The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands.

Sagebrush country contains biological, cultural and economic resources of national significance. America’s sagebrush ecosystem is the largest contiguous ecotype in the continental United States, comprising one-third of the land mass of the continental lower 48. This landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

What We Do

Our Projects and Initiatives

For many years, the Fish and Wildlife Service has been conducting research, collaborating with partners, and supporting a landscape-wide conservation strategy to support a healthy sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Learn more about sagebrush ecosystem in the west.

Starting in FY22, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure and economic competitiveness. We were directly appropriated $455 million over five years in BIL funds for programs related to the President’s America the Beautiful initiative.

Learn more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has committed $10 million per year ($50 million over 5 years) to the Service to expand work with partners to restore and conserve strategic areas within the sagebrush ecosystem. These funds build on existing collaborative efforts by the Service and our public and private partners to conserve the sagebrush ecosystem and the significant biological, cultural, and economic resources it supports. These projects will combat invasive grasses and wildfire, reduce encroaching conifers, safeguard precious water resources for neighboring communities and wildlife, and promote community and economic sustainability. Read more about the Director's Priorities and BIL initiative: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds Proven Projects for Wildlife

Find a Sagebrush Restoration Project Near You

Explore the Data Dashboard for FY22, FY23, and FY24 Projects
Screenshot of Sagebrush Dashboard landing page, with map outlining sagebrush biome
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The Grassland & Sagebrush Conservation Portal is an ArcGIS Online platform that provides access to maps, apps, data, documents, and other resources for practitioners working in grassland and sagebrush biomes.  

Latest Stories and Topics

Stories
sagebrush up close
Habitat Restoration
Sagebrush Habitat Improvements after 2 years of BIL Funding
Approximately $10 million dollars/year have been invested in the sagebrush ecosystem for the last two years, made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And more than that, if you include funding for new positions that support sagebrush work. These BIL funds are being leveraged to make...
old sawed log surrounded by grass on a sunny day
Land Management
Finding Balance with Fire in Montana’s Sagebrush Country
Across the West, as biomes slowly wax and wane with the passage of time, decisive action in our lifetimes informed by the wisdom of locals—and aided by working coalitions like the Southwest Montana Sagebrush Partnership—can help to keep habitats and landscapes in balance, working for wildlife and...
verdant sagebrush landscape with mountains in the background
Habitat Restoration
Over $10.5M from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for Sagebrush
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced more than $10.5 million in fiscal year 2024 funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support 59 strategic projects in Western states focused on habitat restoration and on-the-ground science.
people working along a streambank in a field of sagebrush with big, blue sky
Habitat Restoration
Stitching the Landscape Back Together
In 2021, the Biden Administration committed $10 million per year over the next five years under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for sagebrush ecosystem restoration. To implement this funding for priority projects such as mesic habitat...
two people walking towards sunset through sagebrush landscape
Working Lands
Conserving the Ocean of Grass and Sage
In Montana, funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expanding the scale of conservation to whole landscapes. The following story was written by partners at the Intermountain West Joint Venture and the original version is available on Partnering to Conserve Sagebrush Rangelands.
A pile of brush in a dry streambed can be seen with 8 wooden stakes in the middle of the pile
Our Partners
BIL Funding Restores Mesic Habitat in Idaho
“Investing in the maintenance of the waterways that create mesic habitats will provide long-term benefits for sage-grouse during the brood-rearing season, in addition to other sagebrush obligate species and livestock.”
View All News

Work With Us

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We work alongside other agencies, partners, non-profits, Tribes, landowners, programs, and the public to strategize, fund, and collaborate on sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Learn more about sagebrush conservation. Individual state fish and wildlife agencies have been, and continue to be, central to the implementation of work in sagebrush.  

The Sagebrush Ecosystem is one of several programs that is receiving investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure and economic competitiveness. We were directly appropriated $455 million over five years in BIL funds for programs related to the President’s America the Beautiful initiative.

Learn more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that helps local, state, and Tribal communities tackle the climate crisis and environmental restoration needs while advancing environmental justice, creating jobs, and boosting local economies.    

Projects and Research

Sagebrush ecosystem projects with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure and economic competitiveness. We were directly appropriated $455 million over five years in BIL funds for programs related to the President’s America the Beautiful initiative.

