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Wyoming PFW program Focus Areas. USFWS map.

Introduction and Overview whereas mixed and shortgrass 44% of the ranching operations prairie dominate the eastern plains in the state and about 73% of the Wyoming is at the edge of two of area. With 85% of the state being acres in ranching (BLM 2014). North America’s largest landforms, considered rangelands, it’s no These facts demonstrate that a the Rocky Mountains and the surprise that domestic livestock relatively small number of ranches Great Plains. In general terms, the production is an important provide an immense amount of western two-thirds of the state component of Wyoming’s economic open space and wildlife habitat and is a great plateau broken by a and cultural identity. strongly influence the majority of number of mountain ranges, while the land management in the state. the Great Plains slopes eastwardly Like many western states, There continues to be outstanding from the Rockies with the Black Wyoming is comprised of a opportunities for landscape- Hills being the major exception. combination of private, state, scale conservation on working Having the second highest mean federal and tribal lands. agricultural lands in Wyoming. elevation in the United States Agricultural lands are an at 6,700 ft above sea level, this important part of Wyoming’s Plan Development topographical diversity creates a landscape. Wyoming is 46% private wide-ranging semi-arid climate. and tribal land of which 90% is The Wyoming Strategic Plan Annual precipitation from rain and devoted to agriculture (Hamerlinck identifies areas of greatest snow ranges from as little as five et al. 2013). While private land conservation need and species inches to as much as 45 inches per is dominated by agricultural richness (focus areas), focal species, year. Plants and animals found here production, public land leases are desired conservation actions and have adapted to variable and often an essential part of many western habitat improvement targets. Focal harsh climatic conditions typical of ranching operations. Roughly species were initially identified a high elevation cold desert. Plant 2,800 ranchers in Wyoming hold from dedicated categories of communities of the great plateau grazing permits on BLM public Federal Trust Species along are primarily sage brush steppe land. These ranchers represent with internal national, regional,

251 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

and refuge specific operational that factors affecting the status can and protection measures. These and resource priorities (Table realistically be addressed. PFW areas were identified through 1). Consideration was also given recognizes that this list of wildlife a combination of consensus of to species identified in the many resources is also held in trust and/ opinion and technical assessment local, state and federal resource or important to our federal, state, based on available biological conservation plans of our partners and local partners. Therefore, it and sociopolitical data. Focus (e.g., Wyoming State Wildlife was important that our Strategic areas were developed using Action Plan). It was further refined Plan incorporate partner input that several elements including land to species that met at least one of is consistent with Service needs ownership patterns, threats/ the following five characteristics, and mandates. stressors (limiting factors), habitat 1) high conservation need, 2) improvement and partnering representative of a broader guild Focus areas were established to opportunities, focal species of species sharing the same or more efficiently conserve priority habitats, unique lands and trust similar conservation needs, 3) fish and wildlife species and/ responsibilities. In general, focus high level of current program or priority habitats through the areas target priority sagebrush/ effort, 4) potential to stimulate implementation of collaborative grassland species on predominately partnerships, and 5) high likelihood habitat restoration, management privately owned lands containing

Table 1. Table of Service focal species and priority landscapes.

National Regional Regional Refuge Sagebrush Ecosystem Sagebrush Ecosystem Sagebrush Ecosystem Monarch Butterfly Monarch Butterfly Bear River Watershed Grassland Migratory Birds Colorado River Fishes Native Salmonids Golden Eagle Pallid Sturgeon Black-Footed Ferret Grizzly Bear Lynx

Table 2. Wyoming PFW land area, land ownership, percent of greater sage-grouse core areas, and National Wetland Inventory (NWI) statistics by focus area.

Focus Area Area (ac) % Private % Sage- NWI (ac) Contained Land Grouse Core Bear River 791,000 46% 32% 44,000 Green River 3.98 million 49% 42% 260,000 USRD 1.52 million 5% 65% 15,000 Wind River 2.48 million 25% & 54% 20% 96,000 tribal Powder 3.04 million 75% 25%* 29,000 Tongue River Black Hills 3.18 million 77% 21%* 25,000 Mixed Grass Goshen Hole 855,000 92% N/A 12,000 Laramie Plains 2.78 million 64% 23% 127,000 LSUNP 3.28 million 33% 33% 79,000

*Includes WYGEO “Connectivity Area” 252 Wyoming

Figure 1. Rangewide greater sage-grouse breeding Figure 2. Wetland habitats and Wyoming PFW densities and Wyoming PFW Focus Areas. program Focus Areas. important wetland, riparian and 49% private) overlays several items, and from high vegetative riverine resources (Table 2). counties containing approximately density, diversity, and structure. Overall, these areas are relatively 25% private lands (Table 2). PFW targeted private lands in intact landscapes containing Inherently, western WY PFW Wyoming are disproportionally important natural resources that focus areas also contain significant valuable for the wildlife habitat provide high ecological values and amounts of public lands often in they provide, since most wetlands ecosystem function. a checkerboard fashion. PFW and streams are on private land. recognizes public land leases are In fact, about 30% of the state is Wyoming PFW (WY PFW) integral and long-standing for contained in PFW focus areas, concentrates its private land most ranching operations as BLM while roughly 50% (687,000ac) of conservation efforts on priority provides private landowners with Wyoming’s wetlands fall within species and habitats in geographic a legally recognized preference designated focus areas (Fig. 2). focus areas. One such keystone for the use of public land grazing species is the greater sage-grouse. privileges. Working with both key During the plan revision process, Wyoming is home to about 37% of private landowners and public WY PFW sought input from all known greater sage-grouse. land management agencies, PFW internal and external stakeholders Numerous conservation efforts has the ability to influence land regarding, 1) project priorities, have been catalyzed around this use and management activities on 2) focus areas and boundaries, species and the WY PFW Focus both private and public lands at a 3) important species, 4) resource Areas include substantial portions landscape scale. plans and available data sets, of the highest density breeding and 5) PFW staffing location and areas for greater sage-grouse Wetland/riparian habitats are levels. Information considered (Fig. 1). Core areas are the state’s among the rarest habitat types in while formulating WY PFW’s highest priority areas for sage- western North America as well as Strategic plan and subsequent grouse conservation and encompass the most important for western revisions was primarily gathered 85% of known sage-grouse wildlife species. Wetlands make up through established conservation populations in Wyoming. approximately 1.25 million acres partner working relationships, or approximately 2% of the semi- questionnaires and stakeholder Historic settlement patterns arid state of Wyoming’s surface meetings. Multiple opportunities largely determine current land area (Yuhas 2003). Chaney et for stakeholder input on the front use. Lands that have sparse human al. (1990) observed that greater end resulted in common support settlement are far more likely to than 75 percent of terrestrial from our partnerships. We are be in public land status than are wildlife species in southeastern grateful for the time, expertise and lands heavily settled. Western Wyoming are dependent on these energy that our many partners Wyoming counties contain as types of habitats for a part or all and stakeholders provided to help little as (~3%) private lands while of their lifecycle. The high density us through this process. Since this eastern counties are more than and diversity of wildlife within has become a living document that 90% privately owned. The Green these habitats results from the is updated every 5 years, we will River Focus Area (approximately availability of water and prey continue to welcome partner input 253 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Energy development in Wyoming. USFWS photo. as we implement this Strategic • U.S. Shorebird Conservation • TNC’s Bear River Plan. Plan Conservation Action Plan • North American Waterbird • Audubon – Important Bird Plans and initiatives considered Conservation Plan Areas of Wyoming for target species, focus areas, and • Inter-mountain West • Ducks Unlimited, Inc, project priorities. Joint Venture (IWJV) Wyoming: the Platte River and • Wyoming State Wildlife Action Implementation Plan Rainwater Basin Initiative in and Strategic Habitat Plan • National Fish Habitat Action the Southern Great Plains and • Wyoming Landscape Plan (NFHAP) the High Country Wetlands Conservation Initiative • Service Refuge Comprehensive initiative in the Northern and (WLCI) Conservation Plans Southern Rockies • Wyoming Sage Grouse Core • Western Native Trout Area Strategy In addition, several landscape level Initiative – A Plan for Strategic • Service - A Plan for the planning processes and documents Action Management of Fish and from our non-governmental Wildlife Resources on the Wind partners were integrated when Generalized Threats/Opportunities River Reservation; The Status possible: and Management of Waterfowl • Local Workgroup Priorities Wyoming has always had more on the WRR (1982), A Plan for and Plans acres than people, starting with Wildlife Management on the • Coordinated Resource emigrants passing through the WRR (1982) and Trumpeter Management Plans “big desert” on their way to the Swan Re-introduction and • UT, WY TNC Rocky Mountain coast. The 1870 census counted only Management WRR (2013) Eco-regional Plan and 9,700 hearty souls willing to stay. • North American Waterfowl Wyoming Basins Ecoregiona1 The most recent 2015 census lists Management Plan Plans (TNC) Wyoming as the least populated state (586,000 people). Potential long term isolation coupled with rugged landscapes, large livestock operations, and plenty of open

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Habitat fragmentation resulting from energy development and urban sprawl. USFWS photos.

