A pronghorn herd will be less likely to recover from another stressor if fewer fawns are born to bolster the herd's population

Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Pronghorn threatened by oil and gas development, study finds
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Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Pronghorn near oil and gas infrastructure in Wyoming, BLM Wyoming ([link removed])

A new study ([link removed]) has found that oil and gas development contributes to population decline in Wyoming pronghorn herds. Researchers examined pronghorn productivity—the number of fawns born per 100 adult female pronghorn in a herd—and found that two major factors drove productivity declines in nearly half of Wyoming's pronghorn herds from 1984 to 2019. One major factor is oil and gas development; the other is "woody encroachment," a term that refers to trees creeping into landscapes that previously did not have trees, including the sagebrush ecosystem that is favored by pronghorn. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including catastrophic wildfire that destroys sagebrush and creates conditions for trees and other invasive species to move into the landscape.

Oil and gas development and increased tree cover are both "disturbances" that pronghorn avoid; new disturbances in otherwise suitable habitat result in a decrease in available habitat, squeezing pronghorn herds onto smaller and smaller areas. Productivity declines are concerning because they mean that a pronghorn herd will be less likely to recover from another stressor, such as a tough winter, since fewer fawns were born to bolster the herd's population. "The thing that made these populations resilient in the past was productivity,” said ([link removed]) Jeffrey Beck, one of the co-authors of the study. “Now, when they take a big hit, they’re not able to bounce back as quick."

While pronghorn are not currently considered to be an especially at-risk species, studying them now can help biologists understand how they respond to stressors and pursue conservation strategies that support healthy pronghorn populations before they decline. As the study points out ([link removed]) , "While the Wyoming Basin is viewed as a stronghold for pronghorn populations, increasing oil and gas development and tree encroachment may be increasing pronghorn population susceptibility to decline."


** Quick hits
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Bill introduced to designate Great Bend of the Gila as a national monument

KJZZ ([link removed]) | AZPM News ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])

Biden admin rebukes 'entirely unfounded' state claims against BLM public lands rule

E&E News ([link removed])

Deal struck in northern Colorado to shut down, clean up leaking oil wells

Denver7 ([link removed])

Study suggests nearby rural land can help cool cities

Washington Post ([link removed])

Irrigation emits greenhouse gases. Researchers now know how much and where

Colorado Sun ([link removed])

More can be done to protect old-growth trees from logging

Guardian ([link removed])

Denver and the Front Range are failing to lower air pollution

Denver Post ([link removed])

Opinion: Coal continues its precipitous decline

Writers on the Range ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
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” Bringing Tribal voices to the forefront of land management is not just a moral imperative—it is key to ensuring that our natural legacy can be protected for generations to come.”

—Congressman Raúl Grijalva, E&E News ([link removed])


** Picture This
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@organpipenps ([link removed])
Juniper trees?! In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument?!

While the vast stretches of creosote flats and cactus forests may dominate the low-lying areas of the Sonoran Desert, plants and animals that prefer higher elevations find their homes in the small mountain ranges that dot the landscape.

Typically found at or beyond 3,000 feet/915 meters above sea level, the Arizona juniper (Juniperus arizonica) is the perfect image of resiliency, weathering lonely, windswept mountaintops across the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico.

Visitors daring enough to seek out this hardy plant can find them on the upper Arch Canyon and Bull Pasture hikes off the Ajo Mountain Drive. Make sure you come prepared with plenty of water, salty snacks, and a pair of shoes with good tread.

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