Description: This GIS dataset representing Gunnison sage-grouse habitat areas within the Gunnison Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendment planning area was created or modified to facilitate analysis or planning activities related to the RMPA. This dataset may be an amalgamation of multiple BLM datasets gathered from numerous BLM Field Offices or generated during disparate land use planning efforts (RMPs, RMPAs) within the Gunnison Sage-Grouse RMPA planning area. Or, a dataset acquired from other agencies or partners and modified in some way to meet the needs of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse RMPA planning effort (e.g. clipped and projected into the Coordinate System of the GuSG RPMA planning effort, new attributes added and calculated). Information regarding the sources and techniques used to generate this final dataset can be found in the Lineage section of this metadata document.
The BLM Colorado Gunnison Sage-Grouse RMPA Habitat Areas - Pre-NOI was created for initial mapping and analysis (acreage calculation) purposes from a habitat source dataset provided to the BLM by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as shown in Figure 1 of the Final Recovery Plan for Gunnison Sage-Grouse (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2020). While the data was delivered to the BLM by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Final Recovery Plan states that habitat maps within the Recovery Plan were created "using Colorado Parks and Wildlife updated range map data, for Gunnison sage-grouse".
The BLM modified the source habitat dataset it received from the USFWS by adding a new habitat status attribute ('Status_2022_EIS'). That attribute was populated to match a value of 'Occupied' for polygons designated as 'Occupied' in the source habitat dataset 'Status' field, and 'Unoccupied' for polygons designated as either 'Vacant/Unknown' or 'Potential' in the source dataset 'Status' field. This field was created and populated to match habitat status mapping and definitions shown and discussed in the Final Recovery Plan for Gunnison Sage Grouse. Specifically, in the caption of Figure 1 of the Final Recovery Plan for Gunnison Sage-Grouse, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service defines ‘occupied habitat’ as areas where breeding takes place or is known to have taken place and defines ‘unoccupied habitat’ as formerly occupied areas that still contain some of the appropriate biological and physical features for Gunnison sage-grouse. For a complete description of modification to this dataset see the Lineage > Process Step section below
The original habitat status attributes within the source habitat dataset originated with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The habitat status definitions given in the metadata of the source habitat dataset appear to have been taken from the following habitat designations in the 2005 Gunnison Sage-Grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan (https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/GunnisonSagegrouseConservationPlan.aspx):
Occupied Habitat: Areas of suitable habitat known to be used by GUSG within the last 10 years from the date of mapping. Areas of suitable habitat contiguous with areas of known use, which do not have effective barriers to sage-grouse movement from known use areas, are mapped as occupied habitat unless specific information exists that documents the lack of sage-grouse use. This category can be delineated from any combination of telemetry locations, sightings of sage-grouse or sage-grouse sign, local biological expertise, GIS analysis, or other data sources.
Vacant or Unknown Habitat: Suitable habitat for sage-grouse that is separated (not contiguous) from occupied habitats that either (1) has not been adequately inventoried, or (2) has not had documentation of grouse presence in the past 10 years.
Potentially Suitable Habitat: Unoccupied habitats that could be suitable for occupation of sage-grouse if practical restoration were applied. Soils or other historic information (photos, maps, reports, etc.) indicate sagebrush communities occupied these areas. As examples, these sites could include areas overtaken by pi-juniper or converted to rangeland.
Copyright Text: U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, BLM Colorado State Office