Weller: Riders would hurt sage grouse initiative
July 20, 2015 |05:25 PM
Jason Weller, chief of the Agriculture Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, said today that congressionally proposed measures which would delay the Interior Department from listing the sage grouse on the endangered species list might discourage ranchers and landowners from participating in voluntary programs to improve wildlife habitat.
“My personal concern is that if it is delayed, you could lose the momentum,” Weller said in a call to reporters with Partners for Conservation, as he released a report on the sage grouse initiative and signed a memorandum of understanding with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, to streamline and coordinate local, state and federal efforts to restore and protect habitat for the at-risk sage grouse in Montana, where 70 percent of the habitat is on private lands.
The riders “would not impact NRCS directly,” Weller said. “We are committed to going forward, and we are given authorities to go out and do partnerships. In my view, there has been a huge investment in the last five years and massive progress. You have more producers coming in every week that want to be part of the solution.” He added that there could be unintended consequences to the delay.
Pat O’Toole, a Wyoming rancher who spoke on the call with Weller, said that the potential listing “is driving” ranchers to participate in the initiative, although he said that conservation is part of the lifestyle in the West.
Jay Tanner, a Utah rancher who participated in the call, said the habitat improvement on his ranch has involved reducing the number of juniper trees, which restrict the native grasses.
Junipers take away water for grass and the availability of water for cattle.
The improvements, Tanner said, have proven an old saying: “What is good for the bird is good for the herd.”
“My personal concern is that if it is delayed, you could lose the momentum,” Weller said in a call to reporters with Partners for Conservation, as he released a report on the sage grouse initiative and signed a memorandum of understanding with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, to streamline and coordinate local, state and federal efforts to restore and protect habitat for the at-risk sage grouse in Montana, where 70 percent of the habitat is on private lands.
The riders “would not impact NRCS directly,” Weller said. “We are committed to going forward, and we are given authorities to go out and do partnerships. In my view, there has been a huge investment in the last five years and massive progress. You have more producers coming in every week that want to be part of the solution.” He added that there could be unintended consequences to the delay.
Pat O’Toole, a Wyoming rancher who spoke on the call with Weller, said that the potential listing “is driving” ranchers to participate in the initiative, although he said that conservation is part of the lifestyle in the West.
Jay Tanner, a Utah rancher who participated in the call, said the habitat improvement on his ranch has involved reducing the number of juniper trees, which restrict the native grasses.
Junipers take away water for grass and the availability of water for cattle.
The improvements, Tanner said, have proven an old saying: “What is good for the bird is good for the herd.”
