Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystem Research Program

Joint Fire Science Program:

Equipment and Strategies to Enhance the Post-wildfire Establishment and Persistence of Great Basin Native Plants

Project Summary

The cycle of annual weed invasion and wildfire has altered large expanses of western shrublands, disrupted ecosystem functioning, and increased wildfire size, intensity, and frequency.  These impacts are costly in terms of losses to native species and ecosystems, and also in risks to human life and property and wildfire-associated expenditures.  Post-fire rehabilitation provides an opportunity to stabilize and revegetate at-risk shrublands. 

This research addresses reestablishment of native vegetation after fires on arid lands.  The USDI Bureau of Land Management treats more acres and expends more funds through the Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Program (ES&R) than other agencies, and is required by Executive Orders and agency regulations to use native species where feasible.  However our ability to establish mixtures of grasses, forbs, and shrubs is limited.  This research will provide both basic and applied results on native restoration species and technology for their use. 

Project Objectives

• Examine seeding techniques for Wyoming big sagebrush

• Test seeding technology for for native species, particularly native forbs

• Compare the ability of a modified rangeland drill and an experimental minimum-till drill to plant native seeds of diverse size and shapes and to reduce surface disturbance, thereby conserving residual native species and biological soil crusts, while minimizing planting of annual grass seed

• Apply and examine use of USGS proposed ES&R monitoring protocols for gauging seeding success for both the short and long term

• Provide plantings for long-term examination of livestock grazing on diversity in native settings

Research Components

Cooperators

	USDA FS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID
		Nancy Shaw Robert Cox Nick Williams Kelsey Sherich Matt Fisk
	USDI Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID
		Mike Pellant
	USGS Biological Research Division, Corvallis, OR
		David Pyke
	USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Aberdeen, ID
		Loren St. John Brent Cornforth Boyd Simonson Charlie Bair
	USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Boise, ID
		Dan Ogle
	USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Fallon, NV
		Steve Perkins
	Truax Company, Inc., New Hope, MN
		Jim Truax

Funded By: