Issues and Concerns

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With the growth of environmental concerns, human impacts are beginning to be recognized and dealt with accordingly. Issues such as wetland health and maintaining populations of culturally important plants, as well as reducing impacts to vulnerable ecosystems, are being addressed in order to preserve important native plant populations.

Wetlands - Wetlands are extremely important and diverse ecosystems. Nearly two million acres of wetland habitat occur in Wyoming, 14,816 acres of which are located on public lands administered by BLM. Additionally, 4,497 miles of streams and associated riparian habitat on the public lands provide water, food and/or shelter for 90% of wildlife species at some point during the year. Game and non-game migratory bird species rely on wetlands for summering and breeding grounds. Wetlands prevent soil loss and filter impurities, as well as replenish ground water. In times of high precipitation or snowmelt, floodplains increase infiltration of water, decreasing erosion. Two of Wyoming's threatened species, Ute Ladies'-Tresses and Colorado Butterfly plant, grow in riparian areas. A total of 43% of all federally listed species rely on wetlands for survival.

Cultural - Prior to the arrival of western culture, at least six tribes/cultures existed in what is now Wyoming: Ute, Shoshone, Crow, Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, Arikara Mandan and Hidatsa. Native plants were integral to every aspect of their life, including food, shelter, clothing and medicines. The following web sites provide information on Native American use of plants and general information on native and early pioneer cultures.

• Cultural Use
• Native American Ethnobotany
• Cultural Heritage
• National Historic Trails Interpretive Center

Plant Collecting - Most plant collecting has minimal impacts (e.g. seed collection for viability studies), but sometimes significant damage can occur, especially to T&E species which are much more sensitive to physical disturbance and population changes. Commercial collectors can impact plant populations through both legal and illegal gathering of plants and plant products such as endangered cacti or wild Echinacea and other medicinal herbs. Collecting for herbarium specimens and wildflower seeds for personal gardens generally have little impact on plant populations if done responsibly and in accordance with terms of the collecting permit, if required. For information on collecting plants and plant products on the public lands, please contact a BLM field office.

ORV Use - Off road vehicle use can affect plant populations, especially species with limited distribution, which can easily be destroyed by ORV use. Taking simple precautions such as avoiding areas with sensitive species when they are in flower or fruit or when the ground is wet, can help prevent avoid destruction of these plants. For more information about responsible ORV use, please visit the Tread Lightly! web site.

Livestock Grazing - Rangelands are an important resource to Wyoming livestock producers. More than 3000 livestock operators in Wyoming depend on the public lands for grazing, and the health of the public rangelands are vital to their long-term sustainability.

Healthy native plant communities are necessary to retain the integrity of the public rangelands and the sustainability of livestock grazing. Proper management and grazing practices promote species diversity which helps reduce or prevent the establishment of invasive plants, increases soil stability and reduces erosion, enhances ground water recharge, and reduces pollution of both ground and surface water. Overgrazing, however can result in a shift in species composition away from palatable forage plants, increase non-palatable and/or low quality forage plants, increase erosion and pollute ground and surface waters, and may, over time, render the rangeland unsuitable for livestock grazing.

• Standards for Healthy Rangelands & Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management for the Public Lands Administered by the BLM in the State of Wyoming

Poisonous Plants - Poisonous plants can be relatively common on some range sites and can have an adverse impact on wild and domestic animals as well as humans. A few more commonly recognized genera are Larkspur (Delphinium), Deathcamas (Zigadenus), and Locoweed (Oxytropis). Additionally, some plant species are selectively toxic to different wildlife and livestock species. Sheep and mule deer are resistant to ragwort (Senecio), while cattle and horses are susceptible. Sheep are relatively resistant to larkspur (Delphinium) while cattle are highly susceptible. Sheep and cattle are more resistant to locoweed (Oxytropis) than horses. In addition, cattle are seldom lost to halogeton (Halogeton) or sneeze-weed (Helenium) while these plants are problems for sheep. By selecting species of livestock to graze specific areas, poisonous plant problems can be minimized.

• Wyoming poisonous plant list (pdf)