CPW Greater Sage Grouse Shapefile Download

Updated December, 2025 BROOD AREA: Areas supporting sage grouse broods. This generally includes wet areas such as meadows, springs, ponds and streams which all function as important brood rearing sites. To be mapped as a 200m (.124 mile) buffer zone around the edges of such wet sites. HISTORIC HABITAT: Areas where viable populations have not occurred in five years or more. OVERALL RANGE: An area which encompasses all mapped seasonal activity areas within the observed range of a population of sage grouse. PRODUCTION AREA: An area that would include the majority of important sage grouse nesting habitat. Mapped as a buffer zone of two miles around an active lek. SEVERE WINTER: That part of the winter range where 90 percent of the individuals are located when annual snowpack is at its' maximum and/or temperatures are at a minimum in the two worst winters out of ten. The winters of 1983-84, or 96-97 are good examples. WINTER RANGE: Observed winter range. PRIORITY AND GENERAL HABITAT Summary The priority habitat map and data were developed as part of the BLM National Planning Strategy for Greater sage-grouse. These data provide a biological tool for planning in sage-grouse habitats. These maps depict Priority and General Habitats within occupied range in Colorado. In February 2016, the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) hired a consultant (Olsson) to help further refine CPW’s greater sage-grouse habitat maps in Northwest Colorado. The Olsson consultant team, have utilized CPW’s contemporary and rigorous habitat models and developed their own to produce revised PHMA and GHMA habitat data. These spatial datasets (i.e., habitat maps) are specifically designed to meet the management intent of the ARMPA and have been produced for formal submittal to the BLM for incorporation into Northwest Colorado Land and Resource Management Plans. LINKAGES This dataset identifies linkage areas between sage-grouse populations across GrSG range in Colorado. It is assumed the habitat linkages will allow for movement between populations and will decrease the probability of extinction of the species by stabilizing population dynamics. These linkages should be considered only as potential areas for movements between populations. The linkage dataset was created by mapping efforts of the CPW biologists for the statewide conservation plan in 2005, and further refined in early 2012. The linkages were delineated based on a selection of vegetation classes in the Colorado Basin-wide dataset. Habitat within linkages is composed of a mosaic of contrasting land forms, landcover types, and land uses. They are a heterogeneous landscape, within the historical range of GrSG, composed of isolated patches of landcover types frequently used by sage-grouse. Vegetation classes used contain current or historic sagebrush communities (e.g., piñon-juniper -sagebrush mix). Therefore, linkages are comprised of a non-contiguous and patchy mix of vegetation classes. This information was derived from Colorado Parks and Wildlife field personnel. Data was captured by digitizing through a SmartBoard Interactive Whiteboard using topographic maps and NAIP imagery at various scales (Cowardin, M., M. Flenner. March 2003. Maximizing Mapping Resources. GeoWorld 16(3):32-35). These data are updated on a four year rotation with one of the four Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regions updated each year. These data are not updated on a statewide level annually.