The University of Wyoming’s Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE) released two short films on May 5 highlighting cheatgrass management efforts in Carbon and Sublette counties.
These films are part of a seven-part series that focuses on collaborative work to address the spread of invasive annual grasses such as cheatgrass, medusahead, and ventenata. The issue is significant because these grasses are a major cause of land degradation in the sagebrush biome. They suppress native plants, increase wildfire risk, and reduce forage for livestock and wildlife.
IMAGINE collaborates with local, state, and regional partners to prevent and manage the spread of these plants through research, outreach education, and developing resources for land managers. The new film series shares both successes and challenges from various regional contributors including university researchers, county weed districts, private landowners, government agencies, and conservation groups.
The first film in the series introduces viewers to the urgent challenges posed by invasive annual grass infestation while presenting possible solutions. The second film features Reese Irvine, Carbon County Weed and Pest District supervisor; Katie Cheesbrough from the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation; and Chris Otto from the Bureau of Land Management. “We are losing more acres of sagebrush to cheatgrass every year than to any other cause,” Irvine says. “Wyoming is in a unique spot where we have everything to gain and also everything to lose if we do nothing.” Julie Kraft from Sublette County Weed and Pest also appears in a subsequent film about long-term collaborative approaches: “You’ve got to start someplace,” Kraft notes in the film. “The results we’ve seen and the difference we’ve made on the habitat have been very rewarding.”
Funding partners for these projects include several federal agencies as well as foundations like Watt Foundation. Additional collaborators are listed among county districts and wildlife organizations.
Films featuring similar efforts in Nevada, Colorado, and Idaho will be released later this year. More information about IMAGINE’s work can be found at www.invasivegrasses.com.