Joint Fire Science SageSTEP (Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project)

To study the effects of land management options, two experiments will be conducted across a regional network of sites in sagebrush communities. Using this regional network of sites will allow us to understand the thresholds between healthy and unhealthy sagebrush communities over a broad range of conditions across the Great Basin. Management treatment effects on plants, potential for wildfire, soils and nutrients, water runoff/erosion, and birds and insects will be documented. Additionally, an economic analysis will be conducted to assist managers in selecting optimal management strategies, and citizens’ and managers’ views about the treatments will be explored. The first experiment is focused on cheatgrass invasion (Cheatgrass Network), and the second experiment is focused on woodland encroachment (Woodland Network).

Cheatgrass Network: For this experiment, sites will be located in sagebrush communities threatened by cheatgrass invasion, and we will study the effects of four land management options: control (no management action), prescribed fire, mechanical thinning of sagebrush by mowing, and herbicide application (to thin old, unproductive sagebrush plants and encourage growth of young sagebrush and native understory grasses). An additional herbicide application to control cheatgrass will be applied within portions of treated areas. The objective is to address the question of what amount of native perennial bunchgrasses needs to be present in the understory of a sagebrush community in order for managers to improve land health without having to conduct expensive restoration, such as reseeding of native grasses.

Woodland Network: For this experiment, sites will be located in sagebrush communities threatened by woodland encroachment, and we will study the effects of no management action (control), prescribed fire, and mechanical removal of trees (chainsaw cutting). The objective is to address the question of what amount of the native sagebrush/bunchgrass community there needs to be in order for managers to improve land health without having to conduct expensive restoration.