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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it would begin an effort to restore previous plans to conserve Greater Sage-Grouse populations. In 2015, stakeholders from across the West reached an historic agreement to save the sage-grouse—an agreement that the .  

“This is a step in the right direction for the future of the Greater Sage-Grouse,” said Brian Rutledge, director of the ���Ϲ���’s Sagebrush Ecosystem Initiative. “A lot has happened since 2015 and we’ve lost important time to restore the health of sage-grouse and the sagebrush landscape.”

In March, the United State Geological Survey issued a groundbreaking report showing that sage-grouse populations have declined 80 percent since 1965, a more dramatic decline than previously thought. There are more than 350 different species of wildlife and plants as well as hunters, ranchers, and whole communities that depend on a  

“New science shows alarming range-wide declines for the sage-grouse and its habitat, the sagebrush steppe,” said Rutledge. “These birds are a reliable indicator of how other wildlife and the greater ecosystem are doing. It’s clear that help is needed. Our state and federal leaders must work together and double-down on conservation of the sage-grouse and invest in restoration of the sagebrush landscape.” 

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Media Contact: Matt Smelser, matt.smelser@audubon.org