Five Creeks Rangelands Restoration

The BLM led the restoration of sagebrush steppe and riparian plant communities on 75,000 acres of Eastern Oregon rangeland. Treatment focuses on removing western juniper, a desert conifer species that is spreading across the landscape and outcompeting other desert plants. Restoration efforts used a sequential, three-step approach: juniper cutting, controlled burns, and in some cases, aerial reseeding. In 2008 and 2009, workers felled juniper on over 10,000 acres and treated over 21,000 acres with prescribed fire. The first three years cost over $2 million and was funded by the BLM, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and multiple other sources.