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space has maintained rich fish change Wyoming’s landscape and part of the Bear River Watershed and wildlife resources. However, impact fish and wildlife habitat Conservation Area, a unit of the similar to other western states, by conversion to other uses, National Wildlife Refuge System Wyoming’s 1.3% annual population fragmentation, and degradation. that seeks to acquire voluntary growth rate since 2000 is outpacing conservation easements from the United States’ population Bear River Focus Area private landowners, in recognition growth rate as economics and the of the area’s valuable habitat for amenities of the American West fish and wildlife. The focus area attract increasing numbers of hosts at least 67 state Species residents. Energy production is the of Greater Conservation Need largest component of Wyoming’s (SGCN), as well as numerous other economy. As of 2014, Wyoming more common fish and wildlife is the primary producer of coal, species. fifth producer of natural gas, and eighth producer of crude oil in The southwest Wyoming focus the United States (US Energy The Bear River Focus Area areas are located in the Wyoming Information Administration). encompasses about 791,000 acres, Basin, the largest intact sagebrush The BLM administers 40.7 of which 46% is private land and landscape in North America. million acres of federal mineral 54% is public land. Wet meadow This habitat is characterized estates in Wyoming. About 13% and willow-dominated habitats of especially by the presence of of the state, or 8.2 million acres the Bear River floodplain make big sagebrush, a plant species of federal minerals, is currently up the heart of this area, while essential to the survival of much leased for oil and gas extraction surrounding uplands are mostly of the area’s wildlife. A healthy (BLM 2014). Rural subdivision and comprised of sagebrush and sagebrush community is also energy infrastructure, including foothills shrublands. The private composed of other shrubs, grasses, renewable energy, continue to lands within this focus area are and forbs that provide additional

PFW program wetland restoration project, Bear River Focus Area, Wyoming. Photo by David Kimble, USFWS.

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Bear River Focus Area sagebrush habitat, Wyoming. Photo by David Kimble, USFWS. food and cover for wildlife. WY plant communities of riparian 44,000 acres of wetlands in the PFW projects in the sagebrush zones provide habitat for numerous Bear River Focus Area has been habitat seek to promote a healthy wildlife species. A notable species identified by the Wyoming Bird interspersion of sagebrush, other is the Bonneville cutthroat trout, Habitat Conservation Partnership shrubs, grasses, and forbs to native only to tributaries of the and others as high-priority for meet the habitat needs of native Great Salt Lake. Other focal conservation. These wetlands, wildlife. Project types include species include northern leatherside which include natural wetlands ranch infrastructure such as chub and yellow-billed cuckoo and those maintained by flood- fences and water developments to (federally threatened). Focus irrigation practices, provide facilitate livestock management area projects in streams include breeding and migratory habitat and vegetative treatments. Focal removing fish passage barriers, for a diversity and abundance of species targeted to benefit from preventing fish entrainment into waterfowl, shorebirds, and other sagebrush habitat projects in the irrigation canals, and improving waterbirds. The Bear River Focus Bear River Focus Area include stream stability and habitat with Area is particularly important greater sage-grouse and pygmy natural channel design structures. for wetland wildlife due to its rabbit. Approximately 32% of this WY PFW seeks to improve proximity and connectivity to the focus area overlaps with greater riparian zone habitat through continentally-important wetlands sage-grouse core area. tree/shrub planting and adding of the Great Salt Lake. Wetlands necessary ranch infrastructure on Cokeville Meadows National Mountain snowmelt from the Uinta to facilitate livestock grazing Wildlife Refuge and surrounding Mountains and southern portions management in riparian areas. private lands host a spring of the Wyoming Range is the life- breeding duck pair density of 76.4 blood of the aquatic habitats of the Streamflows are also essential for per square mile (WGFD 1987), Bear River Focus Area. Streams irrigated hay production, a practice which is comparable to much of provide habitat for native fish and which has created and maintained the better habitat of the Prairie cottonwood, willow, and sedge many wetlands. A complex of over Pothole Region of the Dakotas.

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Focal species include white- faced ibis, greater sandhill crane, northern pintail, cinnamon teal, redhead, and American bittern. WY PFW seeks to encourage long-term preservation of flood- irrigated wetlands by repairing and improving infrastructure such as dikes and water-control structures. We also seek to restore historic wetlands and create new wetlands where there are opportunities and suitable sites.

Bear River Focus Overlapping Priorities • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Bear River Watershed • Native Salmonids Willet within the Bear River Focus Area, Wyoming. Photo by David Kimble, USFWS.

Bear River Focus Area Focal Species Bear River Focus Area Habitat Targets

• Greater sage-grouse • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 4,000 acres • Pygmy rabbit • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 500 acres • White-faced ibis • Riparian Enhancement: 5 mi • Greater sandhill crane • Stream Restoration: 12,000 ft • Northern pintail • Fish Passage Structures: 8 units • Redhead • American bittern Bear River Focus Area Partnership Targets • Yellow-billed cuckoo (Threatened) • Private Landowner Agreements: 15 • Bonneville cutthroat trout • Partnerships: 180 • Northern leatherside chub • Technical Assistance: 75 staff days • Percent Leveraging: 1:4 Service to partner dollars

Upper Green River Focus Area has identified at least 79 SGCN that sapsucker, among others, is a focal reside in the focus area. species dependent upon aspen habitats in the Green River Focus Quaking aspen are considered Area. a keystone plant species due to the high quality wildlife forage The longest known annual mule they provide, the conditions they deer migration route exists in provide for the establishment of this focus area, from the Hoback other plants, and the number of River Basin to the Red Desert—a wildlife species that depend on distance of 150 miles. Large, The Green River Focus Area them for most of their habitat unfragmented landscapes are encompasses 3.98 million acres, needs, including many federal trust essential for long-distance mammal 49% of which is private land. This migratory bird species. However, migrations and greater sage- focus area has been significantly aspen coverage in the West has grouse habitat alike. This focus enlarged since our previous declined substantially over the past area and our Upper Sweetwater strategic plan to correspond with 100–150 years, with most estimates Red Desert Focus Area encompass the Service and its partners’ of the decline varying from 50%– the heart of the Red Desert- strong emphasis on landscape 90%. Among other factors, a major Hoback mule deer migration conservation in the entire Green cause of the decline is a lack of fire corridor and Wyoming’s Greater River watershed. It is a biologically that causes shade tolerant conifers South Pass sage-grouse core diverse and complex area, ranging to gradually outcompete the aspen. area—the greatest concentration from the conifer-aspen forest The Green River Focus Area of sage-grouse breeding habitat interface at the highest elevations contains significant private land in the world. Overall, 42% of the to the cottonwood-willow and aspen habitats that can be managed Green River Focus Area is a core aquatic habitats of the Green with vegetative treatments or area for greater sage-grouse. River just above Flaming Gorge prescribed fire to perpetuate this WY PFW project types in the Reservoir. The State of Wyoming important habitat. The red-naped Green River sagebrush include 258 Wyoming

Montane landscape within the Upper Green River Focus Area, Wyoming. Photo by David Kimble, USFWS. ranch infrastructure such as USDA and several private land habitats. Focal species that benefit fences and water developments to trusts have been very successful from WY PFW sagebrush habitat facilitate livestock management at working in this area to secure projects in the Green River Focus and vegetative treatments. The conservation easements from Area include greater sage-grouse, projects work in concert with other willing private landowners that pygmy rabbit, and golden eagle. efforts of our conservation partners maintain open space and wildlife Extensive ribbons of riparian to maintain an intact landscape.

