Photo Credit: BLM Wyoming

The Sagebrush Sea – home to imperiled sage grouse

Safeguard the Sagebrush Sea

Between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada exists a vast legacy of still wild lands: the Sagebrush Sea ecosystem. Large expanses of sagebrush define this ecosystem, distinguishing it from the grasslands of the Great Plains and the hot deserts of the Southwest. The Sagebrush Sea is also known for its most famous denizen, the sage grouse, a dancing bird that depends on sagebrush for survival.

One of the most imperiled ecosystems in North America, the Sagebrush Sea is threatened by oil and gas development and livestock grazing and accompanying increasingly destructive wildfire. Though most of the Sagebrush Sea is public land, it is not remotely adequately protected. And without protection, this unique landscape and the sage grouse that call it home could disappear in our lifetime.

We’ve already devoted more than a decade to conserving the Sagebrush Sea, beginning in 2003 when we sought to protect the sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act. By pushing for federal protections for the sage grouse, and especially protective buffers around their nests, we can protect the Sagebrush Sea as well. The Obama administration’s efforts to protect grouse fell short and the Trump administration is busily undermining even those weak safeguards.

Defend the Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act is our country’s most essential environmental law protecting plants and animals, yet some members of Congress want to weaken the law. Tell Congress you value native wildlife and want to see all imperiled species protected.

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Threats to the Sagebrush Sea

Oil and Gas Drilling

Sage grouse are negatively affected by oil and gas development, especially in or near their breeding, nesting, or brooding habitat.

Livestock Grazing

More than 99 percent of remaining sagebrush steppe is or was impacted by livestock. Livestock trample vegetation; damage the soil; spread invasive weeds, resulting in more intense wildfire; pollute water; and deprive wildlife of food and shelter.

Wildfires

A deadly combination of fire suppression; grazing; the spread of invasive plants like cheatgrass, caused by livestock grazing; and climate change means more devastating wildfires. Sagebrush is very slow-growing, and sage grouse and other wildlife may not use burned sagebrush steppe for decades after these fires.

Roads

Less than five percent of the Sagebrush Sea ecosystem is more than 1.6 miles from a road. Sage grouse are killed in collisions with vehicles and may be affected by roads up to more than four miles away.

Invasive Weeds

Cheatgrass, a non-native, flammable weed spread by domestic livestock, destroys native sagebrush steppe, increases the likelihood and spread of wildfire, and takes over burned habitat.

Habitat Destruction for Human Development

A number of the fastest-growing communities in the Interior West—itself the fastest-growing region of the country—are in the Sagebrush Sea. When sagebrush ecosystems are converted to housing developments or agriculture, their habitat values for sage grouse are lost.

Watch a Sage Grouse on a Lek

In early spring, male sage grouse congregate on “leks”—ancestral strutting grounds—and engage in elaborate courtship rituals to attract a mate.

The Sage Grouse

There are a variety of grouse species and subspecies that inhabit the American West. Umbrella and indicator species for Western grasslands and deserts, sage grouse offer insight into the health of entire ecosystems.

Greater sage grouse

A classic indicator species, the greater sage grouse is the foremost ambassador for the Sagebrush Sea ecosystem. These fascinating birds are famous for their mating rituals, which appear as an elaborate dance.

Gunnison sage grouse

Recognized as a separate species in 2000, the Gunnison sage grouse is federally listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Seven isolated populations, one in Southeastern Utah and seven in Southwestern Colorado, remain.

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse

The smallest and rarest of the six species of grouse in North America, it now exists in less than 10 percent of its historic range.

Lesser prairie chicken

Myriad destructive land uses have slashed lesser prairie chicken populations by more than 90 percent. We are working to gain ESA protections for these rare dancing birds.

Mono Basin sage grouse

A subpopulation of greater sage grouse that occur on the southern border of California and Nevada. Geneticists have discovered that Mono Basin sage grouse are genetically distinct from other sage grouse.

Guardians Voices: Sage Grouse Stories

Watch this series of three-minute films telling the stories of people who, in their roles or careers, are guardians of the critically imperiled greater sage grouse.

How You Can Help

Help protect the incredible, vulnerable wildlife of the West! Be a guardian for the wild by joining the conversation, learning about current issues, and making your voice heard. Together, we're a powerful force for nature.

