Greater Sage Grouse

Challenges

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) periodically opens up proposed land use amendments for public comment. However, the process to submit a comment on the regulations.gov website can be cumbersome and confusing for the average citizen.

Montana Wildlife Federation, a conservation nonprofit, wanted to make it easy for their supporters to learn about the proposed Greater Sage Grouse habitat plan amendments and submit thoughtful comments to the BLM. They needed a user-friendly website that would simplify the comment submission process.

Solutions

We built sagegrouse.org using Next.js for the frontend, Sanity for the CMS, and Supabase for the backend. Key features include:

• Links to informational pages explaining the BLM's proposed amendments and their potential impact on sage grouse habitats
• An example comment letter that users can customize
• Tips for writing an effective comment letter
• Ability for users to write their letter directly on the website
• Option to upload a letter and supporting documents
• Direct submission to the regulations.gov API
• Choice to include personal details or submit anonymously

The website design is engaging yet simple, with a focus on guiding users through the comment process. The CMS allows for easy content updates and refinements.

Results

Since launching, sagegrouse.org has helped generate hundreds of unique comments on the BLM's proposed plans from concerned citizens. The simplified process has removed barriers to civic engagement and amplified the public's voice on this important conservation issue.

By leveraging modern web technologies, we were able to create a powerful tool for driving meaningful action to protect sage grouse and the sagebrush ecosystem. The website showcases how thoughtful UX and smart engineering can make a real difference for mission-driven organizations.