Figure 3. Wyoming PFW focus areas align with the Red Desert to Hoback Basin mule deer migration route and Wyoming greater sage-grouse core areas. 259 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Upper Green River wetland complex. USFWS photo.

Wyoming PFW-restored wetland, Upper Green River Focus Area. USFWS photo.

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Grazing management system to enhance wet meadow habitat for late season greater sage-grouse brood rearing. Photo by David Kimble, USFWS. habitats exist along the Green habitat with natural channel design trumpeter swans (WBHCP 2014). and New Fork Rivers and their structures. WY PFW wetland projects in tributaries, providing important the focus area include restoring multi-layered vegetative structure About 30% of this focus area is historic drained wetlands, for migrating and resident riparian comprised of the Green River repairing or improving flood- birds and other wildlife. Yellow- Basin wetland complex, identified irrigation infrastructure in key billed cuckoo and willow flycatcher by the Wyoming Bird Habitat wetland areas, and creating new are PFW focal species that utilize Conservation Partnership as high wetlands on environmentally and this habitat in the focus area. priority for conservation. This economically appropriate sites. The WY PFW program seeks focus area contains a diverse mix of to improve riparian zone habitat about 260,000 acres of natural and Upper Green River Focus Area through tree/shrub planting flood-irrigation created wetlands. Overlapping Priorities and adding necessary ranch The glacially formed potholes and • Sagebrush Ecosystem infrastructure to facilitate livestock lakes in the north are unique for • Colorado River Native Fishes grazing management in riparian the state and contain the highest • Native Salmonids areas. The streams and rivers breeding density of diving ducks that flow through these riparian in Wyoming, including lesser habitats are home to priority native scaup. Flood-irrigated wetlands fish species such as Colorado River in parts of the focus area also cutthroat trout and flannelmouth provide exceptional habitat for sucker. WY PFW projects in the long-billed curlew. The Green streams include removing fish River Focus Area also contains passage barriers, preventing fish an important breeding range entrainment into irrigation canals, expansion area for the Rocky and improving stream stability and Mountain sub-population of

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Upper Green River Focus Area Focal Upper Green River Focus Area Habitat Targets Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 25,000 acres • TruSpeter swan • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 75 acres • Lesser scaup • Riparian Enhancement: 5 mi • Long-billed curlew • Stream Restoration: 15,000 ft • Greater sage-grouse • Fish Passage Structures: 5 units • Golden eagle • Willow flycatcher Upper Green River Focus Area Partnership Goals • Colorado River cutthroat trout • Pygmy rabbit • Private Landowner Agreements: 15 • Flannelmouth sucker • Partnerships: 180 • Yellow-billed cuckoo • Technical Assistance: 75 staff days (Threatened) • Percent Leveraging: 1:4 Service to partner dollars • Red-naped sapsucker

Upper Sweetwater – Red Desert ranging from approximately greater sage-grouse, mountain Focus Area 5,000– 9,500 ft (1,524–2,896 m), the plover, sage sparrow, and Brewer’s Red Desert is the highest desert sparrow. Approximately 65% or in North America. It is also one 988,000 acres of this focus area of the largest unfenced regions is considered “core sage-grouse in the continental United States area” containing one of the highest benefiting many resident migratory concentrations and important animals like antelope, mule deer strongholds of greater sage-grouse and sage-grouse. Winter range for in the nation. the longest mule deer migration, the largest migratory herd of As biologically important as this The 1.52 million acre Upper pronghorn in the lower 48 states area is, few protections exist. For Sweetwater River – Red Desert and the world’s largest desert elk more than a century, individuals Focus Area is a high elevation herd inhabit the region (NWF and conservation organizations desert characterized by sagebrush 1996–2012). Public lands (~95%) have recognized the unique containing numerous playa dominate this intact landscape, values of the Red Desert and have wetlands, springs, ephemeral and home to many familiar sagebrush moved to protect them. During perennial streams, and riparian birds including golden eagle, 1898, Wyoming hunters tried to corridors. With an elevation ferruginous hawk, prairie falcon, designate much of the Red Desert

Continental Peak, Upper Sweetwater River Basin. USFWS photo.

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Sagebrush of the Red Desert. USFWS photo. as a Winter Game Preserve due to provide greater operational Upper Sweet Water – Red Desert to the high numbers of pronghorn flexibility for landowners while Focus Area Focal Species and desert elk that inhabit the minimizing the influence of fencing area. During 1935, Wyoming Gov. on migratory resident wildlife. • Greater sage-grouse Leslie Miller tried to designate • Meadow pussytoes part of the area as a national Upper Sweet Water – Red Desert • Willow flycatcher park and more recently several Focus Area Overlapping Priorities • American avocet citizen-driven wilderness efforts • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Wilson’s phalarope have been attempted. The greater • Golden eagle conservation community is holding their breath as energy development continues to work the periphery of Upper Sweet Water – Red Desert Focus Area Habitat Targets the Red Desert. • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 5,000 acres Primary land use is livestock • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 50 acres grazing within a landscape that • Riparian Enhancement: 10 mi contains few impediments to • Stream Restoration: 5,000 ft migratory wildlife. However, the • Fish Passage Structures: 1 unit lack of fencing leaves landowners and land mangers little control Upper Sweet Water – Red Desert Focus Area Partnership Targets over grazing patterns. During the warm summer month’s livestock • Private Landowner Agreements: 5 migrate off the large expanse of • Partnerships: 60 uplands and spend a significant • Technical Assistance: 45 staff days amount of time around permanent • Percent Leveraging: 1:4 Service to partner dollars water sources such as riparian corridors, wet meadows, and playa lakes. Much of the PFW program work has concentrated on grazing management infrastructure

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Wind River Peak Glacier. USFWS photo.

Wind River Focus Area base in this priority area, tribal and shear ruggedness contributes lands make up 63%, private 27% to the areas wildness with a full and public 10%. complement of North Americas largest carnivores including grizzly The heart of the focus area is bears, wolves, lynx, and recently the 2.1 million acre Wind River discovered wolverines. The focus Reservation (WRR) which owes its area is also home to 78 state intactness to the fact that cultural designated SGCN. and traditional uses are important and 85% is still in tribal ownership. The Wind River Focus Area The Wind River Range contains In fact, some 30 years before the watershed contains three distinct 63 glaciers making it the largest passing of the Wilderness Act, wetland areas, valley floor, concentration of glaciers in the WRR Tribes designated almost extended foothills and glaciated American Rocky Mountains. 200,000 acres of roadless area montane regions connected by a Glaciers serve as repositories of in the 1930’s due to urging from corridor of riverine habitat. The water contributing significantly to a frequent visitor, wilderness complex serves as a winter stop regional hydrologic regimes. The activist Bob Marshall. In 1998, a melt water from these glaciers Memorandum of Understanding provides late season flows for (MOU) was signed between over 3,000 miles of low elevation the Service, Eastern Shoshone perennial streams. As a result, and Northern Arapaho Tribes the basin is one of the leading (Tribes) to jointly work on habitat agricultural regions in the state projects for tribal designated fish with more than 260,000 acres and wildlife species of cultural of irrigated crop and hay lands. importance. The Tribes have Sagebrush and grassland make identified an extensive number up the majority of the area at of culturally significant fish and 1.7 million acres with livestock wildlife species covering a broad production being the primary land spectrum of habitat types. The Grizzly Bear in the Wind River use in the valley. Of the total land protected nature of the landscape Basin, Wyoming. USFWS photo. 264 Wyoming

Valley wetlands provide an important stopover until montane lakes and wetlands open with spring thaw. USFWS photo. over location, seasonal migration route, and regionally important breeding ground for waterfowl, waterbirds, and numerous other avian species. Shaped primarily by glaciation, the mountains contain high elevation lakes, ponds and wetlands that provide breeding habitat for waterfowl including ring-necked ducks, lesser scaup, and bufflehead. The valley floor holds 43,618 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands, either associated with river floodplains, flood irrigation wastewater or wind blown depressions.