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Wildlife Press

Proposed ESA regulatory changes will help species impacted by climate change

Jun 7, 2022

WildEarth Guardians’ statement on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed ESA section 10(j) rulemaking

New Mexico and wildlife — still more work to do

Santa Fe New Mexican | Mar 31, 2022

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/new-mexico-and-wildlife-still-more-work-to-do/article_7242ca02-b071-11ec-8f40-ff9c9e62671b.html

Wildfires like Rodeo-Chediski imperil Mexican spotted owls, but is forest work also a threat?

AZ Central | Jun 24, 2022

No one knows how many Mexican spotted owls live across the Southwest, whether it's as few as 1,000 or as many as 10,000. The last real count, in targeted areas of Arizona and New Mexico, was completed in 2002.

Contact

[email protected]

Soni Grant

Four Corners Organizer

Soni joined Guardians in 2021 as the Four Corners Organizer. Their work focuses on protecting the Greater Chaco region from fossil fuel extraction and advocating for meaningful climate solutions. Soni brings over a decade of experience organizing for social and environmental justice in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and New Mexico. They hold a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and an MA in Geography from the University of Toronto. When not at Guardians, Soni teaches environmental studies and maintains an active research agenda on environmental justice and the impacts of climate change in New Mexico. In their free time, Soni is an avid runner and hiker, and enjoys cooking, playing music, and spending time with their dog and partner.

Contact

[email protected] 720-600-3833

Lizzy Pennock

Legal Fellow

Lizzy joined WildEarth Guardians as a volunteer in September 2019 during her second year of law school. Lizzy is a Diehl Environmental Law Fellow focused on wildlife protection. She grew up in Colorado, where she developed her passion for nature and exploring the outdoors. Lizzy earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Science at the University of Hawai`i and her J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law. She was awarded the 2021 Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Leadership Award and was elected to the Cornelius Honor Society. She did as much pro bono as possible during law school and worked with Crag Law Center and the Center for Biological Diversity, focusing on salmon protection. She currently resides on the Oregon coast with her partner and two labs, where she loves to hike, bake, and spend time at the beach.

Contact

[email protected] 505-396-1752

Tricia Snyder

Rio Grande Campaigner

Tricia, as a child of military parents, spent much of her childhood moving frequently in the U.S. and abroad, but calls El Paso, TX home. Growing up on the banks of the (often dry) Rio Grande and the water scarcity of the Southwest sparked a life-long interest in finding solutions for water conflicts in the arid and semi-arid American West. Tricia received a B.S. in Geography with a focus on human-environment connection from New Mexico State University. Her research while there centered on water management across borders. She spent 5 years working with the Southwest Environmental Center working to protect and restore the wildlife and wild places of the Southwest borderlands, particularly focused on the recovery of the Mexican gray wolf. In 2015, Tricia moved to Washington state to pursue a graduate degree, receiving an M.S. in Cultural and Environmental Resource Management from Central Washington University. Her thesis, which conducted an adaptive capacity assessment of the Upper Klamath Basin, utilized both quantitative and qualitative research methods. She worked for nearly four years on salmon recovery as the Lead Entity Coordinator for the Yakima Basin in central Washington, bringing together a diverse group of interests and perspectives. Tricia joined WildEarth Guardians as the Rio Grande Campaigner in 2021.

Rebecca Vitale Mandich

Member, Board of Directors

Rebecca Vitale Mandich of Palo Alto, CA and Tesuque, NM, was called early to the environmental movement to give voice to the voiceless. An advocate since the 70s, she received her degree in Environmental Studies taught by some of the big thinkers of the time such as Paul Ehrlich, Stewart Brand, Dr. Richard Leakey, Alan Chadwick, and Dr. Donald Aitken, who founded the program at SJSUC as one of first in the nation. Utilizing that education, coupled with commitment and inspiration, Rebecca started taking actions from working in one of the first solar energy homes to working on ballot measures for better public transportation systems in the Bay Area. She assisted in opening the first Spanish-speaking office for Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992 and registered many in the local Hispanic community, hosting then candidate VP Gore to discuss the environment and community issues. In the meantime, she married Mitch Mandich and has two grown children, Matthew and Madeleine, and various dogs and cats have graced their lives. Having traveled extensively, her favorite escape is camping in our national parks and on public monuments and lands, where she has experienced all manner of wildlife and wild places. She became acquainted with WildEarth Guardians about six years ago when she read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about their lawsuit against U.S. Fish and Wildlife services regarding wolves. She sent them a letter and a fast friendship formed over their mutual love of all things wild. Rebecca sees much hope in the future of the environmental movement that began with “Save the Whales" to now promoting a food and energy paradigm for the sustainability of natural resources. A deep political will and an openness to examine new ideas dictate her thinking. She feels that embracing environmental changes through engagement, both politically and through grassroots efforts, are paramount for the evolution of a responsible species to continue the ride on, what she affectionately refers to as, Spaceship Earth.

