Western Roots - the Plants, People, and Critters of the "Big Empty" with Jeremy Maestas of the Sage Grouse Initiative

National Wildlife Federation Outdoors

Jeremy Maestas joins the podcast to talk the sage brush sea, partnering with private landowners to conserve rangelands, sage grouse, and the critters that rely on the western range - "good for the bird, good for the herd". We also speak about the Sage Grouse Initiative's collaboration with Hunt to Eat dubbed "Western Roots" highlighting the importance of native plants in the West.

Hunt to Eat/Sage Grouse Initiative Collaboration

https://hunttoeat.com/products/western-roots

NRCS Sage Grouse Initiative: https://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/

SGI’s Conserve our Western Roots: https://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/roots/

NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/initiatives/?cid=stelprdb1046975

Show notes:

4:30 – intro to “Rangelands”

7:39 – Jeremy’s love of mule deer

8:26 – Jeremy’s best sage country memories

10:17 - what is the Sage Grouse Initiative or SGI

13:45 – what are sage ands, rangelands and why are they so important

15:25 – the amazingness of sage grouse and sage grouse life

19:30 - what does “good for the bird, good for the herd” mean and the connection between wildlife health in the sagelands ecosystem

25:30 – the benefits of native plants over introduced and noxious species

28:19 – the nastiness of cheat grass

32:23 – soil is an under sung hero

34:02 – having cheatgrass on the land doubles the risk of wildfire

37:26 – restoration on the range

43:17 – How can average Joe or Jane hunter be part of the solution

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