An eight-man planting crew then covered 120 acres in four days, planting the seedlings in a block pattern that is easier to defend in the event of future wildfire. The block planting method also improves seed dispersal as the plants mature.

Wildlife Biologist Heidi Newsome and Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist Dave Smith are very pleased with the results at the completion of this major BAER project. Over the span of three years they have overseen restoration activities on ALE and have supervised the planting of approximately 1 million sagebrush seedlings. That effort, combined with aerial spraying and native grass seeding was made possible through emergency stabilization and rehabilitation funding and has restored a total of 14,000 acres. Past studies have shown that the survival rate of transplanted sagebrush seedlings averages 20%. Preliminary results on ALE indicate an overall survival rate of 25%, thanks to above-normal precipitation during the past two years. Within 10 years, these plantings will serve as functional habitat for shrub-steppe obligate species such as sage grouse, sage sparrow and loggerhead shrike.