Life Sciences Commons^™

Comparison Of Conservation Policy Benefits For An Umbrella And Related Sagebrush-Obligate Species, Jonathan B. Dinkins, Jeffrey L. Beck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many conservation strategies promote the potential of multiple species benefitting from protection of large areas necessary for the continued viability of 1 species. One prominent strategy in western North America is Wyoming’s Sage-grouse Core Area Policy, which was designed to conserve greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) breeding habitat, but may also serve as an umbrella to conserve other sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-obligate wildlife, including songbirds. Sagebrush-obligate songbirds and sage-grouse have undergone population declines throughout the western United States attributed to similar habitat issues. We compared trends of sagebrush-obligate songbirds from the Breeding Bird Survey and sage-grouse lek …