Updated August 2015
The “Sage-Grouse Habitat Assessment Framework” (HAF) was conceived by several managers in the early 2000s. They assembled a diverse group of habitat specialists and sage-grouse experts from state, federal, and nongovernmental organizations to develop this habitat evaluation tool. In 2006, the “Greater Sage-Grouse Comprehensive Conservation Strategy,” published by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, highlighted the development and implementation of the HAF. That strategy outlined a number of objectives for the HAF, which included a temporal and spatial method for evaluating sagebrush habitats for sage-grouse suitability at various landscape scales. The HAF is a cornerstone of the habitat monitoring component of the sage-grouse conservation strategy.
Sage-Grouse Habitat Assessment Framework: Data Forms and Measurement Techniques
Appendix B to the sage-grouse habitat assessment framework (HAF) contains the data forms for the habitat assessment and specific instructions for completing them. The habitat assessment is organized by scale and is intended to be used in the field or in the lab as appropriate for data collection or summary. Chapter II of the HAF provides the detailed habitat description steps to guide setup and data collection.
Forms are provided below in PDF format, for printing and completing by hand, and in fillable PDF for completing electronically. Spreadsheet files, which feature automatically filled fields and built-in formulas, are also provided for site-scale data collection and analysis.
Table B-1 was edited in July 2015 and the line-point intercept directions were edited in August 2015. Please consult the Errata Sheet for details.
Habitat indicator values in the HAF should be used to rate suitability unless 1) those indicator values differ from the values in the habitat objectives table in the Greater Sage-Grouse land use plans or 2) they fail to accurately reflect regional scientific information (see BLM Instruction Memorandum No. IM 2018-021; BLM Instruction Memorandum No. IM 2018-025). For those situations, customizable data forms are provided below that allow modification of the indicator values and provide space for additional indicators. These forms are not included in the HAF.
Broad-scale (first-order) assessment
No structured data forms are required as no first-order assessment is described. Policies establish the management direction for sagebrush habitats and sage-grouse.
Mid-scale (second-order) assessment
A single form (form M-1) is required for summarizing the second-order assessment. This form should be completed for each landscape/population assessed at this scale.
Form M-1 Mid-Scale (Second-Order) Sage-Grouse Habitat Description (PDF or fillable PDF)
Fine-scale (third-order) assessment
Fine-scale habitat analysis is summarized on a single form (form F-1) to summarize seasonal habitat availability within a home range.
Form F-1 Fine-Scale (Third-Order) Sage-Grouse Habitat Description (PDF or fillable PDF)
Site-scale (fourth-order) assessment
Site-scale assessment data forms include detailed directions and illustrations for measuring vegetation. Supplemental information regarding vegetation species and preferred forbs for sage-grouse can be found in table B-1 in the HAF, appendix B.
Customizable forms allow modification of the indicator values and provide space for additional indicators.
Customizable Form S-2 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Breeding Habitat (Leks) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Customizable Form S-3 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Breeding Habitat (Nesting/Early Brood-Rearing) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Customizable Form S-4 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Upland Summer/Late Brood-Rearing Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Customizable Form S-5 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Riparian Summer/Late Brood-Rearing Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Customizable Form S-6 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Winter Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-1 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Seasonal Habitat Data Summary (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-1 Directions
Form S-2 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Breeding Habitat (Leks) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-2 Directions
Form S-3 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Breeding Habitat (Nesting/Early Brood-Rearing) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-3 Directions
Form S-4 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Upland Summer/Late Brood-Rearing Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-4 Directions
Form S-5 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Riparian Summer/Late Brood-Rearing Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-5 Directions
Form S-6 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Worksheet - Winter Habitat (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-6 Directions
Form S-7 Sage-Grouse Site-Scale Habitat Suitability Summary (PDF or fillable PDF)
Form S-7 Directions
Plot Metadata Form (PDF or fillable PDF)
Plot Metadata Directions
Line-Point Intercept Data Form (PDF or fillable PDF)
Line-Point Intercept Directions
Vegetation Height/Sagebrush Shape Data Form (PDF or fillable PDF)
Vegetation Height/Sagebrush Shape Directions
Line-Point Intercept Data Summary (PDF or fillable PDF)
Sage-grouse Habitat Indicator Calculations - Line-Point Intercept Data Summary Directions
Line Intercept and Daubenmire Frames Data Form (Electronic Version) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Line Intercept and Daubenmire Frames Data Form (Paper Version) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Daubenmire Cover Class and Vegetation Height Data Form (recorded at 2-m intervals) (PDF or fillable PDF)
Line Intercept and Daubenmire Frame Method Directions
Sage-Grouse Forb Diversity Data Form (PDF or fillable PDF)
Sage-Grouse Forb Diversity Summary Form (PDF or fillable PDF)
Sage-Grouse Forb Diversity Data and Summary Form Directions
Table of sagebrush community vegetation species and preferred forbs for sage-grouse. To be used for line-point intercept, line intercept and Daubenmire frames, and forb diversity data collection. (PDF or Word document)
Table B-1 was edited in July 2015. Please consult the Errata Sheet for details.
Excel spreadsheet files