Seeding Considerations in Restoring Big Sagebrush Habitat

This papcrdescribes methods of managing or seeding to restore big sagebrush communities for wildlife habitat. The focus is on three bigsagebrush subspecies, Wyomingbigsagebrush (Artemi­ sia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis), basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata), and mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana). Natural colonization of the native plant community may be the preferred management action on sites where native seed sources are available to successfully reestablish the desired wildlife habitat. On highly disturbed or otherwise damaged sites and where competition from weeds is excessive, seeding ,,~II be utilized to restore big sagebrush for wildlife habitat. Big sagebrush seed is never seeded alone in site rehabilitation and restoration projects. The best time to seed or interseed big sagebrush seed mixes, including grasses and forbs, is in late fall or early winter. The overall best method to reestablish big sagebrush is to use a range­ land drill at a shallow setting following site preparation, including tillage and weed control. When big sagebrush is drill seeded mth other seed types, it is recommended that it be seeded through a separate drill box to permit very shallow seeding and proper seed placement for plant establishment. Seedings of native plants, including big sagebrush, should be protected from grazing for at least 3 to 5 years to allow time for the shrubs and forbs to become established.