Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting Habitat in Idaho and Southwestern Montana

Greater Sage-Grouse nesting and late brood-rearing habitat was mapped using a 10-kilometer buffer around active leks to capture approximately 80% of known nests. The dataset was created by the Bureau of Land Management for the 2015 Idaho and Southwestern Montana Greater Sage-Grouse Final Environmental Impact Statement, combining data from Idaho, Montana, and Utah. It integrates unpublished data from state and federal agencies with peer-reviewed scientific guidelines.

Use Cases

• Model habitat connectivity by analyzing the spatial extent of buffered lek areas.
• Assess conservation priorities by overlaying nesting habitat polygons with land-use or development maps.
• Validate population models using the 80% nest capture assumption embedded in the 10km buffer methodology.

Strengths

• Derived from a defined scientific methodology using a 10km buffer to capture 80% of nests.
• Combines data from multiple authoritative sources, including state wildlife agencies and federal field offices.

Limitations

• Late brood-rearing habitat is not independently mapped but assumed to be embedded within nesting areas.
• Specific row counts, column details, and original data resolution are not provided.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Spatial analysis applying a 10km buffer around active lek locations, combining datasets from Idaho, Montana (Dillon Field Office), and Utah (Raft River Unit).

Time Range

Analysis period circa 2015, incorporating source data from 2012-2014.

Freshness

Data reflects the analysis for a 2015 environmental impact statement; the underlying source data is from 2012-2014.

Geography

Idaho and Southwestern Montana Subregion, including the Raft River Unit of the Sawtooth National Forest in Utah.