Early Spring Field note 2022
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Early Spring Field note 2022
April 8, 2022
Thin sage, prune orchards, basin wild rye, short-eared owls
In 2018, we removed most sage from a large hillside near the north fork of Sheep Camp draw. The native flora erupted in the opened niches. Last week we returned to the site to clean up all the new sage bushes that recolonized the open prairie. While the ground was frozen, John masticated several acres of sage near the Trifecta. We returned to the site this spring to remove the plants that the masticator missed. Unlike our previous treatment, mastication leaves all the cut sage in place. The finely chopped sage should provide additional nutrients to the opened understory.
