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  • Meet the Wildlife

    Meet the Wildlife

    Ferruginous Hawk - The ferruginous hawk is a large, broad-winged hawk that nests in the grasslands of the western United States.
  • Meet the Wildlife

    Meet the Wildlife

    Burrowing Owl - The burrowing owl is a small, ground-dwelling owl with long legs, a round head with an oval facial ruff, and no ear tufts.
  • Meet the Wildlife

    Meet the Wildlife

    Sage-grouse - Most breeding occurs on strutting grounds (leks) during March and April.
  • Meet the Wildlife

    Meet the Wildlife

    Mountain Plover - The mountain plover is a small bird approximately 8 inches in body length, similar in size and appearance to a killdeer.
  • Meet the Wildlife

    Meet the Wildlife

    Black-tailed Prairie Dog - The black-tailed prairie dog is one of five species of prairie dog, all of which occur only in North America.
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Focus Areas

Prairie Dog, Wyoming

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2 Ecotypes - 8 Covered Species

Our conservation strategy focuses on 2 ecotypes and 8 species to maximize conservation benefit and to promote sustainable populations and habitats.

 

Shortgrass species assemblage:

  • Black-tailed prairie dogs
  • Mountain plover
  • Burrowing owl
  • Ferruginous hawk
 

Sagebrush obligate assemblage:

  • Greater sage-grouse
  • Sage sparrow
  • Brewer’s sparrow
  • Sage thrasher
 
 

What's New

Conservation Advisory Committee

Sage Grouse, Wyoming

  • Following signing of the Interagency MOU in May 2014, the Association invited qualified professionals to serve on the Conservation Advisory Committee. The Committee consists of representatives from Audubon, Agriculture Research Service, BLM, FWS, Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy, University of Wyoming Extension, Wyoming Game & Fish Department along with local and regional consulting biologists and non-governmental organization representatives.
  • Initial meetings of the Committee focus on recommending conservation priority areas and process changes to the Association.
  • Currently, the Committee meets two to three times a year to review conservation management plans submitted by Association members.

The Next Steps

  • Work with Association members to assess threats and develop individual conservation plans.
  • Document conservation commitments, facilitate review by the Conservation Advisory Committee, and seek approval by the Association Board. On-the-ground implementation will begin following approval.
  • Integrate conservation strategies into federal and state agency procedures.
  • Build out adaptive management framework (including research priorities) to guide future efforts.
  • Continue to seek funding for conservation and research efforts.

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Conservation Snapshot

  • $4.7 million already invested to enhance sage and shortgrass habitats
  • 35,000 acres treated for cheatgrass
  • 3,900 acres of enhanced nesting cover in sage-grouse core areas

Our Mission

Develop a responsible, common sense, science-based approach to landscape management within the five northeast Wyoming counties.

Sage Grouse Strut

Sage Grouse Strut
Sage Grouse Strut

Coverage Area

The Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association coverage areaThe Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association coverage area spans 13.2 million acres in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. This includes Campbell, Converse, Crook, Niobrara, and Weston counties in Wyoming along with portions of seven additional counties in Wyoming and three in Montana.

Current members of the Association own over 1.2 million acres of land within this mixed ownership landscape. Other lands include Thunder Basin National Grasslands administered by the USDA Forest Service through three local grazing associations, Bureau of Land Management lands, state lands, and additional private lands not currently in the membership of the Association.

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