Historical context
The Gunnison Sage Grouse (centrocercus minimus) is a species of grouse whose primary remaining habitat is the Gunnison Basin. Extirpated from historic habitat in several states, including Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and most of Utah, the population has been declining since the 1950s. About two-thirds of its habitat is on public land, most of which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

In 1995, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Gunnison County, Gunnison County Stockgrowers, High Country Citizens’ Alliance, Black Canyon Audubon, biologists and other individuals began meeting to consider what could be done to reverse the unique bird’s decline. The consensus-based group of over 20 people (known as the Working Group) spent long hours together identifying potential causes of the decline. After identifying over 40 of these, the group created a Conservation Plan to inspire voluntary management actions which, participants hoped, would help restore the population. The more than 200 actions are based on restoring habitat quality, reducing habitat loss and fragmentation and preventing physical disturbance of the birds. The local group’s actions have far-reaching significance for the survival of the species.

With the Gunnison Sage Grouse Conservation Plan in place since 1997, many dedicated people have interpreted and acted on the recommendations in the Plan. Some of the plan has been implemented, while some efforts need to be increased, as the group continually evaluates itself and its achievements. Despite these efforts, the Gunnison Sage Grouse population has continued to decline, which shows that it is not easy to bring an imperiled species back to health.
(All grouse photos this page © by Louis Swift)

HCCA’s role
Since the Working Group’s inception, High Country Citizens' Alliance has played an important advocacy role for the Gunnison Sage Grouse. Creating the conservation plan required compromise in order to reach consensus with the diverse group. Since 1995, we have participated in ongoing meetings and field trips, helping evaluate the group’s efforts and seeking to promote cooperation among the various stakeholders. We helped place some protection for sage grouse habitat into Gunnison County’s 2001 Land Use Resolution. Portions of this document were changed in 2003 and we continue to advocate the restoration of significant protections as Gunnison County continues to experience rapid development. We serve on the Information & Education subcommittee of the Working Group, which has produced T-shirts, brochures and a documentary video about the grouse and the efforts to save it. Proceeds have gone towards educational purposes.

HCCA also serves on the Gunnison Sage Grouse Strategic Committee, a group similar to the Working Group, but created by Gunnison County to address important issues and make decisions by the voting method, hoping to find quicker resolution to determining and accomplishing actions.

Current status
In 2000, the Gunnison Sage Grouse became a Candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act. In late winter 2005, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the agency responsible for the determination of the bird’s status, announced that they would be preparing a proposed rule to consider placing the Gunnison Sage Grouse on the Endangered Species list. High Country Citizens' Alliance, along with national environmental organizations, biologists and others, hoped that the ruling would recommend Endangered status, but it was not to be. On April 12, 2006, FWS announced that they had denied the proposal for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Now that is not proposed for Endangered status, the Gunnison Sage Grouse is longer a Candidate. This could further endanger the population as Federal intervention would have mandated definitive protective measures for the bird. Gunnison County efforts are continuing, with a Strategic Committee made up of agency personnel, developers and conservationists faced with the challenge of developing a strategic plan and sufficient regulations to protect the imperiled bird.

We are discouraged that the decision to deny the Gunnison Sage Grouse Endangered status was not based on sound science. Several environmental groups and San Miguel County have appealed the controversial decision.

ESA protection
Declaring a species officially “Endangered” is a controversial subject. High Country Citizens' Alliance supports this designation, a decision we arrived at after nine years of hoping that voluntary actions would begin the recovery process.

High Country Citizens' Alliance asked the US Fish and Wildlife Service for Endangered status in 2004. We cited many factors, principally the rapid pace of development in Gunnison County, with limited controls on impacts to grouse habitat. With approximately 2,000 birds remaining, we felt it was time to employ the more certain measures that Endangered protection would bring.

FWS has introduced a new approach, called a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, which landowners can sign to bring more certainty to their obligations should listing ever occur. Future conservation measures would be lined out in advance; 20-year contracts with individual landowners would limit their exposure to variables on private lands. Gunnison County Stockgrowers supports the CCAA approach.

Gunnison County commissioners have declared their intent to keep the Gunnison Sage Grouse population viable. Now that listing has been denied, they will need to continue to play an assertive role in making the Working Group and Strategic Committee more effective. This work includes fostering more cooperation among federal and state agencies and private landowners, along with improving County land use regulations.

In July, 2008, High Country Citizens' Alliance is once again calling for the same spirit of cooperation to prevail that has been Gunnison County’s forte in the past. We hope to continue to work together to assure the survival of the Gunnison Sage Grouse and the local agricultural community.

For more information on the Gunnison Sage Grouse, visit
Gunnison Sage Grouse web page or
Colorado Division of Wildlife
or GOOGLE for additional sites.