Kevin Gunnell Great Basin Research Center Project Leader Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Resource Goal

Native Plant Research and Activities at the Great Basin Research Center, Ephraim, Utah

• Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat – Recognition of the importance of properly functioning habitat. – Recognition that this goal is best achieved by the use of native plant materials whenever possible. How it Began In Utah

• Broad scale rangeland degradation in early 20th century • Deer die-off in 1948-49 due to poor winter range condition • Recognized need for applied research and the development of restoration tools and techniques to restore wildlife habitat History of Applied Research • Plant Material Development – UDWR facility maintained in Ephraim, UT since 1958 – Numerous trials on native and introduced forb, grass and shrub species for rangeland restoration – Much of the current wildland seed industry in Utah developed around the UDWR and USFS facilities • Restoration Methods and Technology Development – Testing and development of methodologies to enhance ‘success’ of rangeland seedings and restoration • Shrub Consortium – 1983-2010 – Enhanced communication between research and land managers • Peer Reviewed Research – Dissemination of management research Development of Restoration Guidelines

• Restoration Guidebook – Plummer et al (1968)

• Revision and Update – Monsen et al (2004)

UDWR Great Basin Research Center

• Plant Materials Development – Native Seed Increase – Cultural Practice Research • Short and Long Term Research – Restoration Methods and Techniques – Long Term Vegetation Monitoring • Restoration Equipment – Maintenance and Repair – Development of New Technology and Techniques – Transport and Setup • Seed Resources – Bulk Ordering and Long Term Storage – Reduces Costs – Custom Seed Mix Development – Custom Mixing, Bagging UDWR Great Basin Research Center

• Germination and Propagation Facilities – Greenhouse, Drive-in Coolers, Incubators, and Shade House • 2 Farms – Snow Field Station, Ephraim UT • 22 Acres – Fountain Green, UT • 20 Acres • Specialized Equipment – Planting, Maintenance, Harvesting, and Cleaning Native Seed Increase • Native Material Development & Releases – ‘DWR Tetra’ Basin Wildrye • Certified Selected Germplasm of pooled Great Basin seed sources • Released 2010 – ‘Cedar’ Palmer Penstemon • Selected Source from near Cedar City Utah

• Released 1990’s Magnar 2013 Trailhead 2013 UDWR Tetra 2013 – Collaborators: Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) Shrub Science Laboratory, Utah Crop Improvement and UDWR • Native Forb Project – Collection, development, and testing of native forb species – Cultural practices and seed production in agronomic settings – Currently focused only on seed increase due to decreased funding – Collaborators: Great Basin Native Plant Project (GBNPP), RMRS Shrub Science Laboratory and UDWR Native Seed Increase • Harvested 2015 – 11 species with 60 accessions Species # of Accessions Location Achnatherum hymenoides 1* Ft. Green Astragalus filipes 1 Ephraim Crepis acuminata 3 Ft. Green Crepis intermedia 3 Ft. Green Cryptantha sp. 1 Ft. Green Dalea ornata 1 Ephraim Enceliopsis nudicaulis 3 Ft. Green Heliomeris multiflora nevadensis 5 Ft. Green Hesperostipa comata 7 Ft. Green Leymus cinereus 31** Ephraim Penstemon pachyphyllus 4 Ft. Green * Foundation source of ‘White River’ Indian ricegrass (Colorado Plateau source) ** Foundation field of ‘UDWR Tetra’ Great Basin Wildrye selected release. Accessions are pooled when harvested. Native Seed Increase • Harvested 2015 – 11 species with 60 accessions • Seed Sown 2014-2016 – 6 species with 41 accessions

Species # of Accessions Location Astragalus filipes 1 Ephraim

Dalea searlsiae 1 Ephraim

Heliomeris multiflora nevadensis 5 Ft. Green

Ipomopsis aggregata 5 Ft. Green

Linum lewisii 10 Ft. Green

Penstemon pachyphyllus 19 Ft. Green Cultural Practices

• Scarification/Stratification Requirements • Seeding Depth Trials • Nutrient/Water Requirements • Seeding, Maintenance, Harvest and Cleaning Methodologies Cultural Practices Development of Propagation Protocols • Stratification of Showy Goldeneye (Heliomeris multiflora ssp. nevadensis) – Cold/wet stratification at 2.8 C for varying duration – Germinated at 15 C dark – Peak germination by 7 weeks

90 80 70 60 50 40

Germination 30 20 10 0 Control 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week Cold Duration Plant Materials Development Other Research/Work • Current selection and development of muttongrass (Poa fendleriana) – Collaborators: RMRS Shrub Science Laboratory and UDWR • Sagebrush common garden studies – Genecological studies of sagebrush has informed empirical seed transfer zones – Improved understanding of sagebrush distribution and genetics – Collaborators: RMRS Shrub Science Laboratory and UDWR • Forthcoming seed book – Guide for identification, collection, cleaning and storage of wildland species Restoration Methods/Techniques

