward O. Garton, Christian A. Hagen, Steven E. Hanser, Douglas H. Johnson, Matthias Leu, Richard F. Miller, David E. Naugle, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, David A. Pyke, Kerry P. Reese, Michael A. Schroeder, San J. Stiver, Brett L. Walker, Michael J. Wisdorn
Connecting pattern and process in greater sage-grouse populations and sagebrush landscapes Connecting pattern and process in greater sage-grouse populations and sagebrush landscapes
Abstract. Spatial patterns influence the processes that maintain Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) landscapes on which they depend. We used connectivity analyses to: (1) delineate the dominant pattern of sagebrush landscapes; (2) identify regions of the current range-wide distribution of Greater Sage-Grouse important for...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser
Chapter 10: Occurrence of non-native invasive plants: The role of anthropogenic features Chapter 10: Occurrence of non-native invasive plants: The role of anthropogenic features
The invasion of non-native plants in the Wyoming Basins Ecoregional Assessment (WBEA) area is a major economic and ecological stress, with invasions thought to be hastened by energy developments. Given the potential impacts of nonnative invasive plants and the rapid changes in land use in the WBEA, broad-scale assessments and predictive models of nonnative invasive plant distribution are...
Authors
Scott E. Nielsen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Steven T. Knick
Chapter 9: Occurrence of small mammals: Deer mice and challenge of trapping across large spatial extents Chapter 9: Occurrence of small mammals: Deer mice and challenge of trapping across large spatial extents
Small mammal communities living in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) may be sensitive to habitat isolation and invasion by exotic grass species. Yet there have been no spatially explicit models to improve our understanding of landscape-scale factors determining small mammal occurrence or abundance. We live-trapped small mammals at 186 locations in the Wyoming Basin Ecoregional Assessment area...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Cameron L. Aldridge, Scott E. Nielsen, Steven T. Knick
Chapter 11: Management considerations Chapter 11: Management considerations
We conducted an ecoregional assessment of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Wyoming Basins and surrounding regions (WBEA) to determine broad-scale species-environmental relationships. Our goal was to assess the potential influence from threats to the sagebrush ecosystem on associated wildlife through the use of spatially explicit occurrence and abundance models. These models...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Cameron L. Aldridge, Scott E. Nielsen, Mary M. Rowland, Sean P. Finn, Michael J. Wisdom
Non-USGS Publications**
Hanser, S.E., 2001. The Diversity and Abundance of Small Mammals in Sage-steppe Habitat Fragments Within Agricultural and Lava-flow Matrices (Master Thesis, Idaho State University).
Hanser, S.E. and Huntly, N.J., 2006. The biogeography of small mammals of fragmented sagebrush-steppe landscapes. Journal of Mammalogy, 87(6), pp.1165-1174.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 62
Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin
A recurrent challenge in the conservation of wide-ranging, imperiled species is understanding which habitats to protect and whether we are capable of restoring degraded landscapes. For Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern in the western United States, we approached this problem by developing multi-scale empirical models of occupancy in 211...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Steven E. Hanser, Matthew L. Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James B. Grace, Kevin C. Knutson, David A. Pyke, Justin L. Welty
Diffuse migratory connectivity in two species of shrubland birds: evidence from stable isotopes Diffuse migratory connectivity in two species of shrubland birds: evidence from stable isotopes
Connecting seasonal ranges of migratory birds is important for understanding the annual template of stressors that influence their populations. Brewer’s sparrows (Spizella breweri) and sagebrush sparrows (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) share similar sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats for breeding but have different population trends that might be related to winter location. To link breeding...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Matthias Leu, John T. Rotenberry, Steven E. Hanser, Kurt Fesenmyer
Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy
The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Daniel J. Manier
Modeling ecological minimum requirements for distribution of greater sage-grouse leks: implications for population connectivity across their western range, U.S.A. Modeling ecological minimum requirements for distribution of greater sage-grouse leks: implications for population connectivity across their western range, U.S.A.
Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus (Bonaparte) currently occupy approximately half of their historical distribution across western North America. Sage-grouse are a candidate for endangered species listing due to habitat and population fragmentation coupled with inadequate regulation to control development in critical areas. Conservation planning would benefit from accurate...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Kristine L. Preston
Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS
The Dose-Response Calculator for ArcGIS is a tool that extends the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS 10 Desktop application to aid with the visualization of relationships between two raster GIS datasets. A dose-response curve is a line graph commonly used in medical research to examine the effects of different dosage rates of a drug or chemical (for example...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Cameron L. Aldridge, Matthias Leu, Scott E. Nielsen
Ecological influence and pathways of land use in sagebrush Ecological influence and pathways of land use in sagebrush
Land use in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) landscapes influences all sage-grouse (Centrocer-cus spp.) populations in western North America. Croplands and the network of irrigation canals cover 230,000 km2 and indirectly influence up to 77% of the Sage-Grouse Conservation Area and 73% of sagebrush land cover by subsidizing synanthropic predators on sage-grouse. Urbanization and the demands of...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Richard F. Miller, David A. Pyke, Michael J. Wisdom, Sean P. Finn, E. Thomas Rinkes, Charles J. Henny
Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for shrubland passerine birds: a multiscale assessment Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for shrubland passerine birds: a multiscale assessment
Working groups and government agen-cies are planning and conducting land actions in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats to benefit Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations. Managers have adopted an umbrella concept, creating habitat characteristics specific to sage-grouse requirements, in the belief that other wildlife species dependent on sagebrush will benefit. We...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Steven T. Knick
Conservation of greater sage-grouse- a synthesis of current trends and future management Conservation of greater sage-grouse- a synthesis of current trends and future management
Recent analyses of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations indicate substantial declines in many areas but relatively stable populations in other portions of the species? range. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats neces-sary to support sage-grouse are being burned by large wildfires, invaded by nonnative plants, and developed for energy resources (gas, oil, and wind)
Authors
John W. Connelly, Steven T. Knick, Clait E. Braun, William L. Baker, Erik A. Beever, Thomas J. Christiansen, Kevin E. Doherty, Edward O. Garton, Christian A. Hagen, Steven E. Hanser, Douglas H. Johnson, Matthias Leu, Richard F. Miller, David E. Naugle, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, David A. Pyke, Kerry P. Reese, Michael A. Schroeder, San J. Stiver, Brett L. Walker, Michael J. Wisdorn
Connecting pattern and process in greater sage-grouse populations and sagebrush landscapes Connecting pattern and process in greater sage-grouse populations and sagebrush landscapes
Abstract. Spatial patterns influence the processes that maintain Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) landscapes on which they depend. We used connectivity analyses to: (1) delineate the dominant pattern of sagebrush landscapes; (2) identify regions of the current range-wide distribution of Greater Sage-Grouse important for...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser
Chapter 10: Occurrence of non-native invasive plants: The role of anthropogenic features Chapter 10: Occurrence of non-native invasive plants: The role of anthropogenic features
The invasion of non-native plants in the Wyoming Basins Ecoregional Assessment (WBEA) area is a major economic and ecological stress, with invasions thought to be hastened by energy developments. Given the potential impacts of nonnative invasive plants and the rapid changes in land use in the WBEA, broad-scale assessments and predictive models of nonnative invasive plant distribution are...
Authors
Scott E. Nielsen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Steven T. Knick
Chapter 9: Occurrence of small mammals: Deer mice and challenge of trapping across large spatial extents Chapter 9: Occurrence of small mammals: Deer mice and challenge of trapping across large spatial extents
Small mammal communities living in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) may be sensitive to habitat isolation and invasion by exotic grass species. Yet there have been no spatially explicit models to improve our understanding of landscape-scale factors determining small mammal occurrence or abundance. We live-trapped small mammals at 186 locations in the Wyoming Basin Ecoregional Assessment area...
Authors
Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Cameron L. Aldridge, Scott E. Nielsen, Steven T. Knick
Chapter 11: Management considerations Chapter 11: Management considerations
We conducted an ecoregional assessment of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Wyoming Basins and surrounding regions (WBEA) to determine broad-scale species-environmental relationships. Our goal was to assess the potential influence from threats to the sagebrush ecosystem on associated wildlife through the use of spatially explicit occurrence and abundance models. These models...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu, Cameron L. Aldridge, Scott E. Nielsen, Mary M. Rowland, Sean P. Finn, Michael J. Wisdom
Non-USGS Publications**
Hanser, S.E., 2001. The Diversity and Abundance of Small Mammals in Sage-steppe Habitat Fragments Within Agricultural and Lava-flow Matrices (Master Thesis, Idaho State University).
Hanser, S.E. and Huntly, N.J., 2006. The biogeography of small mammals of fragmented sagebrush-steppe landscapes. Journal of Mammalogy, 87(6), pp.1165-1174.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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