Figure 7. --Young sagebrush in a seeding of crested wheatgrass. These small shrubs 

 neither obstruct grazing animals nor compete seriously for moisture. In a few 

 years they will dominate the seeding unless they are controlled. 



RECOiMMENDATIQNS FOR SPECIFIC RANGE TYPES 



The natural vegetation is usually a good indicator of whether the climate and other site 

 factors are favorable; thus it helps in selecting species to be seeded. The type of vegetation to 

 be removed, of course, chiefly determanes the method of site preparation for seeding. 



Seeding trials have been conducted in most depleted range types in southern Idaho. Desir- 

 able species and effective methods have been determined for most range types , except the salt- 

 desert shrub ranges. The following sections describe where artificial revegetation is possible 

 and recommend species and seeding procedures. 



SAGEBRUSH LANDS 



Sagebrush occupies the largest acreage of range suitable for seeding in Idaho. Big sage- 

 brush dominates, but threetip sagebrush occupies large areas in southeastern Idaho. On shal- 

 low soils underlain by rock or other impervious strata, low sagebrush is locally dominant. 

 Other shrubs often associated with sagebrush are rabbitbrushes , bitterbrush, and horsebrush. 



Species to Seed 



Sagebrush sites in Idaho can be divided into three classes for the selection of species to 

 seed: (1) harsh, (2) intermediate, and (3) favorable. 



Harsh sites, where rainfall is generally less than 9 inches, are usually identifiable by 

 presence of low-stature big sagebrush and by Sandberg bluegrass, squirreltail, or Thurber 

 needlegrass. Remnants of Great Basin wildrye are found in swales and mounds of deeper soil. 

 Bluebunch wheatgrass is rarely found, and arrowleaf balsamroot is absent. On sandy areas 

 needle -and-thread and Indian ricegrass sometimes occur. Nearby saline lands may support 

 stands of shadscale, winterfat, or Gardner saltbush. 



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