Our Extension Specialists work with Wyoming ranchers to evaluate the efficacy of chemical thinning of sagebrush stands to enhance forage production, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity. Thinning big sagebrush is a win win situation for agriculture, wildlife, and biodiversity of rangelands.

Several Extension educational tours and workshops are conducted to demonstrate the beneficial effects of reducing sagebrush cover with herbicides.  Impacts from this effort have included increased use of this cost-effective range management practice by Wyoming ranchers, agency resource managers, and other environmentally concerned interest groups. Thinning big sagebrush results in 3-4 fold increase in herbaceous grass/forb production with application costs around $9.00/acre. Wildlife and natural resource management agencies who were previously hesitant to use herbicides on public lands, are now employing this practice to enhance biodiversity on native rangelands.