Sagebrush
Fire frequency has decreased in many shrub-steppe communities. Re-introducing fire may be needed to increase spatial and temporal variability in vegetation, but is often hindered by concerns of undesired vegetation shifts. These concerns arise, in part, because long-term effects of fire re-introduction in these communities after prolonged fire exclusion and other departures from historical conditions are unknown. To better understand the effects of re-introducing fire, we evaluated plant community response to re-introducing fire for 12 years post fire in six mountain big sagebrush communities. Herbaceous biomass production was 1.7-fold greater in burned compared with unburned areas at the conclusion of the study. Exotic annual grasses appeared to be problematic in the first 8 years post fire, but became inconsequential (~1% cover) by the end of the study. Re-introducing fire promoted other shrubs (excluding sagebrush) that were probably inhibited by competition from sagebrush. Sagebrush cover and density remained low in burned areas for the duration of the study, because of limited recruitment in the years immediately post fire and competition from herbaceous vegetation. Re-introducing fire appears to increase temporal and spatial heterogeneity in shrub-steppe communities experiencing prolonged fire exclusion and, therefore, may be needed to maintain a diversity of plant communities.
Sagebrush rangelands once covered nearly 250 million acres in western North America. Today, this landscape has been reduced to half its original size and is rapidly shrinking. Fire is a primary culprit and is fueled by annual invasive grasses. These rangelands help drive our nation’s economy through energy, recreation, and livestock production and are home to critical regional water resources. Equally important, these lands are wildlife meccas and provide habitat for some 350 species.
This video that captures the beauty of sagebrush country and provides information on cheatgrass’s serious threat. Intermountain West Joint Venture provided additional quality video on cheatgrass.
Conference website.
The Annual SRM meeting will be virtual. The meeting theme is “Rangelands – New Frontiers” and we hope to highlight many new ideas and endeavors occurring on rangelands across the globe. Call for sessions is now open.
Imagine the great opportunities this digital alternative will offer to gather people from everywhere who love rangelands to learn about stewardship of these amazing landscapes. The 2021 Annual Meeting will include the familiar oral presentations, posters, symposia, workshops, and campfire conversations that are a part of traditional SRM meetings. The 2021 Event will also include exceptional plenary sessions, interactive committee meetings, SRM awards and business sessions, plus opportunities to engage with colleagues and fellow SRM members. As we enter this new frontier, start thinking about how to show others what you and your organization are doing on the ground.
View the brief.
Sagebrush ecosystems in the northern Great Basin face threats from invasive annual grasses and expanding conifers. Land managers need to work at large spatial scales to address these two ecological threats, but have limited resources to do so. This guide provides a framework for land managers to efficiently identify, discuss and address landscape-level threats. It is not an
instruction manual.
Webinar presented by Rich Hatfield.
This plan is intended to provide a shared vision for natural resource management and conservation in Nevada. The plan incorporates the existing “All Hands – All Lands” approach together with the recent Shared Stewardship Agreement signed by the State and Federal land management agencies in Nevada to guide the strategic direction for the management of natural resources across all lands in Nevada. To ensure this goal, NDF is asking natural resource management and conservation stakeholders and interested public to review and provide substantive comments that help advance the plan’s strategic direction.
The Northeastern California Plateaus Bioregion Science Synthesis reviews literature relevant to the ecology and management of the Great Basin ecosystems and dry pine forests of the Lassen and Modoc National Forests. Critical factors on these national forests are reduced water availability—expected to become more challenging as levels and patterns of precipitation and temperature change under climate variability—coupled with a high proportion of rangeland and open woodland whose vegetation community is influenced by grazing of livestock and wild animal populations. Conifer encroachment of rangelands and the densification of woodlands, a result of fire suppression, impact wildlife communities that rely on open woodlands and other habitats characterized by having overstories of low density. Sagebrush habitat, in particular, is threatened by fragmentation and conversion. Socioeconomic changes in the region include a transition in the economic base from extraction to that of consumption of amenity values, and the resulting fragmentation of landownership. The local human population is expected to continue its trend of decline, but increased pressure by recreationists from nearby expanding urban areas is forcing land managers to consider increasingly complex situations or actions integrating social, ecological, and economic factors. Indigenous peoples are assuming a greater role in the management of their lands. Finally, disturbance patterns, such as nonhistorical fire frequency and intensity levels, novel combinations of climate patterns, and the pervasive pressure of nonnative invasive species could result in future ecosystems different than those today, presenting additional managerial challenges. This synthesis is intended to serve as a science-based foundation that supports management of Northeastern California forests, woodlands, and rangelands.
Overview: Invasive annual grasses are quickly expanding across the West, dramatically changing sagebrush country. Today we are experiencing more frequent and hotter wildfires that are harmful to communities, western lands, and wildlife. This webinar discusses the wildfire trends, identify the culprits, the impacts, and break down the challenges/opportunities.
Presenter: Michele Crist, leading landscape ecologist with the National Interagency Fire Center.
Resources and information referenced in the webinar available on the SageWest website.
This webinar will include two presentations:
Sagebrush in prisons project: Native plant propagation for restoration with Stacy Moore, Ecological Education Program Director, Institute for Applied Ecology
California sustainability in prisons project: Seed propagation of Mojave Desert native plants with Tyler Knapp, Ecological Education Coordinator, Institute for Applied Ecology