• Forb Island Assessment Study – Determine the effects of N-sulate® fabric on germination and establishment of native forb species in a wildland setting. – Study established in 2009 and 2010 in 4 locations. – Data collected 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years after treatment. Restoration Methods/Techniques

• N-sulate® Fabric Assessment Study Mix 1 Mix 2

Scientific Name Seeded Rate (g) Scientific Name Seeded Rate (g)

Balsamorhiza sagittata 17 Agoseris grandiflora 4.5

Cleome serrulata 2.8 Agoseris heterophylla 1.9

Hedysarum boreale 21.3 Argemone munita 8.7

Linum perenne Appar 3.12 Heliomeris multiflora nevadensis 1.9

Lupinus argenteus 63.8 Lomatium nudicaule 28.4

Penstemon pachyphyllus 4.3 Nicotiana attenuata 0.4

Poa fendleriana 1.1 Thelypodium milleflorum 0.4

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia 2.3 Restoration Methods/Techniques

7 12 A A Covered Covered 6 Uncovered 10 Uncovered

5 8 2 2 4 6 3 Density/m 1 Year Density/m 4 2

1 2

0 0 BASA3 CLSE HEBO LIPE2 LUAR3 PEPA6 POFE SPGR2 Agoseris spp. ARMU HEMUN LONU2 NIAT THMI5

7 12 B B 6 10

5 8 2 2 4 6 2 Year 3 Density/m Density/m 4 2

1 2

0 0 BASA3 CLSE HEBO LIPE2 LUAR3 PEPA6 POFE SPGR2 Agoseris spp. ARMU HEMUN LONU2 NIAT THMI5

7 12 C C 6 10

5 8 2 2 4 6 5 Year 3 Density/m Density/m 4 2

1 2

0 0 BASA3 CLSE HEBO LIPE2 LUAR3 PEPA6 POFE SPGR2 Agoseris spp. ARMU HEMUN LONU2 NIAT THMI5 Restoration Methods/Techniques

• Forb Seeding Methodology – Evaluate native forb establishment in Wyoming big sagebrush communities using four different pieces of planting equipment: Truax drill, Lawson aerator, Dixie pipe harrow, and Ely chain. – Study established in 2008 and 2009 on 2 locations. – Data collected 1 year, 2 years, and 6 years after treatment. Restoration Methods/Techniques

• Forb Seeding Methodology Species Bulk PLS Seeds/ft2 lbs/ac lbs/ac Sphaeralcea munroana 0.5 0.38 4.32 Linum perenne 1.0 0.90 6.04 Hedysarum boreale 1.0 0.77 0.60 Lupinus argenteus 1.5 0.55 0.27 Penstemon palmeri 0.5 0.39 4.86 Astragalus utahensis 0.6 0.39 2.03 Balsamorhiza sagittata 2.0 1.81 2.28 Penstemon eatonii 0.29 0.23 3.18 Crepis acuminata 0.16 0.10 0.48 Total 7.55 6.02 24.04 Restoration Methods/Techniques

PEPA8 4 PEEA LUAR3 3 Survival (%) LIPE2

2 HEBO CRAC2 1 BASA3 ASUT 0 Drill Drill Drill Chain Chain Chain Control Control Control Harrow Harrow Harrow Aerator Aerator Aerator 1 2 6 Year Post Treatment Restoration Methods/Techniques Other Research • Sagebrush Seeding Rate/Timing Trials – Assess appropriate rates and timing for seeding sagebrush • Multiple-entry Plateau® Trials – Assess efficacy of seeding into Plateau® treatments 1 year post treatment • Tintic Valley Fire Study – Assessing long-term response of restoration methods and seed mixes following wildfire – Began as BYU graduate project in 1999 – Collaboration from multiple partners including UDWR, RMRS Shrub Science Laboratory, and BLM – Revisited in 2015 by UDWR and Rocky Mountain Research Station

BLM Native Low

ARS Native High Control Long-term Vegetation Monitoring

• http://wildlife.utah.gov/range-trend.html Long-Term Vegetation Monitoring

Current Research • Community and species response to restoration treatments and disturbance • Efficacy of restoration methods and species across habitat types and ecological potentials • Succession of vegetation communities with and without disturbance • Collaborators: ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Brigham Young University

MCCOOK RIDGE CHAINING

1982 1988 2000 2005 2015 Invitation for Collaboration and Research

• Emphasis on applied research and management techniques • Focus on native species with high wildlife value. Kevin Gunnell GBRC Project Leader [email protected] 435-283-4441 Ext. 205 Questions

Kevin Gunnell GBRC Project Leader [email protected] 435-283-4441 Ext. 205