BLM acquires western Idaho land to preserve critical wildlife habitat 

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - The Bureau of Land Management has purchased 390 acres of land in western Idaho, located 11 miles west of Midvale, from The Nature Conservancy using funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This parcel will be open to the public year-round and will provide critical habitat protection for the area’s isolated Columbian sharp-tailed grouse population. 

The land lies adjacent to BLM’s 4,200-acre Hixon Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Area of Critical Environmental Concern, which supports the largest and one of the last known populations of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in western Idaho. Since 1987, the BLM has managed the area cooperatively with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and The Nature Conservancy. 

“The Nature Conservancy has been a good partner in management and originally purchased this property to prevent future development on the breeding grounds for the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse,” BLM Boise District Manager Tanya Thrift said. “Bringing this parcel into public ownership helps ensure this critical piece of wildlife habitat benefits the grouse, while also providing other public land recreation opportunities.” 

“Decades of successful co-management with the BLM made our goal to conserve vital sagebrush steppe habitat across this landscape possible,” sid Director of Communications for The Nature Conservancy in Idaho Megan Grover-Cereda said. “We are thrilled the next step in our partnership will continue to offer public benefits and safeguard undeveloped and connected lands that wildlife, including Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, need to thrive.” 

The BLM’s acquisition of this property aligns with the America the Beautiful initiative that seeks to conserve fish and wildlife habitat and expand access to public lands and waters through voluntary conservation. Learn more about the Land and Water Conservation Fund HERE. For additional information, contact the BLM at 208-384-3300.