Biologists in the Bureau of Land Management’s Dillon Field Office recently mowed sagebrush in some important sage grouse and antelope habitat in far southwestern Montana.

What? BLM is mowing sagebrush, even given the current concern about preserving this kind of habitat?  

That’s right! It may be an unorthodox practice, but it may also be the only way to actually restore a healthy sagebrush community in some vital wildlife habitat.

BLM biologists Jim Roscoe and Kelly Bockting have been monitoring sagebrush in Big Sheep Creek Basin southwest of Dillon for several years. Data extending back through 1983 indicated a continuing decline in healthy sagebrush. As much as 85 percent of the plants were decadent. In addition, the average plant height had decreased by 30 percent, making much of it unavailable as winter forage and cover during even light-snow conditions. The basin provides winter-survival habitat for up to 350 antelope. It is also within a half mile of a sage grouse lek, an area where male sage grouse perform their courtship displays.

A BLM team of resource specialists concluded that it was time to do something about the decline in sagebrush in the Big Sheep watershed, authorizing treatments to restore up to 400 acres. Here’s what raised people’s eyebrows:  In contrast to past projects that focused on reducing or eliminating sagebrush, this one aimed to stimulate greater production from the existing sagebrush community.

Based upon experience and observation of similar efforts on private lands, Roscoe and BLM range conservation specialist Brian Hockett decided mowing might be the best option. From what they had seen, mowing could stimulate sagebrush growth and production in as little as 5 to10 years while protecting current wildlife uses.

With this as the goal, Roscoe and Bockting rented an agricultural tractor and 15-foot mower from a local implement dealer and headed into the frigid solitude of Big Sheep Basin. After two weeks of working through equipment breakdowns and temperatures occasionally hovering at sub-zero levels, they had mowed down about 200 acres of sagebrush.  They also reseeded part of the area with a sagebrush/yarrow/Lewis flax mix to evaluate the need for and effectiveness of reseeding.

The timing of mowing, size and shape of the areas, light snow cover, natural-seed production and new seed should combine to restore sagebrush cover and productivity.  Coordinated livestock management and potential changes to antelope harvests will further enhance the success of the project. Now all that remains is to hope for plentiful winter snows and spring rains to replenish sagebrush on this important wildlife habitat.