Sea of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis) on the Snake River Plain.

Scenes such as this are becoming increasingly rare in the Western United States. Grazing, wildfire, land management practices and exotic weed invasion have all contributed to the decline sagebrush in the west. Sagebrush was thought to be a competitor to prefered livestock forage plants like forbs and grasses, and land management agencies and land owners actively sought to eradicate this shrub through herbicides, physical removal, and wildfire. Today, much more is known about the biology and ecology of sagebrush, and it is increasingly seen as a vital and intergral part of arid ecosystems.