In 2013, the WRR Tribes in partnership with the Service and several key conservation High elevation desert, Wind River Reservation. USFWS photo. organizations worked together public ownership and relative partners’ efforts have concentrated to re-establish trumpeter swans inaccessibility have moderated on creating connectivity and within the valley. Sufficient detrimental impacts. Throughout migration pathways to allow quantity and quality habitat now the West, there are a number of lifecycle completion as well as exists for these efforts to continue reasons for declining native fish provide resiliency to changing until a minimum of 7 breeding pairs populations including, non-native habitat conditions. Creating are established in the valley. introductions, habitat degradation, conservation populations of native dewatering, entrainment and fish fishes through the restoration of In general, most intact native fish barriers impeding migration. isolated streams is a project growth assemblages reside in fragmented Assessments have been completed area for WRR. populations or are constricted to that help target important streams headwater environments where for restoration. Conservation 265 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Wind River Reservation Ray Canal rotating vertical fish screen (left) and fish ladder prevents fish entrainment and provides passage past irrigation diversion. USFWS photos.

Wind River Focus Area Focal Wind River Focus Area Habitat Targets Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 10,000 acres • Greater sage-grouse • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 200 acres • Trumpeter swan • Riparian Enhancement: 10 mi • American avocet • Stream Restoration: 10,000 ft • Wilson’s phalarope • Fish Passage Structures: 2 units • Yellowstone cutthroat trout • Ling Wind River Focus Area Partnership Targets • Sauger • Gray wolf • Private Landowners Agreements: 12 • Grizzly bear • Partnerships: 144 • Bald eagle • Technical Assistance: 100 staff days • Percent Leveraging: 1:5 Service to partners dollars

Wind River Focus Area Overlapping Priorities • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Native Salmonids

Wind River Reservation honor students assisting with a trumpeter swan release (left). Trumpeter swan cygnets released at Alkali Lake, a PFW restoration project. USFWS photos. 266 Wyoming

Laramie Plains Focus Area irrigation and irrigation return greater sage-grouse and sage flows. dependent bird species like the sage thrasher, sage sparrow and the Mortenson Lake, Hutton Lake, Brewer’s sparrow. One of the best and Bamforth National Wildlife ways to help the largest number Refuges are all a part of the of native species in this focus area wind-blown landscape of southern is to help maintain or improve Laramie Plains. A unique erosional sagebrush/grassland, wetland and feature called the Big Hollow is a riparian habitats. As area ranches large elongated depression that continue to transition from sheep Located on the eastern edge of contains Mortenson and Hutton operations to cattle, WY PFW the Wyoming Basin physiographic Lake National Wildlife Refuges. is working with landowners to region, Laramie Plains Focus Hutton Lake and Bamforth establish grazing management Area is cradled between the were established under the plans, implement much needed Shirley, Laramie and Medicine Migratory Bird Conservation Act infrastructure such as interior Bow mountains and contains while Mortenson Lake came to fencing and water developments three sub-basins (Laramie, Hanna existence under the Endangered to provide operational flexibility and Shirley; Fig. 4). The focus Species Act for protection of the in managing rangelands and area encompasses 2.78 million federally endangered Wyoming accompanying riparian and wetland acres characterized by isolated toad. Extirpated from its historic habitats. mountains, buttes, and river valleys range by the early 1990’s, the interspersed with the sagebrush- last remaining wild toads were grasslands, mixed grass prairie, brought into captivity during greasewood and saltbush flats, 1994. Thanks to captive breeding aspen and pine. With the exception efforts, Wyoming toads are being of a rather small percentage reintroduced back into the wild. (~4%) of land in cultivation along With an umbrella Safe Harbor floodplains, most of the landscape Agreement in place, habitat is intact with ranching as the restoration on private lands has dominant land use. Well-known been utilized for a source of new for its “plains lakes”, the area reintroduction sites. contains more than 120,000 acres of alkali and freshwater depressions The vast expanse of un-fragmented with the heaviest concentration mixed grass and sagebrush habitat in the southern third of the focus of the Laramie Plains Focus Area area. Wetland hydrology is more offers an enormous conservation permanent in southern portions opportunity, especially for the Figure 4. Basin Topography of the focus area benefitting from management and protection of (Knight et al. 1976).

Plains Lake, Laramie Plains Focus Area. USFWS photo.

267 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Wyoming toadlet ready for release (left) on a PFW wetland restoration site. Photos by Mindy Meade, USFWS.

Laramie Plains Focus Area Focal Laramie Plains Focus Area Habitat Targets Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 10,000 acres • Wyoming toad (Endangered) • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 200 acres • Greater sage-grouse • Riparian Enhancement: 10 mi • Mountain plover • Stream Restoration: 10,000 ft • Ferruginous hawk • Fish Passage Structures: 2 units • Black-footed ferret (Endangered) Laramie Plains Focus Area Partnership Targets • Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (Threatened) • Private Landowner Agreements: 12 • McCown’s longspur • Partnership: 144 • Lesser scaup • Technical Assistance: 50 staff days • American avocet • Percent Leveraging: 1:5 Service to partner dollars

Laramie Plains Focus Area Overlapping Priorities • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Grassland Migratory Birds

PFW partners-funded water development (left) and a riparian fence. Photos by Mindy Meade, USFWS.

268 Wyoming

Little Snake River – Upper North communities. Private lands (30%) conducted in the early 1960’s by Platte Focus Area within this focus area are typically the Service identified this as an intermixed in a checker-board important waterfowl area with fashion with federal (64%) and state the recommendation for wetland lands (6%). This co-mingling of acquisition. Harry B. Crandell, land ownership necessitates strong Wildlife Biologist, “This is a very working relations with a variety of good area and we should try our partners. best to get something for waterfowl here.” Unique to this area, its the northern extent of the Gamble Since 1999, WY PFW has been The Little Snake River – Upper oak plant commnunity common working intensively with its North Platte Focus Area lies to lower montane area of the conservation partners in the Little within an ecological transition southern rockies. It contains the Snake River watershed to pursue a point between the Southern and only known breeding population of true watershed approach to habitat the Northern Rocky Mountains. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in restoration, aquatic and terrestrial. This focus area contains the Sierra Wyoming which overlaps greater WY PFW program efforts will Madres (maximum elevation is sage-grouse habitat. Thirty-nine continue to focus on providing fish 10,000 ft) which is recognized for percent of the Columbia sharp- passage, maintaining in-stream its diverse plant communities that tailed grouse range lies within flows, and habitat improvement for include aspen, mixed mountain lands that are privately owned. both cold water Colorado cutthroat shrub, sagebrush, Gambel’s oak, In addition, the focus area is very trout, and cool water species of and conifer plant communities. The important for numerous SGCN as concern, like bluehead sucker, Little Snake and the Upper Platte identified by the Wyoming Game flannelmouth sucker, and roundtail Rivers, the two dominate river and Fish Department, including chub. Wetland and upland projects systems are lined with mature seven species of fish, four species place heavy emphasis on providing cottonwood galleries. Sloping of amphibians, two reptile species, breeding and migratory habitat for to the west is a high elevation seventeen bird species, eleven bat several federal trust avian species. desert (6,000 ft elevation) which species, and nine mammal species. consists of an extensive ridge Little Snake River – Upper North and basin system with outcrops An extensive network of oxbow Platte Focus Area Overlapping of sandstones, clays, and shales. lakes and backwater sloughs Priorities Lower elevation ridges are along the major river corridors • Sagebrush Ecosystem frequently covered with a mosaic serve as important areas for • Native Salmonids of juniper woodland that transition breeding and migratory birds. A to mesic upland scrub plant preliminary reconnaissance report

As landowners, we try to be responsible stewards of the land, keeping in mind all of the wildlife that calls our ranch home. We appreciate that PFW recognizes ranchers’ efforts and offers assistance to help landowners maintain habitat for the benefit of both agriculture and wildlife.

