Governor Gordon's

Migration Corridor Conservation Strategy

Executive Order 2020-01.pdf

OVERVIEW

Governor Mark Gordon signed the Migration Corridor Executive Order (EO) 2020-1 on February 13, 2020. The Order supports conservation of mule deer and pronghorn, protects landowner rights and accommodates multiple-use opportunities.

Executive Order 2020-1 designated three mule deer corridors: Platte Valley, Baggs and Sublette. The Order outlines a science-based approach for identifying potential migration corridors. The approach includes an in-depth evaluation, public comment, and the creation of Local Area Working Groups that include landowners and elected officials prior to any corridor designation.

Key components

  1. The formal designation of three mule deer corridors: Sublette, Baggs, and Platte Valley.

  2. A process by which other corridors could be designated in the future (Appendix B).

  3. The establishment of Local Area Working Groups to ensure that local considerations are made when considering corridors for designation while also allowing for potential management recommendations after designation (Appendix B).

  4. Procedures and directives for State of Wyoming agencies to exercise their legal and regulatory authorities to protect annual movements, maintain migration corridor functionality, and minimize future disturbance (Appendix C).

  5. Links to maps and shapefiles of designated corridors (Appendix D).

  6. Acknowledges valid existing rights (Appendix E).

  7. Guidance to State of Wyoming agencies to facilitate research using the best-available science and support the continued existence of functioning agricultural lands through collaboration with private landowners to build upon conservation efforts (Appendix F & G).

  8. Encouragement and support for county land use plan revisions to ensure consistency with the provisions of the Order.

Migration Corridor Advisory Group Recommendations.pdf

About the Statewide Advisory Group process

The broad process that led to the Executive Order began with the establishment of the Statewide Migration Corridor Advisory Group. The group met three times in 2019 and included representatives from the oil and gas, mining, and agriculture sectors, as well as conservation, recreation and sportsmen groups and a county commissioner. All meetings were open to the public.

See the link to the document at the left for the Statewide Group's recommendations for Governor Gordon.

Statewide Migration Corridor Advisory Group members:

John Espy - for counties (Carbon County)

Kathy Lichtendahl - for conservation (Park County)

Maxwell R. Ludington - for recreation (Teton County)

Mike Schmid - for the Game and Fish Commissioners (Lincoln County)

Dan Stanton - for sportsperson’s groups (Sweetwater County)

Marty Stearns - for mining (Sweetwater County)

Marissa Taylor - for agriculture (Uinta County)

Kevin Williams - for oil and gas (Sublette County)

MAPS

Above: 3 designated migration corridors for Sublette, Baggs, and Platte Valley

Wyoming Game and Fish Department's corridor mapping tool: https://tinyurl.com/WYMigrationCorridors

For more general information about corridors, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish web page here: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Wildlife-in-Wyoming/Migration-Corridors.

Ungulate-Migration-Corridor-Strategy_Final_012819.pdf

DOCUMENTS

Above: Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Ungulate Migration Corridor Strategy (revised January 28, 2019)

Summary of Statewide Advisory Group's Recommendations (September 2019)

Executive Order WGFD/WGFC Flow Chart for Identification and Designation Process

WGFD Threat Evaluation Worksheet

LOCAL AREA WORKING GROUPS

Appendix B of EO 2020-1 requires the establishment of Local Area Working Groups to ensure that local considerations are made when considering corridors for designation while also allowing for potential management recommendations after designation. The first Local Area Working group has been established for the Platte Valley Mule Deer Migration Corridor as of November 2020.

Topics to be addressed by the Local Area Working Groups are:

● Considerations for local issues that would help further refine the corridor designation.

○ Recommendations may be made to maintain, reject or change the boundaries of the designation.

● Feedback for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s draft Risk Assessment reports.

● Recommendations about additional opportunities for conservation.

● Examination of the impacts of all restrictions on development and use of lands encompassed in the designated corridor, including impacts to:

○ County revenues

○ Jobs

○ Proposed and current projects

○ Other topics as identified

Designated Platte Valley Mule Deer Migration Corridor Map.pdf

This process is now complete. Visit the Platte Valley Working Group web page for more information.

Designated Baggs Mule Deer Migration Corridor Map.pdf

This process is now complete. Visit the Baggs Working Group web page for more information.


Designated Sublette Mule Deer Migration Corridor Map.pdf

This process is now complete. Visit the Sublette Working Group web page for more information.

VIDEOS

Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Overview of Migration Corridors (2/12/2019): See left

Presentation on Statewide Advisory Group's recommendations (September 12, 2019): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eVYO8xCZGI3VpzhZCpOwJghM90Ku5-UK/view?usp=sharing