ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½

Monitoring and Measuring Impacts of the ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Conservation Ranching Program 

ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Conservation Ranching is grounded in a science-based monitoring framework designed to measure real outcomes for birds and habitat over time. Monitoring is integrated directly into each ranch’s Habitat Management Plan, ensuring that conservation actions are not only implemented, but evaluated and adapted based on results. 

At the core of this approach is ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½â€™s Bird-Friendliness Index (BFI), a standardized tool that measures bird abundance, species diversity, and overall bird community health. Using a combination of point counts and emerging technologies, the BFI allows us to track how bird communities respond to management across working lands in the Columbia Plateau. 

This data-driven approach provides producers with meaningful feedback on how their management is influencing habitat conditions, while also ensuring consistency and accountability across the program. It allows ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ to scale conservation impact, compare outcomes across regions, and demonstrate measurable gains for priority bird species. 

By pairing on-the-ground stewardship with rigorous monitoring, ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Conservation Ranching ensures that conservation is not just implemented but proven. 

Past Projects: 

Greater Sage-Grouse Survey 

Sage-grouse populations serve as a key indicator of the health of sagebrush ecosystems, which continue to face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Listed as endangered in Washington State, the Greater Sage-Grouse is a focal point of shrub-steppe conservation efforts across the West and a top priority bird species for ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Washington’s conservation initiatives.  

Anecdotal reports suggest that Greater Sage-Grouse may be present in South Central Washington, a historic part of their range that has not been well surveyed in recent years. In 2023, the statewide population was estimated at just 429 individuals, distributed across three distinct populations. 

In Spring 2025, ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Washington conducted targeted surveys in partnership with landowners and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to assess sage-grouse presence and habitat suitability in the Toppenish Ridge and Rattlesnake Hills Management Areas, providing critical data for species recovery efforts and informing land management strategies.  

This project helped fill a much-needed gap in Washington’s Greater Sage-grouse population inventory by collecting data that informs species and land management strategies to support the recovery of sage-grouse and habitats they need to survive. 

The Sagebrush Songbird Survey