West Desert

Meetings

Contact Lorien Belton at lorien.belton@usu.edu for more information.
Chair:

Hot Topics

Chelak, M. and T.A. Messmer. 2021. 2020 Annual Report & 2021 Research Update: Population Dynamics and Seasonal Movements of Translocated and Resident Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-Grouse Management Area. Annual Report, Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

General Information

Local Working Group (LWG) meetings are held three to four times per year. Unless otherwise noted the WDARM LWG meets during the following months:

February meeting:

Project updates
Review plan strategies and actions
Discuss spring monitoring

Spring: generally no meeting unless the need is defined, but email updates and coordination to the list regarding habitat or other project implementation and research projects.

May/June: field tour to visit project sites, usually conducted in coordination with the Central Region UPCD field tour.

November/December meeting:

Discuss project updates
Consider any new threats and any actions to take
Propose new projects for funding in the upcoming year

To be placed on the mailing list, or for specific meeting times and locations, contact Lorien Belton, CBCP Extension Specialist at 435-770-2413 or lorien.belton@usu.edu.

WDARM Sage-grouse Conservation Plan

A note about the WDARM plan: This is an adaptive plan, it will be reviewed annually and therefore is likely to be amended, changed, updated, and reported upon but it will not be ignored and just put on the shelf as a monumental accomplishment of those involved.

Sage-grouse Conservation Plan

Reports and Publications

Chelak, M. and T.A. Messmer. 2021. 2020 Annual Report & 2021 Research Update: Population Dynamics and Seasonal Movements of Translocated and Resident Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-Grouse Management Area. Annual Report, Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
Kade D. Lazenby, P.S. Coates, S.T. O’Neil, M.T. Kohl, and D.K. Dahlgren. 2021. Nesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage-grouse in North Dakota, USA. Ecology and Evolution 11(6) doi/full/10.1002/ece3.7228
2020 Accomplishment Report of Utah’s Adaptive Resources Management Greater Sage-grouse Local Working Groups
2019 Accomplishement Report, West Desert section or entire LWG report
Chelak, M., and T.A. Messmer. 2018. Population dynamics and seasonal movements of translocated and resident greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-grouse Management Area. Annual Report. Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
2018 Accomplishment Report West Desert section or entire LWG report
Chelak, M., and T.A. Messmer. 2018. Population dynamics and seasonal movements of translocated and resident greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-grouse Management Area. Annual Report . Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan. 35 pps.
2017 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section or entire LWG report
Chelak, M., and T.A. Messmer. 2017. Population dynamics and seasonal movements of translocated and resident greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-grouse Management Area. Annual Report. Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan. 34 pps.
Chelak, Melissa, and Terry A. Messmer. 2016. Population dynamics and seasonal movements of translocated and resident greater sage-grouse populations (Centrocercus urophasianus), Sheeprock Sage-grouse Management Area. Annual Report. Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University, Logan, UT. 29pps.
2016 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section, entire LWG report
2015 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
2014 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
Robinson, Jason D. and Terry A. Messmer. 2013. Vital rates and seasonal movements of two isolated greater sage-grouse populations in Utah's West Desert. Human-Wildlife Interactions 7(2):182-194. pdf file
2012 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
2011 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
Presentation given to County Commission, Spring 2011
2010 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
2008 Accomplishment Report, West Desert Section
Thesis by Jason D. Robinson (2007) Ecology of Two Geographically Distinct Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Inhabiting Utah's West Desert. Utah State University.
2006-7 Accomplishment Report; West Desert Section
Progress Report: 2006 Deep Creek Watershed Pygmy Rabbit Project
Sheeprock Research Reports 2020, March, April, May, June/July, Seasonal Summary
Sheeprock Translocation Updates 2019, March to June, October
Sheeprock Translocation Update 2018: May, June, July/August
Sheeprock Translocation Update 2017: February, April, May, July 10, late July
Sheeprocks Translocation Reports 2016 Field Season: April, May, June, Seasonal Summary

Minutes

Flagship Project

A greater sage-grouse translocation project headed by PhD student, Melissa Chelak at Utah State University, began in March of 2016. This project began with translocating 40 birds (10 males, 30 females) from Parker Mountain and Box Elder SGMA's to aid in augmenting and preventing extirpation of the Sheeprock sage-grouse population. Along with the translocations, predator control, habitat restoration and off-highway vehicle recreation surveys are being performed to develop more understanding of resident and translocated sage-grouse habitat selection and vital rates. From 2016-2019, 146 sage-grouse (40 males, 106 females) were translocated into the area, and 39 resident sage-grouse were collared from 2016-2020. This project works closely with local, state, federal agencies, and landowners who all play an integral role in the conservation process. If you have any questions, you can reach Melissa at melissa.chelak@usu.edu.