Possible Hope in Western Battle Against Cheatgrass

BOISE, Idaho (AP) – A century-long losing battle against an invasive weed responsible for fueling massive western wildfires and threatening native species and rangeland could be about to turn around.

Cheatgrass has become the most common plant in the Intermountain West and the dominant plant in an area about the size of Montana.

But federal scientists say recent discoveries with fungus and bacteria offer hope that its steady advance can be halted.

On another front, public lands managers are working to protect rangelands by finding ways to prevent the gigantic wildfires cheatgrass uses to dominate entire basins.

Some of the impetus for all the work is the possibility of an Endangered Species Act listing for the greater sage grouse.

But that’s just one of the many native species being pushed aside by cheatgrass.