Why Are You Cutting All Those Trees?

Removing conifers that have expanded into sagebrush country is a key restoration practice for this complex ecosystem. The USDA-NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife/Sage Grouse Initiative, Intermountain West Joint Venture, and The Nature Conservancy of Montana compiled a series of frequently asked questions about conifer expansion and management.

Here’s some quick background: Expansion of native conifers (evergreen trees such as juniper, pinyon pine, and Douglas-fir) into sagebrush ecosystems is degrading and reducing rangelands important to wildlife and people. As conifers expand into previously treeless shrublands, predictable changes occur resulting in the loss of sagebrush habitats and imperiled species, like sage grouse. Conifer expansion is recognized as a primary threat to the conservation of sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystems and land managers are working together to scale up targeted conifer removal to maintain dwindling shrubland habitats. Check out the above FAQ for some answers related to these efforts.