Landowners Burt and Kay Lynn Palm, Wyoming

Wyoming PFW program staff develop grazing management systems to enhance wildlife habitat. Photo by Mindy Meade, USFWS. 269 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Riparian fencing used to enhance a cottonwood gallery forest along the Upper North Platte River, Wyoming. Photo by Mindy Meade, USFWS.

Little Snake River – Upper North Little Snake River – Upper North Platte Focus Area Habitat Targets Platte Focus Area Focal Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 10,000 acres • Greater sage-grouse • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 30 acres • Columbian sharp-tailed grouse • Riparian Enhancement: 15 mi • Sage thrasher • Stream Restoration: 10,000 ft • Lesser scaup • Fish Passage Structures: 2 units • American avocet • Colorado cutthroat trout Little Snake River – Upper North Platte Focus Area Partnership Targets • Bluehead sucker • Flannelmouth sucker • Private Landowner Agreements: 16 • Roundtail chub • Partnerships: 192 • Technical Assistance: 50 staff days • Percent Leveraging: 1:6 Service to partner dollars

Toe-wood and rock vane structure installed on the Little Snake River. Photos by Mindy Meade, USFWS.

270 Wyoming

271 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Diverse habitats and land uses occur throughout the Goshen Hole Focus Area, Goshen County, Wyoming. USFWS photo.

Goshen Hole Focus Area Farmland is concentrated at the grassland outside of Wyoming and center of the focus area which relative intactness of the state’s also contains the highest wetland grasslands now makes the Great densities. These interior wetlands Plains portion of Wyoming the often rely on supplemental water core of many grassland species from irrigation return flows to distributions. provide consistent water for added management capabilities. However, Eastern Wyoming grasslands and not having a mountain watershed wetlands are also an important as a primary water source, the lack migration corridor and stopover Goshen Hole is a great widening of late seasonal water often limits habitat for many avian species. of the North Platte Valley defined water availability for wetlands and Goshen Wetlands Complex has by a 400-500 ft escarpment subjects them to greater seasonal been identified as one of nine (Goshen Rim) to the west and variations. From the Wyoming- priority complexes for waterfowl south. Ranging from 4,000-4,600 Nebraska state line upstream to and waterbirds which warrants ft above sea level it’s among the the Goshen-Platte county line, increased conservation attention lowest elevations in Wyoming. the alluvial floodplain of the lower (WY Joint Ventures Steering A part of the Great Plains, the North Platte River contains Committee 2010). PFW program land ranges from undulating to significant backwater areas and emphasis has been on restoring rolling with mostly short- and oxbow wetlands. wetland and adjacent shortgrass mid-grasses. Goshen Hole has upland habitats for an assortment a land area of 855,000 acres, The grasslands of eastern Wyoming of ground nesting species, including predominantly privately owned are classified as either shortgrass mountain plovers, McCown’s lands (approximately 92%) of which or mixed-grass prairie. Mixed- longspur, bobolinks and a variety 15 % is used for irrigated cropland, grass prairie is common across of waterfowl. This is one of three 15% for dry land cropland, and 60% much of eastern Wyoming while unstaffed focus areas. rangeland. The 12,000 wetland shortgrass prairie is restricted to acres that make up the Goshen the southeast corner. Wyoming Goshen Hole Focus Area Wetlands Complex also includes once represented the western Overlapping Priorities the alluvial floodplain of the lower periphery for many grassland • Grassland Migratory Birds North Platte River. species. Intensive conversion of 272 Wyoming

Goshen Hole Focus Area Focal Goshen Hole Focus Area Habitat Targets Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 500 acres • Northern pintail • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 20 acres • Lesser scaup • Riparian Enhancement: 1 mi • American avocet • Stream Restoration: 0 ft • Wilson’s phalarope • Fish Passage Structures: 0 units • Mountain plover • Long-billed curlew Goshen Hole Focus Area Partnership Targets • McCown’s longspur • Prebles’s meadow jumping • Private Landowner Agreements: 3 mouse (Threatened) • Partnerships: 36 • Technical Assistance: 3 staff days • Percent Leveraging: 1:3 Service to partner dollars

Arial images of a restored backwater slough completed to benefit waterfowl and native prairie fishes. USFWS photos.

Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area particularly important in this area area with connectivity areas, for its role building burrows and most of which are privately owned cropping vegetation that creates (approximately 77%). Most leks in habitats of sparse grasslands for northeast Wyoming are small with other species such as burrowing less than 20 males observed during owls, mountain plovers and the peak male count. Since 1995, Sprague’s pipit. Others, such as northeast Wyoming has the lowest the Ferruginous Hawk, prey upon average peak male lek attendance prairie dogs. Some of these species in the state, averaging 9 males per like the mountain plover will also active lek in 2013 compared to the Taking in portions of Crook and use heavily grazed, previously statewide average of 17 males per Weston counties, Black Hills disturbed, or tilled land. Many active lek. Additional insight into Mixed-Grass Focus Area contains of these grassland birds like the the northeast Wyoming greater forest edge periphery grasslands long-billed curlew migrate from sage-grouse population can be and sagebrush around the Black as far away as Mexico and South gained by tracking the percentage Hills. Connecting these habitats America to spend part of each and number of active and inactive is more than 6,500 miles of year in the focus area. Important leks. Unfortunately, both have riverine habitat and 14,000 acres prairie grassland areas have been decreased significantly, suggesting of woody riparian habitats within identified in the Wyoming State a notable decrease in population BHMG focus area. The southern Wildlife Action Plan that help guide (NE Sage Grouse Working Group). extent includes a small segment coordination among partners in of the Thunder Basin National delivering funding to these sites The Conservation Objective Team Grasslands, known for ferruginous (Fig. 5). (COT; Service 2013) listed energy hawks, swift fox, greater sage- development, infrastructure, grouse and black-tailed prairie This focus area contains 680,000 improper livestock and/or wildlife dogs. The black-tailed prairie dog is acres of greater sage-grouse core grazing practices, weeds and

273 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area, Wyoming. USFWS photo.

Greater sage-grouse brood in northeastern Wyoming. Figure 5. Wyoming Great Plains Grasslands with USFWS photo. Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Priority Areas (cross-hatched areas) and eastern Wyoming PFW program focus areas. USFWS map. annual grasses, mining and recreation as broadscale threats PFW habitat efforts align well with Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area to greater sage-grouse in the the general conservation objective Overlapping Priorities Powder River Basin. PFW efforts identified by the COT: • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Stop population declines and have concentrated on grassland/ • Grassland Migratory Birds habitat loss. sagebrush and riparian habitats • Implement targeted habitat in the form of livestock fencing, management and restoration. water developments, and grazing • Develop and implement state management plans. Water and federal sage-grouse developments include constructing conservation strategies and multi-purpose wetlands, water associated incentive-based gaps, wells, pipelines, and water conservation actions and troughs. The Black Hills Mixed- regulatory mechanisms. Grass Focus Area is one of three unstaffed focus areas in Wyoming. 274 Wyoming

Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area Habitat Targets Focal Species • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 2,500 acres • Greater sage-grouse • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 50 acres • Mountain plover • Riparian Enhancement: 3 mi • Black-tailed prairie dog • Stream Restoration: 0 ft • Burrowing owl • Fish Passage Structures: 0 units • Long-billed curlew • Northern pintail Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area Partnership Targets • Wilson’s phalarope • Private Landowner Agreements: 5 • Partnerships: 60 • Technical Assistance: 8 staff days • Percent Leveraging: 1:3 Service to partner dollars

Powder-Tongue River Focus Area

Starting at the eastern slope of the Big Horn Mountains and extending to the Powder River, this focus area receives considerably more summertime precipitation and more closely resembles the southern Rockies in vegetative land cover. Mixed-grass and sagebrush make up more than 92% of the Tongue River Stream Restoration, Wyoming. Restoration included area and roughly 80% is in private moving the channel to its previous position and installation of a ditch ownership. Vegetation communities plug/small dike with added floodplain features such as an oxbow wetland within the Powder River Basin and woody debris to benefit native fish and amphibians. PFW and other are naturally fragmented, as they conservation partners prevented further degradation of the channel and represent a transition between the protected 5,000 ft of the Tongue River. intermountain basin sagebrush communities to the west and the sage-grouse range. Wetlands are River is distinctive because it’s prairie communities to the east. commonly found in association with not blocked by dams or irrigation The Powder River Basin is also floodplain and riparian habitats. diversions. The relative intact and near the eastern edge of greater As western rivers go, the Powder unchanged nature of the Powder

Completed bank-full bench (left) and high-water over bankfull bench, Tongue River, Wyoming. USFWS photos.

