2015 Fall Restoration Update

2015 Fall Restoration Update

December 28, 2015

Dan Mummey and Chuck Casper shed light on 2015 seeding and weed control efforts.

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Fall 2015 Restoration Update, seeding and weed control Chuck Casper and Dan Mummey

Table of Contents

Fall 2015 Drill Seeded Areas 160 Acres

Rock Pile Planting 35 acres We planted winter wheat on 9/15/15 as a cover crop. Although cereal crops are often used as cover in restoration plantings, little information about how wheat influences native species establishment is available (Espeland and Perkins 2013). We think climate and seeding rate balance facilitation and competition. We planted plots with high and low wheat density to learn how wheat seeding rate influences native plant growth.

Diversifying Orchard House Bowl 35 acres We seeded North Orchard hill last fall with grasses. This fall, we seeded a diverse forb and shrub mix. We plan to construct a shrub-land in this former crested wheatgrass stand. Using lessons learned from the nurse plant study (112213restorationupdateDM.pdf), we seeded bitterbrush in rows with bottlebrush squirrel-tail, a weak bitterbrush competitor.

We seeded with grasses in 2014. This fall we inter-seeded a diverse forb mix that included a small amount of grass seed. We seeded to fill spaces between grasses with forbs. We will plant shrub-islands this winter.

Dormant Seeding Indian Ricegrass 38 acres Weather can kill all the seedlings of species that germinate at the same time. Indian ricegrass dormancy varies (Jones and Nielson, 1999). Since its seeds don’t germinate at the same time, some seed remains available to take advantage of favorable environmental conditions throughout the year. We’ve found that Indian ricegrass seedlings emerge years after seeding. We over-seeded the areas shown below with Indian ricegrass. Indian ricegrass establishes easily and is compatible with broadleaf weed control.

Indian Ridge We broadcast a mix of seeds over the 15 acre area enclosed by the yellow line. We seeded forbs and shrubs from MPG collections in patches to create a patchwork of diverse native species. Weed control before seeding is critical for native plant establishment. We sprayed leafy spurge this fall in the red polygon and plan to seed all of Indian Ridge in 2016.

Indian Ridge It snowed before we completed seeding. Snow cover will help protect seeds from predation. Seeds will settle into the soil during snowmelt.

Intermediate Diversification Plots 30 acres We are evaluating methods to improve the wildlife habitat value of intermediate wheatgrass stands. We established plots (red shapes) in intermediate wheatgrass stands to examine the efficacy of herbicide treatments and seeding. We drill seeded Snake River wheatgrass, sainfoin, crimson clover, and white sweetclover. We will evaluate diverse native species in 2016 for their ability to compete with intermediate wheatgrass.

Intermediate Diversification Plots 30 acres We are evaluating methods to improve the wildlife habitat value of intermediate wheatgrass stands. We established plots (red shapes) in intermediate wheatgrass stands to examine the efficacy of herbicide treatments and seeding. We drill seeded Snake River wheatgrass, sainfoin, crimson clover, and white sweetclover. We will evaluate diverse native species in 2016 for their ability to compete with intermediate wheatgrass.

Intermediate Diversification Plots 30 acres We are evaluating methods to improve the wildlife habitat value of intermediate wheatgrass stands. We established plots (red shapes) in intermediate wheatgrass stands to examine the efficacy of herbicide treatments and seeding. We drill seeded Snake River wheatgrass, sainfoin, crimson clover, and white sweetclover. We will evaluate diverse native species in 2016 for their ability to compete with intermediate wheatgrass.

References Espeland, E.K. and Perkins, L.B. (2013). Annual cover crops do not inhibit early growth of perennial grasses on a disturbed restoration soil in the Northern Great Plains, USA. Ecological Restoration, 31: 69-78 Jones, T.A. and Nielson, D.C. (1999) Intrapopulation genetic variation for seed dormancy in Indian ricegrass. Journal of Range Management 52:646-650

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