Learn more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Project Name  

Location  

FY22 Funding 

FY23 Funding

FY24 Funding

Addressing Invasive Annual Grass in Sage-Grouse Core Areas in Idaho

ID  

492,000   

328,000

150,146

Idaho Mesic Rangeland Resources Enhancement: A Statewide Strategy to Increase the Pace and Scale of Delivery  

ID  

120,000   

80,000

202,122

Idaho Conifer Treatments; Increasing the Pace and Scale of Regional Landscape Strategies  

ID  

144,000   

96,000

75,000

Upper Snake Sagebrush Steppe Enhancement  

ID  

183,148   

156,852

N/A

Southeast Idaho Sagebrush Steppe Enhancement  

ID  

52,131   

N/A

N/A
Supporting Shoshone Paiute and Shoshone Bannock Tribal Partnerships in the Sagebrush SteppeIDN/AN/A99,000
Supporting the Candidate Conservation Agreement on Idaho National Laboratory Partnerships in the Sagebrush SteppeIDN/AN/A121,000
Supporting Sagebrush Core Area Recovery Through Disturbance Response IDN/AN/A45,000

Oregon Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances Initiative to Protect and Enhance Sagebrush Ecosystems on Private Lands  

OR  

250,000   

250,000

125,000

Assessing, Protecting, and Restoring Mesic Habitats in the Pueblo and Trout Creek Mountains  

OR  

360,000   

N/A

N/A

Southeastern Oregon Collaboration to Address Primary Threats to Sagebrush Landscapes  

OR  

119,200   

119,200

171,190

Barbwire Juniper Removal Project

OR  

120,039   

120,039

150,000

Burns-Paiute Tribe Jonsboro Upland Native Plant Restoration  

OR  

56,142   

N/A

N/A

Completing Removal of Encroaching Juniper from the Lower Guano Creek Area on Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge  

OR  

114,000   

143,858

N/A

Survey of Bombus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and DNA Barcoding of Sagebrush Biome Wild Bees in Southeast Oregon

OR

N/A

57,000

N/A
Baker Sage-Grouse Landscape Implementation Team Initiative to Enhance Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat in Northeastern OregonORN/AN/A100,000
Increasing Native Seed Collection and Storage Capacity for Restoration of Core Sagebrush Areas in Central OregonORN/AN/A140,303
Developing Stream Crossing Reclamation Plans for Degraded Crossings of Springbrooks through Wet Meadows in Completed Juniper Control Areas on Hart Mountain National Antelope RefugeORN/AN/A15,000

Easement Support for Sage Grouse Habitat Protection 

WA 

186,000 

N/A

N/A

Process-Based Stream Restoration in Smith Draw  

WA  

31,515   

N/A

N/A

Moses Coulee Post-Fire Sage-Steppe Restoration: Phase II   

WA  

183,323

N/A

N/A

Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit Recovery

WA

N/A

209,100

N/A

Post-Fire Restoration of Stream and Riparian Habitat Condition on East Foster Creek Douglas County, Washington

WA

N/A

100,000

N/A

Washington Shrub-steppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative: Defining Shared Spatial Priorities  

WA

175,000

N/A

N/A

Shrub-Steppe Restoration for Fire and Climate Resilience on Hanford Reach National Monument

WA

N/A

93,786

N/A
Shrub-Steppe Restoration and Monitoring on Hanford Reach National Monument WAN/AN/A185,000
Beaver-Powered Restoration in Rock Island Creek Watershed WAN/AN/A51,874
Sagebrush Upland Improvement and Riparian Restoration in Douglas County, Washington WAN/AN/A165,000
Low-tech Process-Based Restoration in Streams and Meadows of Douglas County Wildlife Areas in WashingtonWAN/AN/A86,042
Restoration of Stream and Riparian Habitat Conditions in Douglas County, Washington WAN/AN/A76,093

Restoration of Native Sagebrush Habitats from Cheatgrass Invasion in Northwestern Colorado (Phase 1)  

CO  

230,926   

230,926

N/A

Gunnison Basin Cheatgrass Implementation Project

CO  

398,139   

395,337

N/A

Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)

CO

N/A

188,726

N/A

Restoration of San Luis Valley Mesic Habitat at Poncha Pass

CO

N/A

N/A

185,486

San Miguel Basin Wet Meadow Restoration Project 

CO

N/A

N/A

261,216

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Wet Meadow Restoration and Fence Removal, Inventory and Modification Work in Northwest Colorado