275 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Willow regeneration along the Little Powder River, Wyoming. USFWS photo.

River provides habitat for unique fragments are not large enough fish passage and rangeland fish species like the sturgeon to support naturally-functioning assistance to minimize rangeland chub and western silvery minnow watersheds (Dodds et al. 2004) conversion. adapted to high turbidity and low leading to steep declines in summertime flows. As the Great distribution of many native prairie For northeast Wyoming, greater Plains ecosystem continues to be fishes. Those systems that persist sage-grouse numbers have fragmented from land conversion require dedicated conservation declined significantly and the and water projects, the remaining efforts such as river restoration, long term trend continues to be a

Constructed bench, back water area and rock barb (left). High water over project area, Tongue River, Wyoming. USFWS photos. 276 Wyoming

A view of rugged breaks along Clear Creek and a PFW riparian fence and wetland restoration project. USFWS photo. concern. The current decreasing developments, and grazing Powder-Tongue River Focus Area trend is likely a combination of management systems. In addition, Focal Species the cyclic nature of greater sage- fish passage, stream and oxbow grouse populations combined slough restoration are the primary • Greater sage-grouse with documented influences from habitats of landowner interest. • Sage thrasher fire, land conversion, West Nile • Bairds sparrow virus and energy development in Powder-Tongue River Focus Area • Northern pintail the Powder River Basin (NE SG Overlapping Priorities • Wood duck working group 2012). A sagebrush • Sagebrush Ecosystem • Sandhill crane cover assessment within Powder • Grassland Migratory Birds • Yellowstone cutthroat trout River Basin estimated sagebrush • Native Salmonids coverage to be 35% with an average patch size less than 300 acres, representing a 63% decrease in Powder-Tongue River Focus Area Habitat Targets patch size during the past forty years (Rowland et al. 2005). Most of • Upland (sagebrush/aspen) Enhancement: 4,000 acres the occupied greater sage-grouse • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement: 20 acres habitat in the Powder River Basin • Riparian Enhancement: 6 mi is privately owned and contains • Stream Restoration: 2,000 ft approximately 70% of known leks • Fish Passage Structures: 1 unit (Northeast Wyoming Sage-grouse Working Group 2006). Powder-Tongue River Focus Area Partnership Targets

Since 1998, WY PFW and its • Private Landowner Agreements: 5 partners have concentrated • Partnerships: 60 habitat work on implementing • Technical Assistance: 5 staff days an assortment of projects to • Percent Leveraging: 1:5 Service to partner dollars improve the health of sagebrush communities, including livestock fencing, off-site water

277 Wyoming Statewide Goals North Montana Dakota

South Dakota Wyoming Nebraska

Utah Colorado Kansas

Broaden and Strengthen Partnerships capacity which was met by our conservation partners teaming together to place several jointly funded The sharing of restoration and partnership expertise rangeland positions in key locations around the state. between stakeholders is an important driver in the Partnership planning positions were established to success of WY PFW restoration efforts. The working assist NRCS with the delivery of rangeland projects knowledge and technical expertise contributions of along with SGI. More recently, a rangeland specialist PFW staff continues to be an integral component position was developed in conjunction with the in individual partnership project success as well as National Wildlife Refuge Association and a private a restoration and conservation technique driver of foundation for southwest Wyoming to directly work change statewide. As new initiatives come on-line, with PFW staff. These range ecologists positions are shared positions have improved project coordination responsible for conducting rangeland and wildlife between the agencies at the field level, increased assessments, identifying resource concerns and project initiation rates, as well as serving to bridge the landowner objectives, developing plans to address gap between funding programs and partners. Being those concerns and objectives, and implementing plan part of an office team, PFW staff make themselves strategies using available cost-share programs across available to local duty station and provide valuable a diverse landscape benefitting Service focal species biological input and technical expertise to the Uinta- and species important to our partners. Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Laramie NRCS/ Laramie Rivers Conservation District and Lander Improve Information Sharing and Communication Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Office. Generating habitat projects and information transfer Technical resource sharing has become commonplace comes from the establishment of an extensive network among partners especially when significant gaps are of conservation partners and landowners. WY PFW identified. For example, a national priority shift to continues to work through traditional avenues of sagebrush landscapes necessitated an increase in USDA State Technical Committee meetings, local

Wyoming PFW program staff providing conservation partners with a project update, Wyoming. USFWS photo.

278 Wyoming

Wind River Reservation-hosted NRCS Wetland Plant Identification Workshop. USFWS photo.

USDA work groups, and various partner coordination partners providing restoration guidance on a variety functions as well as giving presentations on habitat of habitat projects within their dedicated work areas, restoration techniques and habitat project updates at including project designs and permitting, project cost several gatherings of professionals including several analysis, and appropriate construction methodologies. fish and wildlife agency and conservation partner Facilitating a wide array of terrestrial and aquatic annual meetings. WY PFW staff members routinely habitat projects requires a substantial investment of attend local interagency meetings within their staff time in working with conservation partners, as respective work areas which include representation well as a high degree of expertise in a wide range of from local county commissioners to congressional technical disciplines. We will continue to strengthen staffers providing a good forum for periodic program our partnerships, habitat delivery, and customer updates. WY PFW maintains a place in the classroom service in an effort to restore and conserve habitat in through local science fair judging and participating in an ever-changing landscape. a variety of youth outdoor classroom experiences held throughout the state. Implementation • Refine and implement a strategic workforce plan Implementation to ensure that the right skills are in the right • Maintain working with partners and stakeholders location to deliver an efficient and effective habitat on individual planning documents. conservation program. • Provide partners with an annual accomplishment • Seek-out partnership efforts that develop and report. share employee skills across conservation partner • Utilize farming and ranching industry associations lines. and publication. • Review annually career development guidance and • Initiate state level landowner and/or partner training programs for staff and ensure resources award/recognition program. are available to improve habitat conservation • Support existing and explore new opportunities for delivery, partnership development, and leadership long term funding options. skill sets. • Refine local project priorities through established • Continue to coordinate with other Federal, State, local workgroup settings. and local government units, Tribes, and non- • Continue to provide resource information at governmental partners to utilize available training workshops, conventions and coordination meetings. and development opportunities to maintain technical excellence in an environment of rapidly Enhance Our Workforce expanding knowledge and technology.

Wyoming PFW continues to build on a strong Increase Accountability technical assistance foundation delivering effective habitat conservation by improving workforce capacity The mechanics (structural function) and habitat when necessary and improve existing technical response from on-the-ground habitat restoration is and leadership skills of staff to meet the needs fairly well understood and predictable. Forecasting of our conservation partners and trust resource project biological benefits is less certain and relies responsibilities. Staff work closely with conservation on the intuition and professional judgment of staff

