RANGELAND TREATMENT SAMPLING – PLANNING FOR CONSERVATION DELIVERY SUCCESS

Project ID: F22AC02701

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: Oregon State University

Fiscal Year: 2022

Initial Funding: $30,898

Total Funding: $30,898

Abstract:

THIS PROJECT RESPONDS TO AN IDENTIFIED NEED TO HARNESS PRACTITIONERS EXPERIENCE AND OUTCOMES OF LARGESCALE HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS IN THE SAGEBRUSH BIOME TO INFORM FUTURE RESTORATION TREATMENTS AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF ONGOING PROJECTS. THE PROJECT WILL CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING RANGELAND RESTORATION PROJECT DATABASES (E.G. THE LAND TREATMENT DIGITAL LIBRARY LTDL , LAND TREATMENT EXPLORATION TOOL LTET , AND OTHERS CURRENTLY BEING MANAGED AT LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS) AT A TIME WHEN BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENABLING LAND MANAGERS TO TREAT SAGEBRUSH ECOSYSTEM THREATS, PARTICULARLY INVASIVE ANNUAL GRASSES, AT LARGE LANDSCAPE SCALES. WE WILL IMPLEMENT A ROBUST, YET PRACTICAL MONITORING PLAN FOR LANDSCAPE-SCALE TREATMENTS SPANNING ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES AND WORK WITH U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, AND END USERS TO COLLECT PRE-AND POST-TREATMENT DATA AND CUSTOMIZE THE EXISTING LTET PLATFORM TO BETTER INTEGRATE MONITORING DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING. THE INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL RESOURCES (INR) AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THESE PARTNERS TO CONDUCT FIELD SAMPLING OF MULTIPLE TREATMENTS EACH YEAR, AS WELL AS SERVING ON THE ADVISORY TEAM FOR THE PROJECT. THE ENHANCED TOOL WILL ALLOW RESOURCE MANAGERS TO: 1) ACCESS