Extensive research shows that native conifer trees, such as juniper and pinyon pine, have been increasing their footprint on the landscape at an unprecedented rate for the past 150 years, especially in places such as the Great Basin, where 1.1 million acres have transitioned from shrubland or rangeland to woodlands since 2000. This accelerated conversion of shrubland and grassland w88 live casino to woodlands is having undesirable impacts, including the loss of unique wildlife and wildlife habitat, reduced water availability and increased runoff and erosion, less land available for livestock grazing, and greater fuel loading for wildfires.
A new w88 live casino by the collaborative “PJ (pinyon-juniper) Encroachment Education Project” sheds light on the issue. The site is also a resource for those trying to manage this threat, particularly in the Great Basin, where encroaching pinyon pine and juniper trees are taking over sagebrush w88 live casino and contributing to the decrease of imperiled species such as the sage grouse.
“The whole thrust of this project is to provide science-based information on the ecology and impacts w88 live casino problem, as well as the collaborative work being done to address it,” said Christina Restaino, natural resource specialist with University of Nevada, Reno Extension, the organization leading the project. “The w88 live casino is intended to help people understand the issue and serve as a clearinghouse of information to help land managers, professionals and agencies throughout the West in their collaborative efforts.”
Restaino, who is also an assistant professor w88 live casino University’s College of w88 online live casino, Biotechnology & Natural R, said a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey and Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies identifies tree encroachment as one of the top three threats to sagebrush w88 live casino – the other two being invasive species and land development.
The website launched today and includes sections explaining the ecology of how and where the conversion is happening, as well as outlining the impacts of w88 live casino range converting to woodlands. The “Resilience in Action” section shows projects being done around the West to manage the issue. Finally, there is an impressive “See the Science” section, where online viewers can search a database with over 400 peer-reviewed articles on an interactive map for information on the issue by location, topic, key word or year.
The partners in the project worked for two years to build the website, diving into research; holding multiple stakeholder working sessions; working with web designers to create an organized, easy-to-navigate site; and working with a technical illustrator to provide clear, accessible graphics for the site. Partners in the project include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Working Lands for Wildlife partnership, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Intermountain West Joint Venture’s Partnering to Conserve w88 live casino Rangelands initiative.
“Communicating why more trees everywhere isn’t always a good thing is a real challenge for land managers charged with conserving nonforest lands,” said Jeremy Maestas, who is part of the working group and a w88 live casino ecosystem specialist with the USDA-NRCS. “With Extension, we were able to build a website that helps broad audiences understand the science behind the problem.”
Besides the devastating effect on sagebrush-dependent wildlife, Maestas points out there are also economic impacts of the w88 live casino.
“In the Intermountain West, 90% of tree w88 live casino has occurred in sagebrush shrublands, a habitat type that has already been reduced by half due to a wide variety of threats. Species like sage grouse, found nowhere else in the world, will abandon breeding habitats when there are just a few trees per acre. Encroaching trees also suck up precious soil moisture needed on arid lands to grow other native grasses and wildflowers, which means less food and cover not only for wildlife, but also for livestock that sustain rural agricultural economies in the West.”
Mandi Hirsch, sagebrush collaborative conservation specialist for the Intermountain West Joint Venture and leader of the Partnering to Conserve Sagebrush Rangelands initiative, is also part of the project’s working group. She knows firsthand the impact the w88 live casino of trees on rangeland can have to ranchers. Hirsch is a rancher at heart and by trade who now also works toward the conservation and sustainability of Western rangelands.
“The conservation of a unique species like sage grouse is very important, but it’s only part of the entire picture when managing natural resources at a landscape scale. What many people don’t realize is there are many other potentially devastating impacts of w88 live casino – including jeopardizing the livelihoods of our ranchers and their ability to produce food. I really think this website can help people to understand that, and all the other impacts of this w88 live casino. And, I think it will be a tremendous ongoing resource for those trying to do something about it.”
