by Rebecca Heisman,bioGraphic | When mature juniper cover reaches just 4 percent—picture taking a standard checkerboard and filling in just two and a half of the squares—sage-grouse abandon their leks. Read more about the conifers that are taking over sagebrush rangelands in the West.

The Sagebrush Project, part of the Sustainability in Prisons Project, expands the opportunities for 175 inmates in 11 prisons across 6 states by teaching them to grow sagebrush seedlings. In turn, these seedlings restore vital habitat for sage grouse and other wildlife on BLM lands across the West.

Water delivery is delayed by an average of nine days in sagebrush systems compared to juniper-dominated systems. Holding water later into the summer season helps the sagebrush system become more diverse, benefiting vegetation, wildlife, and ranchers. This is one of the greatest services that an ecosystem can provide in the West.

A new partnership between the Bureau of Land Management and the Intermountain West Joint Venture will build on the successful model pioneered by the NRCS-led Sage Grouse Initiative on private ranchlands, and promote win-win solutions for people and wildlife across the sagebrush sea.

by Joshua Dillon | An Oregon field trip with SGI partners examines the ability of sagebrush landscapes to recover from a fire. Read the full story here.

A new scientific study published in Biological Conservation explains how to reduce the threat of converting native sagebrush habitat into crops. Read how the research can be used on the ground to protect sage grouse.

“Livestock and grouse can be on the same page, and persist side by side in a vast sea of sage … ” Read this poem by Ritch Nelson that honors landowners’ conservation ethic and highlights their many successes in conserving our nation’s wildlife.

In the West’s sagebrush sea, most of the plant matter grows below your feet — just like an upside-down forest. SGI is releasing a new poster and postcard that show the importance of promoting healthy, diverse native plants and conserving our western roots.

A new resource released by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will help private and public land managers work collaboratively to get ahead of the curve and reduce risks from megafires using fuel breaks. Large-scale wildfires are one of the greatest threats to sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystems in the West.

By Jeff Ott, Anne Halford, and Nancy Shaw | This new Great Basin Fact Sheet outlines important considerations and options for post-fire seeding, including the selection of seed mixes and seeding equipment for restoring sagebrush communities following fire.