BLM Natl FIAT Northern Great Basin Greater Sage-Grouse Wildfire Invasive Annual Grasses and Conifer Expansion Assessment (NGB) Document

Northern Great Basin - Greater Sage-Grouse Wildfire, Invasive Annual Grasses, and Conifer Expansion Assessment Document, March 2015 The FIAT assessments were developed using methods described in the FIAT Report (Fire and Invasive Assessment Team June 2014). This process is designed to identify strategies that ameliorate threats to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and their habitats. It incorporates emerging science, regional findings, and local data in identifying management opportunities that counter detrimental ecological trends in wildfire, invasive annual grasses, and conifer expansion. The Bureau of Land Management issued an Instruction Memorandum in August 2014 to guide interagency partners in completing the wildfire and invasive species assessments. These assessments focus on five priority landscapes in Greater Sage-Grouse (GRSG) habitats. Three threats: wildfire, invasive annual grasses, and conifer expansion were analyzed for implementing the following management strategies or conservation activities: habitat restoration, fuels management, fire operations, and post-fire rehabilitation. These assessments are non-decisional and encompass portions of Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. Potential treatment areas in project planning areas represent an initial starting point that will need further analysis and refinement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning process. During the development of project planning areas, no constraints due to funding or consideration of landownership were taken into account. This assessment document was Step 2 in the completion of the wildlife and invasive species assessments for priority landscapes in the Greater Sage-Grouse habitats.  Point of Contact: Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center, Fire Resource Data Liaison (BLM_OC_Fire_Geospatial@blm.gov)