The greater sage grouse is a bird that needs its space.

The grouse relies on large expanses of intact sagebrush and is loyal to specific areas. Sage grouse are very sensitive to habitat disturbance. As oil and gas extraction, livestock grazing, roads, and power lines have destroyed and fragmented their native habitat, their populations have plummeted.

A federal court determined the Trump Administration’s removal of protections from 10 million acres across the West to allow mining in vital grouse habitat was unlawful on Feb. 11.

This decision follows an earlier ruling stemming from a 2016 lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and its allies.

The Center for Biological Diversity expressed gratitude over the court’s decision.

“Now the new interior secretary can establish appropriate habitat protections based on science, not favoritism to the mining industry,” Michael Saul senior attorney for the Public Lands program, said.