Trouble In Sagebrush Seas

Quietly resting on the sandy soils of our basins and rangelands lie oceans of pale-green shrubs, peacefully supporting a wide range of life. These sagebrush seas are a staple of Colorado landscapes, creating niches for hundreds of native flora and fauna. Just as the Pacific Ocean and the Mojave Desert create vast opportunities for life, these seemingly uninhabited shrublands are the silent nurturers of some of our favorite species. Sagebrush is widely distributed throughout the western states, but have been experiencing massive dieback within the past couple of decades. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, roughly 1.3 million acres of these ecosystems have been damaged or destroyed every year since the early 2000s (USGS, 2025). Additionally, the encroachment of woody vegetation and colonization of invasive grasses increases the risk of wildfire by adding more fuel to the landscape. It is due to these reasons that the National Forest Foundation (NFF), Eagle Valley Wildland , and Specialized Land Management are partnering to protect and preserve our local sagebrush seas. 

Berry Creek Sage Protection and Enhancement Project

Specialized Land Management, in cooperation with Eagle Valley Wildland and NFF, is undertaking a sagebrush enhancement project that aims to protect our local sagebrush ecosystems from encroachment, invasive species, and increased wildfire risk (see map below). 

Map showing area of the Berry Creek Sage Brush Enhancement Project (shown as blue polygons) as well as their location in context of the Eagle Valley (shown as blue markers)

What you see occurring in these open spaces is the removal of harmful vegetation, primarily pinyon pines, juniper, and cheatgrass. Pinyons and junipers are encroaching on sagebrush ecosystems, outcompeting the sage-dependent vegetation while increasing wildfire risk. 

These trees can also create ecological traps for species like the greater sage-grouse, which nest in the perceived protective cover; however, these regions provide poor habitat quality and ultimately lower survival rates of sage grouse (Coates, et al. 2017). Cheatgrass is degrading these landscapes further by forming dense patches, increasing wildfire risk and suppressing native plants. Without management, these grasses can create widespread monocultures, changing an entire landscape. 

To prevent the degradation of our local sagebrush seas, we are completing manual vegetation removal. Our handcrew works hard to remove weeds and invasive species, and create piles which may be burned, returning additional nitrogen to the soil. Prescribed burns are crucial to ecosystems that have evolved with fire as they aid in recycling nutrients, suppress invasive species, and promote the germination of native vegetation. For the logs not used in pile burns, we will be completing a lop and scatter method. This involves pruning branches and thinner logs, cutting them into smaller pieces, and spreading them evenly throughout the landscape. The lop and scatter method decreases the ladder fuels of a region, reducing the likelihood of larger, more intense fires. It also speeds along the decomposition process as it is easier for smaller woody pieces to decompose rather than full logs. 

Learn More About Sagebrush Ecosystems

Big sagebrush, or Artemisia tridentata for our fellow plant enthusiasts, is a staple of the Colorado rangelands. Seas of pale green can be found in sandy shrublands throughout the state. Just as most other deserts and desert-like ecosystems, there is a lot more than meets the eye in these arid environments. 

Over 350 plant and animal species rely on sagebrush habitat to survive (Putz, 2021), including many of our Colorado-native animal friends. One of these critters is the near-threatened Greater-Sage Grouse, who builds nests underneath sagebrush, using the shrubs like small dens. In the winter time, big horn sheep, mule deer, and elk graze on the brush that pokes through the snow. Sage, grasses, and other shrubby and herbaceous plants offer housing, shade, and food for creatures of all sizes year round. Regions where pinyon-juniper cover is seemingly sparse can create what is known as “ecological traps.” These are areas that wildlife mistake as having more resources, so they spend more time here. Ultimately, this leads to negative impacts on the population’s vital rates (Coates, et al. 2017). The existence of big sagebrush is crucial to the plants and animals that have found their niche in these desert-like environments

Vegetative encroachment is the expansion of native or non-native plants into regions where they should not naturally be growing, or becoming too dense in regions in which they should be sparse. In the case of western Colorado sagebrush, pinyon-juniper encroachment has created altered habitat conditions for native fauna and increased wildfire risk in the wildlife urban interface (WUI). By selectively cutting pinyon and juniper, Specialized Land Management is working to restore a more balanced and resilient landscape. 

These landscapes are also key players in the carbon cycle due to their ability to store large amounts of captured carbon underground. Many plants store carbon in their stems and trunks, making it available after the plant is disturbed or harmed (i.e. cutting, fire, etc.). When this occurs, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere. However, in the case of plants that store carbon in their root systems, such as the big sagebrush, the carbon is typically able to reside in the soil for a longer duration after plant mortality and/or disturbances. 

Read More about Sagebrush Ecosystems

Pinyon and Juniper Encroachment Impacts

Sagebrush and Carbon 

Sagebrush Restoration