Includes bibliographical references pages 34-38.

Over the last 30 years declines in greater sage-grouse populations have occurred across much of their range. Breeding populations had declined by an estimated 17-47% since the mid 1970s, a trend that has paralleled significant changes in the sagebrush habitats essential for the species. The primary factors affecting this change in sagebrush habitats differ by region and state but include changes in fire regime, conversion to cropland and seeded grasslands, wild and domestic ungulates, removal of sagebrush to increase livestock production (mechanical and herbicide methods), range conversion by invasive exotic plant species like cheatgrass, and general anthropocentric encroachment (e.g. excessive hunting, roads, and mineral exploration and extraction). The result of these changes has been a progressive range-wide loss, fragmentation, and degradation of sagebrush habitats.