Gale Dupree
Loyalton, Calif. Retired Forester

Dupree started conducting census counts of Nevada sage grouse in the late '90s, after he noticed a decline in the population. He later put together a handbook, Enhancing Sage Grouse Habitat: A Nevada Landowner's Guide, to help the birds. Although Dupree recently moved across state lines to California, he continues to be actively involved with conservation issues in Nevada.

If you drove across central Nevada 50 years ago, sagebrush would have been spread out in every direction. Today, all you see is cheatgrass.

Habitat loss is one of the major reasons for the decline of sage grouse. I began counting males on leks, or strutting grounds, in 1999. The National Wildlife Federation was a helpful prod for that. At one point I said, you know, we need to do something about this.

That's when we started writing the handbook. If you're going to be a conservationist, you need to know about habitat requirements. Sage grouse is an indicator species. When you do things to benefit them, it has a positive impact on other critters—other birds, rabbits, and antelope.

I've been involved with the Nevada Wildlife Federation since 1980. In addition to being a director on the state level for 30 years, I would go to Washington, D.C., to lobby for more funding for wildlife programs.

I have a passion for wildlife, particularly for sage grouse. I want people to know about this amazing bird that puts on a beautiful strutting dance each spring. You can still hunt the birds in Nevada, but the regulations are more stringent.

In the '70s I would see up to 100 birds in a flock when hunting. Nowadays I don't see more than 20, except on the leks. Our volunteers now monitor up to 50 leks a year, and we have raised over $100,000 for on-the-ground grouse projects. Today, every state in the West has a conservation plan for sage grouse. I just would like to see them come back.

—As told to Tom Tiberio