Images

A FIREss team scientist analyzing field data at the Snake River Field Station in Boise, Idaho.

Scientists in the field monitoring the effects of experimental herbicide treatments for controlling exotic annual grasses in the Boise River Wildlife Management Area.

A sagebrush plant photographed at a park in Boise, Idaho. Sagebrush landscapes cover a vast part of the western U.S. but are threatened by invasive grasses and a cycle of more frequent and more intense wildfires.

A map of an area of the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge that was burned by wildfire. Researchers conducted experiments testing the longevity of herbicides for controlling exotic annual grasses. The fire perimeter is displayed with a red outline. Stripes of tan were sprayed with indaziflam. Stripes of purple were treated with indaziflam and imazapic.

A sagebrush seedling that was grown in a nursery and then planted at the Idaho/Oregon Soda wildfire treatment area

A field of sagebrush in northern Nevada, photographed at sunset after a day of field work.

A field technician photographing a vegetation monitoring plot at the site of the Martin Fire in northern Nevada.

USGS scientist Nick Esser using radio telemetry to track northwestern pond turtles at Fall Creek Reservoir in Oregon. USGS researchers partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study movement of turtles in response to fluctuating water levels.

An experimental plot that was drill seeded with native grasses after the Martin Fire in northern Nevada. Drill seeding is a method in which a drill buries seeds into the soil at a targeted depth that is ideal for that plant species. A tractor typically pulls the drill along to bury the seeds in rows.

This site was burned but not invaded by exotic annual grasses. Many perennial bunchgrasses were present before the fire and were able to recover quickly afterwards.

Cheatgrass has invaded the space between sagebrush shrubs on this landscape south of Rock Springs in Wyoming. 

This site south of Rock Springs in Wyoming was not burned but cheatgrass has invaded the space between sagebrush shrubs. 

This landscape south of Rock Springs, Wyoming was burned and subsequently invaded by cheatgrass. Cheatgrass has a short growing season and leaves behind mats of dry, dead material that serves as wildfire fuel--contributing to a cycle of more frequent and larger wildfires and more plant invasions.

A field technician measuring plant cover at a monitoring plot at the site of the Martin Fire in northern Nevada. The plot is marked with a pin flag.

This landscape in Rabbit Valley in Colorado was burned and then invaded by the exotic annual grass cheatgrass. A formerly diverse plant community was replaced by a sea of highly flammable grass. 

A plot that was aerially seeded with native plants after the Martin Fire in northern Nevada. Aerial seeding is a method in which a helicopter or plane drops seeds across large regions.

A Project ROAM (Rapid and Other Methods for Assessment and Monitoring) crew collecting vegetation data at a complex plot with over 40 unique species. 

A Swainson's hawk taking flight from a power pole in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in southern Idaho.

A Swainson's hawk perched on top of a utility pole in southwest Idaho on a bright, sunny day.

A Swainson's hawk perched on a power pole in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in southern Idaho.

A golden eagle perched on a power pole in southern Wyoming. In some parts of the Great Basin, power poles are the tallest structures available for perching and nesting.