OAR 635-140-0002: Definitions

For the purposes of OAR 635-140-0000: Technical terms used in these sections are further defined in the glossary of the “Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon” (2025). (1) “Areas of High Population Richness” are mapped areas of breeding and nesting habitat within core habitat that support the 75th percentile of breeding bird densities (i.e., the top 25%). (2) “Core areas” are mapped sagebrush types or other habitats that support greater sage-grouse annual life history requirements that are encompassed by areas: a) of very high, high, and moderate lek density strata; b) where low lek density strata overlap local connectivity corridors; or c) where winter habitat use polygons overlap with either low lek density strata, connectivity corridors, or occupied habitat.” Core area maps are maintained by the Department. (3) “Development action” means any human activity subject to regulation by local, state, or federal agencies that could result in the loss of sage-grouse habitat. Development actions may include but are not limited to, construction, and operational activities authorized or conducted by local, state, and federal agencies. Development actions also include subsequent re-permitting of existing activities proposing new impacts beyond current conditions. (4) “Direct impact” means an adverse effect of a development action upon sage-grouse habitat which is proximal to the physical footprint of the development action in time and place. (5) “Ecostates” are ecological states that express current rangeland vegetation composition, condition, and level of threat from invasive annual grasses, wildfire, and juniper encroachment based on the cover of key rangeland functional groups and the severity of threats present. These states are measured by remote sensing and assigned to a 30 meter square. The 8 ecostates include: A: Good condition shrubland (shrub cover >12%, perennials exceed annuals by 3:1 ratio, tree cover <5% A-C: Intermediate condition shrubland = Shrub cover >12%, perennial to annual cover ratio between 1:1 and 3:1, tree cover <5% C: Poor condition shrubland – Shrub cover >12%, annuals dominant, tree cover <5% B: Good condition grassland – Shrub cover <12%, perennial to annual cover ratio 3:1 or better B-D: Intermediate condition grassland – Shrub cover <12%, perennial to annual cover ratio between 1:1 and 3:1 D: Poor condition grassland – Shrub cover <12%, annuals dominant, tree cover <5% Tree: low-mid cover – Tree cover 5-20%, understory not differentiated Tree: high cover – Tree cover > 21%, understory not differentiated (6) “Functionality” is the ability of habitat to meet sage-grouse seasonal and/or year round life history needs (e.g. breeding, early rearing, wintering, migratory) and sustain sage-grouse populations. (7) “General habitat” is occupied (seasonal or year-round) sage-grouse habitat outside core and low density habitats. (8) “Indirect impacts” are adverse effects to sage-grouse and their habitat that are caused by or will ultimately result from implementation of a development action, with such effects usually occurring later in time or more removed in distance as compared to direct effects. (9) “Low density” areas are mapped sagebrush types or other habitats that support greater sage-grouse that are encompassed by areas where: a) low lek density strata overlapped with seasonal connectivity corridors; b) local corridors occur outside of all lek density strata; c) low lek density strata occur outside of connectivity corridors; or d) seasonal connectivity corridors occur outside of all lek density strata.” Low density area maps are maintained by the Department. (10) “Priority Areas for Conservation (PACs)” are key habitats identified by state sage-grouse conservation plans or through other sage-grouse conservation efforts (e.g., federal Bureau of Land Management plans or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service efforts). In Oregon, core area habitats are PACs.