Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Management Areas in Idaho and Southwestern Montana

Greater Sage-Grouse Management Areas delineated for the Great Basin Region's Idaho-Southwestern Montana sub-region. The dataset classifies habitat into Priority (PHMA), Important (IHMA), and General (GHMA) management areas based on species occupancy and conservation value. It was developed by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, State of Idaho, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with final edits completed in 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial overlap between PHMA polygons and land ownership layers to prioritize conservation easements.
• Model habitat connectivity by assessing the distribution and contiguity of GHMA and IHMA classifications.
• Evaluate the impact of proposed land-use changes by intersecting project footprints with the Habitat_Management_Area attribute.

Strengths

• Polygons are classified into three specific management tiers (PHMA, IHMA, GHMA) based on biological criteria.
• Data reflects inter-agency consensus from BLM, USFS, FWS, and the State of Idaho.

Limitations

• Dataset is static, representing a 2015 administrative plan, not current ground conditions.
• Specific row/feature counts and precise spatial accuracy metrics are not provided.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Collection Method

Delineated by inter-agency experts based on sage-grouse occupancy, landscape, habitat, and land use considerations.

Time Range

Administrative plan finalized in 2015.

Freshness

null

Geography

Great Basin Region, specifically the Idaho and Southwestern Montana sub-region.