Management

To help wildlife, refuge staff uses a variety of habitat management techniques to maintain, recover or enhance wildlife values in the shrub-steppe as well as in other habitats. Refuge staff carefully considers any management techniques and employ them in varying degrees according to the situation. Prescribed burning, mowing, experimental bio-control insect releases, and seeding are all techniques used to help native plants in the shrub-steppe recover. Willow and cottonwood saplings are planted to expand and strengthen wildlife values in the riparian zones. Sometimes, sensitive areas are closed to the public so that the land can recover more quickly.