Peter Schoenburg

Treasurer, Board of Directors

Peter Schoenburg is a partner in the Albuquerque law offices of Rothstein, Donatelli, Hughes, Dahlstrom, Schoenburg & Bienvenu, LLP. He has practiced criminal defense law in New Mexico since 1978. He received his undergraduate degree at Yale College and his law degree at Rutgers School of Law. A former Federal and State Public Defender, as well as an Assistant Attorney General, since 1993 Peter has worked in private practice defending complex criminal cases in both Federal and State courts. He also regularly represents Native Americans charged with illegal possession of feathers in connection with their religious practices. He has been continuously listed in The Best Lawyers in America - Criminal Defense since 1994. Peter’s love of the wilderness and commitment to its preservation began in his child-hood years in upstate New York. Beginning in law school he worked as an instructor at the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine and the, now defunct, Southwest Outward Bound School based in Santa Fe. He is an avid rafter, hiker, skier and cyclist.

Nat Cobb

Member, Board of Directors

Nat Cobb joined the Guardians Board in 2010. He grew exploring the outdoor environments in New Mexico, Colorado, and Pakistan. In the 1970’s he worked for five different Outward Bound schools in diverse environments, including three years directing programs in the Gila Wilderness. He also worked as a river guide on the Grand Canyon and in Dinosaur National Monument. A graduate of Fort Lewis College and Harvard Medical School, he recently retired from the Indian Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control, where his work included Family Practice, Emergency Medicine, Research and Epidemiology. He still loves to explore mountains, rivers and deserts by boat, ski, foot, and bicycle. He and his wife actively support and partner with several local farmers in farm-to-table, farm-to-beer mug, and farm-to-wineglass projects. At home on the bank of the Rio Grande in Los Ranchos, NM, he dabbles in native plant landscaping and tries to co-exist with the coyote, geese, beaver, and sandhill cranes who live in his back yard.

Contact

[email protected] 651-434-7737

Marla Fox, J.D.

Staff Attorney

Marla Fox joined WildEarth Guardians’ Legal Team in 2019 after working as the Rewilding Attorney since 2015. Her litigation focuses on reconnecting wild places and waterways on public lands across the American West. Originally from Minnesota, Marla spent her informative years swimming and fishing in northern lakes. She received her B.A. in Spanish and Biology from St. Olaf College and her Juris Doctorate from Lewis & Clark Law School. From 2012 to 2015 Marla was a Legal Fellow and then Staff Attorney for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, where she focused on Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act enforcement. Marla is licensed to practice law in Oregon and Washington. When not working in front of her computer, you can find Marla exploring the West on backpacking trips, running trails, or hiking with her family.

Contact

[email protected]
505-417-5893

Madeleine Carey

Greater Gila Guardian

Madeleine Carey is the WildEarth Guardians’ Greater Gila Guardian. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Madeleine spent her childhood exploring the Rio Grande and its bosque on foot and on horseback. In May 2014, she graduated from Tufts University in Medford, MA with a degree in Biology and Urban Studies. While at Tufts, she was a four-year member of the Track and Cross Country teams and a trip leader for the Tufts Wilderness Orientation program. During college, Madeleine spent her summers working for the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, researching American Pika in the Valles Caldera National Preserve and working with NM State Forestry to create a post-wildfire assistance guide. An avid runner and pie baker, Madeleine is always looking for ways to combine adventures with brunch.

Articles by Madeleine

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Contact

[email protected] 503-278-0669

Marlies Wierenga, M.S.