279 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Wyoming PFW program staff working with Conservation Corp students to install grazing management fence. USFWS photo. biologists and conservation partners. To help improve • Cyclical nature of energy development, direct accountability, a standardized monitoring process was impact to resources as well as project funding implemented using available measurable parameters potential. to evaluate project success. Three levels of monitoring are recognized within this monitoring plan framework, Monitoring Plan status review, site-scale and landscape scale. Background Capital costs for habitat restoration projects vary greatly across the state and from year to year. To help The PFW program is the Service’s primary maintain a cost-efficient program, fiscal measures mechanism for delivering voluntary on-the-ground are used to evaluate annual restoration capital costs. habitat improvement projects on private lands for Accurately determining habitat projects costs ensures the benefit of Federal Trust Species. Through our equitable and reliable sources of funding, timely strategic planning process, priority based habitat project delivery, and quality habitat projects. focus areas were established to efficiently conserve priority fish and wildlife populations through a variety Implementation of habitat restoration, management and protection • Implement and refine monitoring plan. measures. Focal species selection was centered on • Continue to incorporate creative partnerships Service trust resources, such as listed species, species to assist with monitoring. For example, employ of special concern to the Service, migratory birds, the assistance of local birding groups to collect tribal significant species or designated important biological data and in return expand birding species of our conservation partners. WY PFW opportunities on lands available through willing recognizes that this list of fish and wildlife resources landowners. is also held in trust and/or important to our federal, • Maintain and refine fiscal measures for estimating state, and local partners. Therefore, it was important project cost, which include internal review of that our WY PFW Strategic Plan incorporates partner all previous years Service habitat work within input and to the degree practicable is consistent with Wyoming and published statewide annual Service needs and mandates. The plan also provides cost analysis of conservation practices by our direction on conservation actions needed to reduce or conservation partners. eliminate threats/stressors and habitat improvement targets. This strategic plan effort spans the period of External Factors 2017–2021. Factors beyond the control of the WY PFW program that could affect progress towards accomplishing long- With the construction of an overarching conservation term habitat goals and objectives include the following: delivery roadmap complete, site scale project planning • Extreme weather, climate fluctuations, and efforts are in the hands of local PFW biologists and our environmental change that affect ecological many conservation partners. Primary mission of PFW processes and local economies. field biologists is to develop opportunities, determine • Fluctuating habitat conservation funding. site threats/stressor, conservation actions needed to

280 Wyoming

Wyoming PFW staff and a conservation partner conducting rangeland monitoring. USFWS photo. reduce or remove threats/stressors, implement actions plan include: 1) existing conditions (pre-construction), and monitoring provisions sufficient to document 2) as-built conditions (post-construction), and 3) project implementation and removal of threat/ characteristics and conditions of suitable reference stressors. Three levels of monitoring are recognized site. Reference sites are most commonly used in within this monitoring plan framework, status situations where detailed data is not readily available. review, site-scale and landscape scale. The goal of this monitoring plan is to standardize a process using Threats/stressors and remediation measures are available measurable parameters to evaluate project determined during the planning process. In some success. cases, threats have been previously identified through established sources. For example, a statewide fish Level I – Status Review passage database identifies significant barriers to fish WY PFW program will conduct Level I Status passage on many of Wyoming’s rivers establishing a Reviews on all new projects to ensure scope of work removal importance hierarchy. In this instance, fish is completed as defined in the Private Landowner passage monitoring would be documenting barrier Agreement (PLA). Annual site visits will be conducted (threat) removal or presence/absence survey. Level II by PFW biologists until all phases of the project are monitoring will determine if threat has been removed complete and a final site visit report completed at or reduced through evaluation of key habitat attributes project end (Attachment 1). The site visit form will (Table 2.). A standardized form will be used to collect be submitted to the Lander PFW office as part of the presence/absence (Table 1, Class A) data for each site. payment process and incorporated into the official field Field measurement surveys (Table 1, Class B) data if file. available will be attached to the standardized form. WY PFW or representative will conduct a status Level II –Site Specific Biological Monitoring review on a subset of projects with a goal of completing WY PFW program works in four major habitat types, reviews on 10% of active projects. Set intervals upland, wetland, riparian and stream. Monitoring for post-construction evaluations were influenced provisions included in Level II will be sufficient to by several factors including, project complexity, determine if habitat objectives are being met and manpower availability, financial investment, newness document removal or reduction of threat/stressors. of technology and other factors (Table 2.). Project generated data will be the primary source of measurable parameters for evaluating projects success. Three types of information routinely collected to aid in project design and corresponding monitoring 281 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Table 1. Level II Monitoring

WY PFW Conservation Key Habitat Attribute - Key Habitat Attribute - Practice Class A Class B

(Presence/Absence (Field Measurement Survey) Survey)

Stream Restoration Bed Features (Y/N) BEHI Index

Bank Features (Y/N) Pfankuch

Correct Pattern (Y/N) Companion Inventories

Correct Profile (Y/N) Photo Point Transect

Correct Dimension (Y/N)

Riparian Restoration Cover Types: Proper Function Condition Native Grass (Y/N) Green line Stability Wetland Plants (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Shrubs (Y/N) Transect Trees (Y/N) Stubble Height

Recruitment/Reproduction Photo Point Transect (Y/N)

Fish Passage Physical Barrier Removed Fish Passage Survey (Y/N) Temperature Loggers Thermal Barrier Removed (Y/N)

Fish Entrainment Open System: Fish Loss Survey

Fish Screen (Y/N)

282 Wyoming

Sage Steppe Perennial Cover (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Enhancement Transect Sagebrush(Y/N) Stubble Height Native Grass Species (Y/N) Photo Point Transect

Native Forb Species (Y/N)

Grassland Perennial Cover (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Enhancement/Res Transect toration Native Grass Species (Y/N) Stubble Height

Native Forb Species Photo Point Transect (Y/N)

Wetland Establishment Hydrology (Y/N) Wetland Delineation

Hydrophytes (Y/N) Photo Point Transect

Wetland Restoration Hydrology (Y/N) Wetland Delineation

Hydrophytes (Y/N) Photo Point Transect

Table 2. Projected Evaluation Intervals

WYPFW Conservation Project Evaluations Practice Interval (Year)

Stream Restoration 1,2,5,10

Riparian Restoration 1,3,10

Fish Passage 1,5

Fish Loss/Entrainment 1,5,10 (Screening)

Sage Steppe Enhancement 1,3,10

Grassland Enhancement 1,5

Wetland 1,5 Restoration/Enhance ment

283 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Level III – Landscape Scale Monitoring Exhibit 2. Landscape scale monitoring is designed to document the status or change over time of a resource. Priority Species – Bear River Focus Area Availability of Level III data sets is variable across focus areas. The state wildlife agencies are the Upland – U, Wetland –W, Riparian– R, greatest source of information for game and non-game Stream-S species of special concern along with Service Federal White-faced ibis - W trust and Tribal trust species. The ability to monitor select species was considered during focal species list Northern pintail -W development. Redhead -W American bittern -W For example, Bear River Focus Area target species Sandhill crane - W/R (Exhibit 2) relates well with on-going local monitoring efforts by several conservation partners (Exhibit 1). Yellow-billedcuckoo - R Local monitoring efforts provide broad status and Greater sage-grouse - U trend information for target species found within Bonneville cutthroat trout-S the watershed. In some instances, local population sampling takes place on PFW projects providing the Leatherside chub-S ability to more precisely see influence of habitat actions validating planning process. Level III WYPFW Monitoring Commitment WY PFW will continue to work with conservation Exhibit 1. partners on landscape-scale monitoring efforts to Current Monitoring Efforts -Bear River better determine variables influencing populations, improving future conservation work targeting and Focus Area project success. For example, work with partners NRCS , UCCD , and UW conduct rangeland to develop a methodology to link habitat restoration health monitoring at selected sites actions with on-site sage-grouse data to specifically RMBO- Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) determine if habitat projects are having success at the population level (Table 3). Program (6 locations) TU - radio-tagged Bonneville cutthroat trout in Non-game species often lack population goals making the upper Bear River it difficult to determine habitat restoration targets. TU- irrigation ditch salvage; documenting WY PFW will work with conservation partners to create and/or utilize site specific predictive habitat numbers and species of fish modeling needs assessments tools like Energetic UCCD - water quality monitoring Carrying Capacity (ECC) and Resource Site Factors USFWS Cokeville NWR Migratory Bird (RSF) modeling to determine quantity of habitat Surveys needed to carry a predetermined population as well as specific site habitat contributions. WY PFW USFWS Cokeville NWR Habitat Evaluations will continue to focus on identified target species, WYGF - secretive marsh bird breeding survey incorporate population level determinations when WYGF - greater sage-grouse annual lek counts defined and build them into future strategic plans. WYGF - semi-annual stream electrofishing for WY PFW will continue to employ creative partnerships to assist with monitoring, for example, SGCN fish species utilize the assistance of local birding groups to WYGF - annual waterfowl surveys collect biological data and in return expand birding opportunities on lands available through willing landowners.

