We developed a framework that strategically targets burned areas for restoration actions (e.g., seeding or planting sagebrush) that have the greatest potential to positively benefit Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) populations through time. Specifically, we estimated sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) recovery following wildfire and risk of non-native annual grass invasion under three scenarios: passive recovery, active restoration with seeding, and active restoration with seedling transplants. We then applied spatial predictions of integrated nest site selection and survival models before wildfire, immediately following wildfire, and at 30 and 50 years post-wildfire based on each restoration scenario and measured changes in habitat. Application of this framework coupled with strategic planting designs aimed at developing patches of nesting habitat may help increase operational resilience for fire-impacted sagebrush ecosystems.

We evaluated the expected success of habitat recovery in priority areas under 3 different restoration scenarios: passive, planting, and seeding. Passive means no human intervention following a fire disturbance. Under a planting scenario, field technicians methodically plant young sagebrush saplings at the burned site. The seeding scenario involves distributing large amounts of sagebrush seeds throughout the affected area.

We evaluated the expected success of habitat recovery in priority areas under 3 different restoration scenarios: passive, planting, and seeding. Passive means no human intervention following a fire disturbance. Under a planting scenario, field technicians methodically plant young sagebrush saplings at the burned site. The seeding scenario involves distributing large amounts of sagebrush seeds throughout the affected area.

These data are a habitat restoration index based on the intersection of loss of habitat selected by sage-grouse and loss of habitat contributions to nest survival following wildfire.

These data are a habitat restoration index based on the intersection of loss of habitat selected by sage-grouse and loss of habitat contributions to nest survival following wildfire.

Evaluating factors that affect recovery of canopy-forming, foundational species is needed to guide effective treatment implementation aimed at mitigating their loss due to the changing fire regimes being experienced in semi-arid shrub-steppe of the Western USA. Most inferences on factors influencing recovery are based on one-time measurements taken as a snapshot in time, usually focused on the short-term initial establishment phase or outcomes observed decades after. We measured factors associated with the secondary establishment of big sagebrush in nearly 2000 plots across a heterogeneous landscape five years after a megafire (115,000 ha) and the diverse mosaic of restoration treatments implemented and compare these findings to previously published inferences on initial, first-year germination patterns observed on the same plots.

Sage-grouse continue to use habitat following wildfire, so prioritizing high selection, low survival areas can help ameliorate potential post-wildfire ecological traps. This shapefile represents areas within the burn scars at the Virginia Mountains field site which are high selection and high or low survival which have been deemed to be 'priority' targets for post-fire restoration efforts. The 'burn scar' used in this project is an amalgamation of multiple fires which occurred within the field site during the summers of 2016 and 2017.

Sage-grouse continue to use habitat following wildfire, so prioritizing high selection, low survival areas can help ameliorate potential post-wildfire ecological traps. This shapefile represents areas within the burn scars at the Virginia Mountains field site which are high selection and high or low survival which have been deemed to be 'priority' targets for post-fire restoration efforts. The 'burn scar' used in this project is an amalgamation of multiple fires which occurred within the field site during the summers of 2016 and 2017.

The sagebrush ecosystem spans over 175 million acres in the western United States, and is biologically, culturally, and economically significant to the country. Many disturbances including prolonged drought, pinyon-juniper encroachment, and cycles of invasive grasses and wildfire, pose significant threats to the resilience of the sagebrush biome. To conserve the sagebrush biome and promote community and economic sustainability, the Department of the Interior’s bureaus and offices are working together with many public and private partners to implement a “defend and grow the core” approach to conserve remaining intact sagebrush habitat and ecosystem functions, as well as restore other habitat types which are important to re-establish and maintain the sagebrush ecosystem. To aid in defending and growing the core, we conducted a spatial analysis of current (2017-2020) sagebrush core habitat and growth opportunity areas (Doherty et al. 2022) to identify areas of the sagebrush biome that have high ecological value, resilience to climate change, and existing collaborative partner capacities that facilitate delivery of on-the-ground actions (see "SCRL_Raster.tif"). Using our spatial analysis, we selected areas of the landscape using sub-watershed level polygons (Hydrologic Unit code 12 [HUC 12], Watershed Boundary Dataset) to aid in prioritizing strategic investments in conservation and restoration actions that will “defend and grow the core”. We asked for feedback from tribes, states, and federal resource management agencies to further refine the landscapes to areas of greatest conservation need and collaborative potential. We call these areas "Sagebrush Collaborative Restoration Landscapes" or SCRL (see "SCRL.shp" in SagebrushCollaborativeRestorationLandscapes.zip).

The sagebrush ecosystem spans over 175 million acres in the western United States, and is biologically, culturally, and economically significant to the country. Many disturbances including prolonged drought, pinyon-juniper encroachment, and cycles of invasive grasses and wildfire, pose significant threats to the resilience of the sagebrush biome. To conserve the sagebrush biome and promote community and economic sustainability, the Department of the Interior’s bureaus and offices are working together with many public and private partners to implement a “defend and grow the core” approach to conserve remaining intact sagebrush habitat and ecosystem functions, as well as restore other habitat types which are important to re-establish and maintain the sagebrush ecosystem. To aid in defending and growing the core, we conducted a spatial analysis of current (2017-2020) sagebrush core habitat and growth opportunity areas (Doherty et al. 2022) to identify areas of the sagebrush biome that have high ecological value, resilience to climate change, and existing collaborative partner capacities that facilitate delivery of on-the-ground actions (see "SCRL_Raster.tif"). Using our spatial analysis, we selected areas of the landscape using sub-watershed level polygons (Hydrologic Unit code 12 [HUC 12], Watershed Boundary Dataset) to aid in prioritizing strategic investments in conservation and restoration actions that will “defend and grow the core”. We asked for feedback from tribes, states, and federal resource management agencies to further refine the landscapes to areas of greatest conservation need and collaborative potential. We call these areas "Sagebrush Collaborative Restoration Landscapes" or SCRL (see "SCRL.shp" in SagebrushCollaborativeRestorationLandscapes.zip).