CO

N/A

N/A

151,800

Conway Ranch Wet Meadow Enhancement Project

CA

N/A

82,000

N/A

Sage-Grouse Habitat Restoration through Wild Horse Management

CA

N/A

150,000

N/A

Bi-State Sagebrush Ecosystem Enhancement Project

CA

N/A

250,000

N/A

Bodie Hills Sagebrush Ecosystem Enhancement Project

CA  

N/A   

N/A

212,268

SW Montana Sage Steppe Resiliency Project  

MT  

437,185   

468,508

348,857 

Sagebrush Conservation in Montana's Northern Great Plains and Musselshell Plain

MT 

309,218

431,504

210,000

Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances in Montana's Northern Great Plains and Musselshell Plains

MT 

120,263

97,977

134,930

Assessing Traditional and Emerging Grazing Strategies for Creating a Mosaic of Diverse Habitat Patches for Sagebrush Associated Birds  

MT

119,682   

100,318

N/A

Pre- and Post- Treatment Impacts of Japanese Brome Treatment on Pollinators in Sagebrush Rangeland

MT

N/A

95,000

N/A

Managing Sage-Steppe on Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 

MT

N/A

31,323

N/A

Ranch and Climate Resilience on the Northern Great Plains

MT

N/A

N/A

477,085

Ventenata Occurrence and Treatment in Sage-Grouse Core and Growth areas on Lands Encompassed by the Crow Reservation

MT

N/A

N/A

150,000

Utah: Climate Resilience Projects for Mesic Habitat Restoration and Enhancements  

UT  

475,453

232,398

75,000

Utah: Conifer Treatment Projects for Upland Habitat Restoration and Enhancements   

UT  

461,271  

250,000

812,952

Wyoming Collaborative Sage-Steppe Mesic Habitat Restoration  

WY  

250,000   

370,000

N/A

Wyoming Invasive Annual Grass Management Collaborative 

WY  

750,000   

630,000

584,763

Seedskadee NWR Virtual Fence Rangeland Health 

WY

N/A

52,000 

50,000 

North Sybille Canyon Area Wet Mesic Sage-Steppe Protection 

WY

N/A

N/A

30,000

Wind River Reservation Riparian Fencing 

WY

N/A

N/A

300,000 

Diamond Springs Protection

WY

N/A

N/A

100,000

Crazy Woman Creek Sage-Steppe Habitat Protection 

WY

N/A

N/A

225,000

Huston to Sommers Green River Habitat Restoration 

WY

N/A

N/A

50,000

North La Barge Common Allotment Virtual Fence

WY

N/A

N/A

90,000

Wind River Reservation Crow Creek Fence

WY

N/A

N/A

50,000

Green River Watershed Mesic Restoration Crew

WY

N/A

N/A

120,000

Invasive Annual Grass Tech Transfer Partnership: Empowering Land Managers to Defend and Grow Sagebrush Cores  

WY200,000100,000N/A

Developing Spring Reclamation Plans for Developed and Altered Springs and Associated Spring Brooks and Meadows in Completed Juniper Control Areas on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge 

NV 

20,000 

41,000

N/A

Improving Climate Resilience of Sagebrush Ecosystem Communities in the Great Basin 

NV 

887,832 

503,786

N/A

Santa Rosa Paradise Priority Landscape Restoration Project

NV

N/A

25,000

N/A

Northeastern Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Enhancement Project

NV

N/A

220,000

N/A

Increasing the Availability of Dry Ecotype Native Seeds and Plant Materials for the Great Basin (Nevada Seed Strategy Actions)

NV

N/A

262,790

N/A

Kelly Creek Conifer Thinning - Phase I  

NV  

7,660   

N/A

N/A

Home Ranch Water Distribution - Phase II  

NV  

51,166   

N/A

N/A

Humboldt Ranch Sagebrush and Riparian Enhancement Project  

NV  

91,162   

N/A

N/A

Summit Lake Sagebrush Spring(s) into Action  

NV  

70,000   

N/A

N/A

Vya Conservation District Sagebrush and Wet Meadow Enhancements Phase I  

NV  

100,000   

N/A

N/A

Cottonwood Ranch Meadow Enhancement Project  

NV  

25,000   

N/A

N/A

O'Neil Basin Meadow Enhancement Project

NV

N/A

175,000

N/A

Effect of Conifer Treatments and Landscape Management on Sagebrush Obligate Songbirds and Pinyon Jays in the Great Basin 