Table 3. Sage Grouse Lek Count Data (Sand Hills PFW Grazing System).

Table 3. Sage Grouse Lek Count Data (Sand Hills PFW Grazing System).

284 Wyoming

Limitations Our ability to achieve monitoring objectives is influenced by a variety of factors including the availability of human and technical resources, the level of support we receive from our conservation partners, and other variables such as unbridled development and weather. It should be also recognized in some management situations, formal monitoring may not be necessary when the outcome of an action is well known (Williams et al. 2007).

285 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Attachment 1 WY PFW Level I Monitoring Form

SITE VISIT REPORT

Landowner Agreement #______

Prism FA Award # ______

Final or Interim Select One

Scope of Work (Describe the restoration activities ex. fence and/or livestock watering facilities were installed to facilitate proper grazing management, grassland enhancement and migratory bird conservation).

Project Status (To be used for an interim report ie…what’s been done up to the 1 year mark) (Example Language)-About 2 paragraphs

Species Benefited ______. (You can reference conservation plans as/if you deem necessary)

Optional/ Literature Cited: (Example)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]. 2012. Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Strategic Plan, 2012–2016. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado.

Payment Method Describe selection of the payment method (Ex. SF-270, this is a private landowner who chose to be waived from the ASAP system)

As the PFW biologist managing this project I certify that Landowner Agreement # ____(project type ex. Wetland enhancement) has been completed (or for interim…is in the process of being completed) in accordance with all provisions of the agreement.

______PFW Biologist Date

______Landowner / Cooperator Date

286 Wyoming

Attachment 2 WY PFW Level II

Monitoring Report Form

Project Name and PLA Number:______Primary Federal Trust Resource:______Project Scope/Objectives (include agreed changes/PLA mofidication):______Project Objectives Met: ______Yes ______No (if no, explain)______

Project Biological Outcomes Wyoming PFW Conservation Practice(s):______Key Habitat Attribute Class A:______Key Habitat Attribute Class B: (attach to form)______

Photo Point Name: UTM______Photo Point Name: UTM______Photo Point Name: UTM______Photo Point Name: UTM______Minimum one photo point per project

Project Non-Biological Outcomes Planned Project Components Deliverables Project Start Date Project Completion Date (i.e. 1,000 ft 4-strand barbed fence)

287 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

Planned Project Components Budgeted Cost Final Cost (i.e. 1,000 ft 4-strand barbed fence)

Lessons Learned (What worked, what didn’t and ways to improve project construction/delivery): ______

______Private Lands Biologist Date

288 Wyoming

Level II Monitoring

WY PFW Conservation Key Habitat Attribute - Class A Key Habitat Attribute - Class B Practice (Presence/Absence Survey) (Field Measurement Survey) Stream Restoration Bed Features (Y/N) BEHI Index Bank Features (Y/N) Pfankuch Correct Pattern (Y/N) Companion Inventories Correct Profile (Y/N) Photo Point Transect Correct Dimension (Y/N) Riparian Restoration Cover Types: Proper Function Condition Native Grass (Y/N) Green line Stability Wetland Plants (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Transect Shrubs (Y/N) Stubble Height Trees (Y/N) Photo Point Transect Recruitment/Reproduction (Y/N) Fish Passage Physical Barrier Removed (Y/N) Fish Passage Survey Thermal Barrier Removed (Y/N) Temperature Loggers Fish Entrainment Open System: Fish Loss Survey Fish Screen (Y/N) Sage Steppe Enhancement Perennial Cover (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Transect Sagebrush(Y/N) Stubble Height Native Grass Species (Y/N) Photo Point Transect Native Forb Species (Y/N) Grassland Perennial Cover (Y/N) Cover by Life Form Transect Enhancement/Restoration Native Grass Species (Y/N) Stubble Height Native Forb Species (Y/N) Photo Point Transect Wetland Establishment Hydrology (Y/N) Wetland Delineation Hydrophytes (Y/N) Photo Point Transect Wetland Restoration Hydrology (Y/N) Wetland Delineation Hydrophytes (Y/N) Photo Point Transect

Projected Evaluation Intervals

WYPFW Conservation Practice Project Evaluations

Interval (Year)

Stream Restoration 1,2,5,10

Riparian Restoration 1,3,10

Fish Passage 1,5

Fish Loss/Entrainment (Screening) 1,5,10

Sage Steppe Enhancement 1,3,10

Grassland Enhancement 1,5

Wetland Restoration/Enhancement 1,5

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Attachment 3 Wyoming Ongoing Monitoring Efforts Listed by Focus Area

Bear River Focus Area

A. NRCS, Uinta County Conservation District (UCCD), and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Trout Unlimited . i Radio-tag Bonneville cutthroat trout in the upper Bear River ii. Irrigation ditch salvage; documenting numbers and species of fish

E. UCCD – water quality monitoring

F. Cokeville National Wildlife Refuge . i Migratory bird surveys ii. Habitat evaluations

G. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Secretive marsh bird survey ii. Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts iii. Semi-annual stream electrofishing for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) fish species iv. Annual (winter and spring)waterfowl surveys . v Stream barrier assessment vi. Site specific fish entrainment surveys

Upper Green River Focus Area

A. NRCS and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Survey

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Trout Unlimited . i Fish barrier study ii. Irrigation ditch salvage; documenting numbers and species of fish

E. Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge . i Migratory bird surveys ii. Habitat evaluations

F. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Secretive marsh bird survey ii. Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts iii. Semi-annual stream electrofishing for SGCN fish species iv. Annual (winter and spring waterfowl surveys) . v Annual trumpeter swan survey vi. Stream barrier assessment vii. Site specific fish entrainment surveys

Upper Sweetwater – Red Desert Focus Area

A. NRCS, BLM and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

290 Wyoming

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts ii. Annual waterfowl surveys iii. Annual raptor surveys with BLM iv. Stream barrier assessment

Wind River Focus Area

A. NRCS, BIA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . i Irrigation ditch salvage; documenting numbers and species of fish ii. Lander Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) large carnivore surveys iii. Lander FWCO sage grouse Lek counts iv. Lander FWCO big game surveys

E. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Secretive marsh bird survey ii. Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts iii. Semi-annual stream electrofishing for sauger iv. Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys . v Colonial waterbird survey vi. Annual trumpeter swan survey with Service vii. Annual raptor survey with Service viii. Stream barrier assessment with Service ix. Annual stream and lake fish surveys with Service . x Site specific fish entrainment surveys with Service

Laramie Plains Focus Area

A. NRCS and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . i Annual Wyoming toad surveys

E. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Greater sage-grouse Lek counts ii. Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys iii. Annual small mammal surveys iv. Trumpeter swan surveys with Service . v Raptor surveys with Service vi. Stream barrier assessment with Service vii. Annual stream and lake fish surveys with Service

Little Snake River – Upper North Platte Focus Area

A. NRCS, Little Snake River Conservation District (LSRCD) and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

291 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan

D. LSRCD – waterbird surveys

E. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts ii. Semi-annual stream electrofishing for SGCN fish species iii. Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys iv. Stream barrier assessment . v Annual river fish surveys and non-native fish removal program

Goshen Hole Focus Area

A. NRCS and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys ii. Annual small mammal surveys iii. Raptor surveys iv. Stream barrier assessments . v Annual stream and lake fish surveys

Black Hills Mixed-Grass Focus Area

A. NRCS and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Secretive marsh bird breeding survey ii. Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts iii. Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys iv. Stream barrier assessment . v Annual stream and lake fish surveys vi. Site specific fish entrainment surveys

Powder – Tongue River Focus Area

A. NRCS and University of Wyoming rangeland health monitoring

B. North American Breeding Bird Surveys

C. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies – Monitoring Wyoming’s Birds (MWB) Program

D. Wyoming Game and Fish Department . i Secretive marsh bird breeding survey ii. Greater sage-grouse annual Lek counts iii. Annual (winter and spring) waterfowl surveys iv. Stream barrier assessment . v Annual stream and lake fish surveys vi. Site specific fish entrainment surveys

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