Pacific Northwest Conservation Manager

Marlies Wierenga is the Pacific Northwest Conservation Manager for WildEarth Guardians, serves under the Wild Places Program Director, and formerly served as WA/OR Coordinator for Wildlands CPR until their merger with WildEarth Guardians in 2013. Marlies has over a decade of experience using her technical, policy and public involvement skills to address watershed and water quality challenges throughout the Pacific Northwest. She has analyzed environmental conditions and developed numerous shoreline, watershed and water quality plans for local and state jurisdictions. Marlies has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Arizona and a Master’s in Environmental Studies from the Evergreen State College, where her thesis analyzed the dual mandate of National Parks in Alaska to meet conservation goals and support the subsistence practices of local people (focus was Wrangell-St. Elias National Park).

Articles by Marlies

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Contact

[email protected] 505-216-6826

Rebecca Sobel

Organizing Director

Rebecca Sobel first joined Guardians as our first Conservation Organizer in 2007, later becoming Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner, until moving into her role as Organizing Director of Guardians new Organizing program in 2021. With a bachelor's degree in an individualized major "Globalization and Social Justice '' and a masters degree in International Relations and Human Rights, Rebecca has focused her professional career on social and environmental justice. Starting with Greenpeace as a Field Organizer, where she organized the March for Climate Action in Vermont with Bill McKibben, Rebecca has previously served as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, and principal of Action Oriented campaign consulting firm before returning to Guardians in 2016. Originally from Philadelphia, Rebecca feels blessed to call the Southwest her home.

Articles by Rebecca

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Contact

[email protected] 505-401-4180

Samantha Ruscavage-Barz, Ph.D., J.D.

Legal Director

Samantha Ruscavage-Barz is Legal Director for WildEarth Guardians and has been with the organization for over a decade. She is responsible for coordinating the organization’s litigation strategies, managing and developing staff attorneys, and litigating cases for the Wild Rivers Program. Samantha is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law where she is also an Adjunct Professor teaching Environmental Litigation Drafting and coaching the Environmental Law Moot Court Team. Prior to becoming an attorney, Samantha spent 17 years as an archaeologist in the public and private sectors before attending law school, which led to her interest in advocating for and effecting protection of air and water, community health, cultural sites, and public lands ecosystems.

Contact

[email protected] 406-549-3895

Sarah McMillan, J.D.

Conservation Director

Sarah McMillan grew up reading Ed Abbey by kerosene lamp at night and exploring the woods, rivers, and mountains of Montana and western Washington by day. She received her B.A. from Williams College and her J.D. from the University of Montana. Sarah is an avid hiker, locavore wannabe (notable downfalls include olive oil, licorice, Marmite, and black tea), and life-long environmentalist. She has worked in private practice and with Western Environmental Law Center to protect the natural world. Her litigation background is broad—from the ESA, CWA, NEPA, NFMA, etc. to protecting Montanans right to a clean and healthful environment, to defending a citizen's initiative that effectively stopped game farm "hunting" in Montana.

The Sagebrush Sea – home to imperiled sage grouse

Safeguard the Sagebrush Sea

Defend the Endangered Species Act

Threats to the Sagebrush Sea

Oil and Gas Drilling

Livestock Grazing

Wildfires

Roads

Invasive Weeds

Habitat Destruction for Human Development

Watch a Sage Grouse on a Lek

The Sage Grouse

Guardians Voices: Sage Grouse Stories

How You Can Help

Recent Stories From Wildlife

Wildlife Press

WildEarth Guardians protects and restores the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West.

Contact

Soni Grant

Four Corners Organizer

Contact

Lizzy Pennock

Legal Fellow

Contact

Tricia Snyder

Rio Grande Campaigner

Rebecca Vitale Mandich

Member, Board of Directors

Peter Schoenburg

Treasurer, Board of Directors

Nat Cobb

Member, Board of Directors

Contact

Marla Fox, J.D.

Staff Attorney

Contact

Madeleine Carey

Greater Gila Guardian

Articles by Madeleine

Contact

Marlies Wierenga, M.S.

Pacific Northwest Conservation Manager

Articles by Marlies

Contact

Rebecca Sobel

Organizing Director

Articles by Rebecca

Contact

Samantha Ruscavage-Barz, Ph.D., J.D.

Legal Director

Contact

Sarah McMillan, J.D.

Conservation Director