Base will begin spraying to control cheatgrass on range

Hoping to conserve sagebrush and restore natural vegetation to the Saylor Creek Training Range, the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron will be conducting an aerial application of PlateauŽ herbicide to reduce cheatgrass, which provides fine fuels for wildland fires.

Beginning this Tuesday, and lasting though the Sept. 24, approximately 3,200 acres of Air Force land in Owyhee County will be sprayed with the herbicide Plateau. The herbicide is effective in reducing the growth of cheatgrass -- an invasive grass that chokes out native vegetation and has contributed to catastrophic range fires. The herbicide works by preventing germination of cheatgrass the spring after application.

See the Mountain Home News for the complete story.