Conservation Briefs is a compilation of short news stories of interest to Outdoor News Bulletin readers. The stories cover a number of issues that have developed in the past month or provide updates on issues that were featured in previous ONB editions. Each story includes links to online resources for more details on each topic.

This Month:

• WAFWA Releases Report on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Plan Achievements
• Senate "Vote-A_Rama" on Budget Sets Stage for Resource Policy Priorities
• Northern Long-eared Bat Listed as "Threatened"
• USDA and FWS Launch Ecosystem Initiative for Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
• Western Governors Release 2014 Sage-Grouse Inventory

WAFWA Releases Report on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Plan Achievements

On April 14, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) announced that it had submitted a report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documenting achievements for lesser prairie-chicken conservation during the first year of the species' Range-wide Conservation Plan (RWP). The report estimates that conservation efforts helped to increase the range-wide population of lesser prairie-chickens by 20 percent to around 22,400 birds.

"The results from the first year of RWP implementation clearly demonstrate that both industry and landowners are willing to conserve the species," said Bill Van Pelt, WAFWA's grassland coordinator. "Private industry's willingness to avoid and minimize impacts to lesser prairie-chickens is evident, and where those impacts were unavoidable, they paid mitigation fees to offset those impacts on cooperating landowners' properties. As a result, all industry impacts were offset with conservation agreements during this first year."

In the first year of the RWP, 174 oil and gas, pipeline, electric, wind energy, and telecommunications companies enrolled in mitigation agreements for their operations. Industry partners are making use of the Southern Great Plains Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT) that maps areas where conservation actions should be targeted. The CHAT also includes a tool to facilitate pre-planning for development to reduce impacts to the bird, a tool that receives nearly 90,000 hits per week indicating its usefulness in project development. During the year, the amount of habitat impacted by industry development decreased by 23 percent due to consolidation of development under the RWP. In addition, industry has committed $45.9 million for offsite mitigation for unavoidable impacts.

WAFWA also paid $117,357 in signup incentives to landowners who enrolled 37,767 acres of habitat in the program and anticipates paying an additional $5 million for conservation practices over the next 10 years. These efforts complement the work being done through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative. The initiative has paid an additional nearly $3 million to landowners to implement conservation activities.

Senate "Vote-A-Rama" on Budget Sets Stage for Resource Policy

In late March, the U.S. Senate voted on the 2016 Budget resolution that included a marathon session, nicknamed the "vote-a-rama," to consider numerous amendments. While the budget resolution ultimately passed, 52-46, its purpose is to establish the framework for this year's appropriations process so the policy provisions that were added will not become law. However the debates and votes on several key issues are likely to set the stage for future policy priorities including a number that address natural resource conservation.

Included in the list of proposed amendments were two that passed on the proposed Clean Water Act (CWA) Waters of the U.S. rule, one from Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) to clarify agricultural exemptions under the rule and one from Senator John Barrasso (WY) to limit CWA authority simply to water quality. Of particular concern to a number of conservation organizations was an amendment by Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK) that was approved by a vote of 51-49 that supports the sale or transfer of federal public lands to states and local governments. Other votes occurred on amendments addressing various positions on climate change, implementation of the Endangered Species Act, as well as funding Payment in Lieu of Taxes.

Northern Long-eared Bat Listed as "Threatened"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced on April 1 that it would list the northern long-eared bat as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The agency acknowledged that the primary cause of decline for the species is white-nose syndrome (WNS), particularly in the eastern part of its range, and justified its decision to list the bat as threatened rather than endangered due to the fact that the fungal disease has not affected the species across its range. Along with the listing decision, the agency published an interim "4(d) rule" that will allow the incidental take of the bats during activities including forest management practices, maintenance and limited expansion of transportation and utility rights-of-way, removal of trees and brush to maintain prairie habitat, and limited tree-removal projects, provided these activities protect known maternity roosts and hibernation caves.

"In making this decision, we reviewed the best available scientific information on the northern long-eared bat, including information gathered from more than 100,000 public comments," said FWS Midwest regional director Tom Melius. "We are listing this species because a disease ? white-nose syndrome ? is spreading and decimating its populations. We designed the 4(d) rule to provide appropriate protection within the area where the disease occurs for the remaining individuals during their most sensitive life stages, but to otherwise eliminate unnecessary regulation."

USDA and FWS Launch Ecosystem Initiative for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced in late March that they were launching an ecosystem-wide program to conserve the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and the more than 83 other at-risk, threatened or endangered species that depend on riparian ecosystems. The initiative, part of the collaborative Working Lands for Wildlife partnership between NRCS and FWS, will encourage conservation activities on private lands while providing regulatory predictability to landowners who implement and maintain these practices. NRCS has been working with landowners in six Southwest states for three years and have restored or enhanced more than 7,000 acres of the flycatcher's riparian nesting habitat. Under the program expansion, six additional practices including installation of a stream crossing, pumping plant, micro-irrigation system or livestock shelter; mulching; and planting for species habitat will be available to landowners.

"By focusing on predictability on an ecosystem level, we will bring together an even larger group of agricultural producers in the Southwest to create habitat for the flycatcher and other wildlife," said NRCS Chief Jason Weller. "These efforts will not only support the many species that depend on this riparian ecosystem, but also help ranchers move to more sustainable grazing systems and give them the support they need to keep their lands working."

Western Governors Release 2014 Sage-Grouse Inventory

On April 2, the Western Governors Association (WGA) released a report that outlines the conservation work that has been done to help conserve the greater sage-grouse across its 11-state range. The 2014 Sage-Grouse Inventory describes the conservation achievements to date as well as the planned conservation efforts for greater sage-grouse and Gunnison sage-grouse for 2015 and beyond. The inventory is the latest in a series of annual reports coordinated by WGA outlining state and local conservation efforts. However, the 2014 inventory expanded the focus to also include efforts by federal agencies ? including the NRCS's Sage Grouse Initiative ? conservation districts, industry, and nonprofit organizations.

"Western Governors are committed to conservation of greater sage-grouse and assert that the breadth and depth of voluntary conservation efforts across the region, if allowed to run their course, will provide the bird with the necessary habitat to live and thrive," the report states. "The Governors believe that a listing of the greater sage-grouse by FWS later this year will diminish the amount of new voluntary conservation work undertaken and have a significant, negative economic impact across the West."