NW High Desert
The Northwest High Desert comprises one of the largest remaining blocks of high quality sagebrush steppe in the western United States. Typically overshadowed by less arid landscapes, the High Desert has most famously been home to the grazing boom of the late 19th century. Along with its rich history, the High Desert has its share of unique values, both biological and aesthetic.
Historical Context
The Northwest High Desert comprises one of the largest remaining blocks of high quality sagebrush steppe. Typically overshadowed by less arid landscapes, the High Desert has most famously been home to the grazing boom of the late 19th Century.
Sagebrush Systems
Viable sagebrush ecosystems consist of a diverse plant and animal community. With increasingly degraded and fragmented landscapes, interrupted disturbance regimes, and pressure from invasive species, the persistence of these ecosystems and their diverse plant and animal associations is uncertain.
Sagebrush Steppe Wildlife Species
The sagebrush steppe provides unique habitat that is used by 90 bird species and more than 85 mammals for forage, shelter, nesting and breeding sites. Many wildlife species are dependent on this habitat and cannot survive without sagebrush and its associated forbs and grasses.
The Landscape Toolbox
The Idaho Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is working with both public and private land management partners to develop a set of analytical and monitoring tools, the Landscape Toolbox.
Rangeland Methods Guide
The goal of the Methods Guide is to give researchers and managers the information necessary to make informed decisions about which method or combination of methods could be most useful and cost effective for their specific rangeland management needs.
Other Online Resources
Some suggested sites for learning more about the sagebrush steppe.
