How Can We Manage Deciduous Shrubs to Save Our Prairies?
For the past half century, land managers, conservationists, and ecologists have documented the expansion of woody plants into grasslands and worked to identify solutions to this problem. While some of these strategies have had success, most large landscapes continue to transition from grassland to shrubland or woodland. Natural areas managers need additional tools and strategies beyond a ‘resist at all costs’ approach to woody encroachment. This session will provide information illustrating the drivers and consequences of this phenomenon followed by potential approaches to maintain biodiversity, range production, and other key ecological services.