Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting Habitat in Idaho and Southwestern Montana

Greater Sage-Grouse nesting and late brood rearing habitat data was created for the Idaho and Southwestern Montana Final Environmental Impact Statement. The dataset defines nesting habitat using a 10 km buffer around active leks to capture approximately 80% of nests, combining data from Idaho, Montana, and Utah. It was produced by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management, with the analysis layer last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling the spatial extent of critical nesting habitat using the 10 km lek buffer feature for conservation prioritization.
• Analyzing the overlap between winter habitat and nesting habitat layers for seasonal habitat use studies.
• Assessing habitat connectivity and fragmentation within the combined Idaho, Montana Dillon Field Office, and Utah Raft River Unit data layer.

Strengths

• Derived from active lek data and guidelines designed to capture approximately 80% of sage-grouse nests.
• Integrates data from multiple authoritative sources including state agencies and federal field offices.

Limitations

• Late brood-rearing habitat is not mapped in detail but assumed to be embedded within the nesting habitat layer.
• Specific row counts, column details, and original data collection dates for source leks are not provided.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Forest Service, and Montana BLM Dillon Field Office.

Collection Method

Habitat extent defined by applying a 10 km buffer around active leks, based on published guidelines and unpublished agency data.

Time Range

Analysis reflects data and conditions circa the 2015 FEIS, incorporating source data from 2012-2014.

Freshness

Layer metadata was updated in April 2026, though source data includes unpublished materials from 2012-2014.

Geography

Idaho, Southwestern Montana (BLM Dillon Field Office), and the Raft River Unit of the Sawtooth National Forest in Utah.