Rebuilding Habitat: Can Wyoming’s Manmade Sage Grouse Lek Succeed?

In Wyoming’s Shirley Basin, an ambitious and costly effort is underway to restore sage grouse habitat on a site once scarred by uranium mining, Wyo File reports.

This innovative project aims to create a functional lek—a key breeding ground for the sage grouse—on reclaimed land, while also providing the surrounding habitat these birds need to thrive. The outcome could have significant implications for sage grouse conservation across the western United States.

The site, part of the Heward Ranch, was once a barren moonscape left by uranium mining operations that peaked in the mid-20th century. After partial reclamation in the 1990s, the landscape remained largely inhospitable to wildlife. Today, thanks to a $2 million restoration initiative funded by coal taxes for abandoned mine reclamation, the area is being transformed.

Young sagebrush, native grasses, and forbs now dot the landscape. Project manager Josh Oakleaf and his team aim to establish a habitat suitable for sage grouse, complete with nesting areas, protective cover, and an open lekking ground where males can perform their courtship displays.

“The real value in this is all the surrounding habitat,” said Oakleaf, who works with Wyoming’s Department of Environmental Quality’s Abandoned Mine Lands Division.

The creation of the “lek analog” involved meticulous planning. Biologists and geomorphologists shaped the landscape to meet the grouse’s preferences, designing wind-blocking hills and planting low-growing species in the lek area. These efforts were guided by a 2019 update to Wyoming’s sage grouse conservation policy, which emphasizes habitat restoration.

The Shirley Basin is already home to a robust sage grouse population, with at least 50 existing leks in the region. This provides a promising backdrop for the experiment.

Efforts to relocate sage grouse to new leks have been attempted before, with mixed results. In some cases, birds have visited the new sites but failed to establish permanent breeding grounds.

“This concept hasn’t been fully demonstrated,” said Tom Christensen, a retired sage grouse coordinator for Wyoming Game and Fish.

However, there are encouraging signs. Sagebrush restoration at the Heward Ranch has gone well, and surveys have identified 37 distinct plant species at the site, 32 of which are native.

Despite the progress, challenges remain. The site’s proximity to a county road, nearby structures, and fences could deter the sage grouse from settling.

“It’s got all the things that we get beat up over in the sage grouse habitat world,” acknowledged ranch owner Todd Heward.

Even so, Heward supports the project, noting that the restoration has already improved soil health, reduced erosion, and increased wildlife activity.

The Shirley Basin experiment could provide valuable lessons for future conservation efforts. If successful, it may offer a replicable model for restoring sage grouse habitat on degraded lands.

“What’s important is not the outputs in terms of time and effort and goodwill, but the outcomes… Did it work? That’s the proof in the pudding,” said Christensen.

Sage grouse numbers have plummeted from an estimated 16 million to as few as 200,000. For Oakleaf, even a modest success in Shirley Basin could inspire broader applications.

“If it inspires a couple people to use our techniques in other places that support other distinct populations of sage grouse, that’s a win,” he said.