JEROME - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is looking for volunteers to assist in planting sagebrush and bitterbrush seedlings this spring.
These native shrub communities provide food and shelter to a variety of wildlife including mule deer, elk, sage grouse and other upland birds, as well as song birds and small mammals.
Unfortunately, many native shrub communities have been degraded as fires have increased in size and frequency. These plantings are an effort to restore habitat that has been impacted by wildfires over the past several years. In particular, we are currently working to restore areas that were burned in the Minidoka Complex Fire and numerous fires in the Jarbidge area. Over the past eight years, volunteers have planted 270,000 seedlings during restoration efforts in the Magic Valley region.
Planting dates and locations are below:
March 18th – South of Murtaugh along the South Hills
March 25th – West of Castleford near Castleford Butte
April 1st - Mud Flat along the Three Creek highway west of Rogerson
Planting tools and materials will be provided at the site.
For more information regarding the planting projects or to get signed up as a volunteer, please contact Brad Lowe or TanaRae Alberti at 208-324-4359 or brad.lowe@idfg.idaho.gov or tanarae.alberti@idfg.idaho.gov