Approximately 40 people attended the first meeting of the Miles City area sage grouse local working group, Thursday, January 8 at the VA Auditorium in Miles City. "We were thrilled with the turnout," said Anne Cossitt, team leader hired to help organize the working group. "People came from throughout southeastern Montana, from Decker to Alzada and Belle Fourche, South Dakota, despite difficult road conditions from the recent storms and bad weather." Cossitt and team member Barb Beck provided background information on the statewide Management Plan and Conservation Strategies for Sage Grouse. The process for becoming a threatened or endangered species was also explained, because petitions have been filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act.
Declines in sage grouse populations have been documented across the West. The state plan sets long term goals of maintaining or increasing sage grouse populations and habitat and identifies a number of possible actions. Referring to the role of up to 11 local working groups that may be established across the state, Cossitt explained, "The plan provides a framework, but the local working groups are autonomous and can decide for themselves what actions and projects make sense for their area." The ultimate goal of the local working group effort will be to maintain or increase population numbers and at the same time avoid a listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Following the presentation, meeting participants were invited to share their concerns and observations about sage grouse and sagebrush. Concerns included the need for more information about sage grouse numbers in southeastern Montana and questions about what was really causing the decline. One participant stated, "We have the same amount of habitat, but we’ve lost birds." Several participants indicated that actions to maintain habitat may indeed be relatively small steps.
The second Miles City sage grouse working group meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 23, 2004, at 3 pm at Miles Community College, Room 106. Anyone who would like additional information can contact Anne Cossitt, Park City MT, 633-2213 or by e-mail at cossitt@usadig.com. Notes from the meeting will be posted on the website for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in the next two weeks.
CONTACT: Anne Cossitt Cossitt Consulting Park City, Montana 633-2213 cossitt@usadig.com
