Habitat Restoration Efforts Restore Bitterbrush at Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area

This week if you are driving to Reno you may see the California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff  conducting habitat restoration work at the Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area in Sierra and Lassen counties, continuing a multiyear project to revegetate the wildlife area from the effects of the 2020 Loyaltan Fire to benefit mule deer, antelope and other wildlife species. Thousands of acres of bitterbrush- and sagebrush-dominated communities at the wildlife area were lost in the fire leaving opportunities for invasive plants such as cheatgrass to take their place. Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentada) is a critical plant species of the Intermountain West. It promotes biodiversity by providing high-protein forage for browsing animals and shelter for insects and small mammals. This particular project is exploring cost-effective methods to rapidly restore bitterbrush across the landscape.