NV

100,000

252,500

N/A

Impacts of Mining Exploration and Development on Sagebrush Ecosystems and Wildlife: A Pilot Study 

NV

50,000

50,000

N/A

Northwestern Nevada Large Scale Rangeland Restoration

NV

N/A

N/A

303,000

Virtual Fencing as a Tool to Support Flexible Livestock Grazing Management to Simultaneously Benefit Livestock Production and Wildlife Habitat

NV

N/A

N/A

150,500

Mary’s River Subbasin Riparian and Migration Corridor Enhancement Project

NV

N/A

N/A

221,204

 Summit Lake Sagebrush Spring(s) into Action Phase II

NV

N/A

N/A

176,580

Mason Mountain Riparian/Wet Meadow Restoration and Infrastructure Removal

NV

N/A

N/A

24,000

 Berry Brook Mesic Area and Connectivity Enhancement for Sagebrush Steppe Wildlife

NV

N/A

N/A

164,904

Sweetwater Pinyon-Juniper Removal

NV

N/A

N/A

43.326

Mosquito Valley Range Improvements

NV

N/A

N/A

67,659

Fourmile Creek Wet Meadow Enhancement Project  

NV  

38,050   

N/A

N/A

Fourmile Creek Wet Meadow Enhancement Project Phase II 

NV

N/A

N/A

37,326

Stream and Meadow Restoration and Sagebrush Habitat Enhancement Project  

NV  

N/A   

N/A

71,913

Assessing the Future Sagebrush Core Habitats: Impacts of Climate & Climate Uncertainty, Wildfire and Invasive Species  

Rangewide

110,000   

113,548

312,817

Incorporating Connectivity and Wildland Fire Risk into the WAFWA Sagebrush Conservation Design  

Rangewide  

150,000   

N/A

N/A

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Conservation Actions for Greater Sage-Grouse using Hierarchical Models and the Conservation Efforts Database  

Rangewide  

150,000   

150,000

95,000

Sagebrush Biome Invasive Annual Grass Economic Assessment

Rangewide

N/A

100,000

N/A

Continued Technical Assistance to the Sagebrush Conservation Design: Publishing the Scenarios Work and Expanding our Monitoring Tool to Include Key Ecological Indicators from Local Vegetation

Rangewide

N/A

99,995

119,944

Understanding Greater Sage-Grouse Population Trends from the Lens of the WAFWA Conservation Design Strategy: Implications for Management of Impacted, Core, and Growth Opportunity Areas within the Sagebrush Biome  

Rangewide  

75,000   

75,000

N/A

Planning for Conservation Delivery Success: Linking Biome-wide Sagebrush Conservation Design to Local Treatment Planning by Leveraging Landscape Restoration Outcomes  

Rangewide  

115,000

N/A

N/A

Integrating Habitat Quality and Resistance and Resilience to Inform Long-term Sagebrush Conservation and Restoration Investments

RangewideN/AN/A244,418

Assessing the impact of invasive annual grasses and wildfire on native pollinators within the sagebrush-steppe biome

RangewideN/AN/A312,817
Quantifying Carbon Storage and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Sagebrush Rangelands to Inform Management for Carbon ResilienceRangewideN/AN/A134,408

Assessing the Responses of Multiple Sagebrush Songbirds to Conifer Removal in the Bi-State Area of Nevada and California

RangewideN/AN/A24,186

Incorporating Genetic Structure and Diversity Into Restoration Guidelines for Sagebrush Ecosystems to Improve Resiliency and Restoration Success

RangewideN/AN/A80,000

Growing the Core: Restoring Sagebrush Steppe Habitats with Innovative Restoration Technologies

RangewideN/AN/A100,000

Mapping Renewable Energy and Transmission Infrastructures Across Sagebrush Biome and Estimating Effects on Sage-Grouse Populations for a Management Decision Support Tool

RangewideN/AN/A144,277

Continued Technical Assistance to the Sagebrush Conservation Design and Incorporating Riparian Resources into the Sagebrush Conservation Design

RangewideN/AN/A50,000

Building and Testing a Multi-scale Adaptive Management Framework for Evaluating Restoration Effectiveness in the Sagebrush Biome

RangewideN/AN/A244,950

Remaining funding is allocated for capacity building efforts across sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Learn more about sagebrush country for new or existing staff positions to bolster partnerships and aid the delivery of on-the-ground conservation projects. FY24 has 1.3 million allocated for capacity building.