Assessing the Impacts of Rangeland Restoration on Carbon Sequestration and Co-Benefits for Drought Resilience in the Sagebrush Steppe and Mixed Grass Prairie Active

Invasions of exotic annual grasses (EAGs like cheatgrass have caused major losses of native shrubs and grasses  in western U.S. rangelands. They also decrease the productivity and carbon storage in these ecosystems, which is expected to create dryer soils that may cause further losses in plant productivity. This cycle is the hallmark of desertification – or, fertile lands turning into deserts.



Management actions that target EAGs are one of the most widespread land management actions taken in Western U.S. rangelands, but it is unclear which specific actions can simultaneously enhance drought resilience of native plant communities and increase carbon sequestration and storage. This project aims to identify the restoration treatments that are effective in combating EAGs in western rangelands by collecting data to describe the impacts of EAGs on soil carbon and to determine when, where, and how restoration actions such as applying herbicides or planting perennial native plants affect soil carbon and drought resilience.



To address a key concern of land managers, the public, and national policy-makers, project researchers will work with a team of land managers across Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado to 1) refine and confirm the suitability of sampling locations, 2) connect with private landowners and land managers to access sampling locations, 3) engage managers in the science discovery process (e.g., interpreting data results) to share ownership of the findings, and 4) co-produce translational guidance for carbon sequestration metrics and for what changes to expect  in carbon sequestration and its co-benefits following restoration to prevent or rectify EAG invasions.