This document compares greater sage-grouse lek counts and ground cover conditions between two land management systems - Three Creeks and DLL - over 17 years. It finds that the DLL system, which uses targeted grazing management and treatments, had higher sagebrush cover, more perennial grass, fewer juniper trees, and greater sage-grouse numbers compared to the Three Creeks system, which uses seasonal long grazing. Graphs and tables show differences in land cover, sagebrush acres per male grouse, and males counted on leks between the two systems over time. The conclusion is that spatially explicit vegetation maps at different scales can help describe habitat functionality and relationships between management actions and habitat conditions.

1. Comparing Ground Cover Conditions and Greater
Sage‐Grouse Lek Counts Between Two
Management Systems
Open Range Consulting
Gregg Simonds & Eric Sant
October, 2013

2. Total # Of Males on Leks over 17 Yrs on Three Creeks and DLL
600
500
300
Three Creeks (6 leks)
DLL (10 leks)
200
100
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
0
1994
Total Birds
400

3. Landcover
Juniper
Perennial Grass
Tall Sagebrush

5. Sagebruhs Acres
300
Acres/Male on Leks (2007)
250
200
150
100
50
0
DLL
Three Creeks
Males/Lek (2007)
45
Males/Lek
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
DLL
Three Creeks

6. Percent Cover
% Sagebrush Cover betw 2 Landcover Types
25
20
15
DLL
10
3 Creeks
5
0
Tall Sagebrush
Short Sagebrush
Landcover Types

7. Landsat scale
From Hunnicutt 1992
Early Brood
Nesting
Late Brood
90m
Less heterogeneous
More heterogeneous

9. Sagebrush Class Comparison (Within 2 Miles of Leks)
80%
Percent of Area Occupied
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0%-10%
10%-20%
20% and Greater
Cover Class
DLL
Three Creeks

12. Males on Leks
Herb
2005
2004
2003
2005
2004
2003
Treatments
10
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
20
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
0
1995
MALES ON LEKS
60
34
50
32
40
30
28
30
26
24
22
20
% HERBACEOUS COVER
Males on Leks & Herbaceous Cover

13. Percent Sagebrush
Coverage
Different Management
Three Creeks
• Mostly Public
• Season Long Grazing
• 6.75 Acres/AUM
DLL
• Mostly Private
• Mgt.Rest,Treatments
• 4.4 Acres/AUM

14. Conclusions
Conclusions
Provide Spatially Explicit Vegetation Maps At All Scales
Population Area, Core Area, Seasonal Habitats
Can Describe Area Functionality
Cover, Diversity, Food
Can Make Relationships Between Management Action and Habitat Cond
Grazing and Treatments
Provide Baseline Information and Provide Timely Updates Cheaply
For Regional and Local Planning and Mitigation Crediting