Revegetation Guidelines for Western Montana - Global Restoration ...

offset the disadvantage of low seed viability. Custom collections are commercially available
for large projects when site-specific seed is desired or when preferred species are not
available in the marketplace. Seeds can be collected for immediate use or increased through
cultivation, or “grown-out”, to meet future needs.
Species that perform well within high soil moisture or riparian / wetland sites, such as stream
bottoms or wet meadows that are subirrigated for at least a portion of each growing season,
include numerous native species. Beardless wildrye (Leymus triticoides) is a native adapted
to a wide variety of soils as long as the soils are subirrigated, wet, or occur in precipitation
zones greater than 18 inches. Others include the following selected natives: slender
wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, tufted hairgrass, and reed canarygrass. Orchardgrass
(Dactylis glomerata), meadow brome, and tall fescue are non-natives frequently
recommended for irrigated pastures in Montana. Smooth brome is another non-native that
is less frequently recommended for irrigated pastures. Other non-native grasses that perform
well in irrigated pastures are provided in Table 3.
Native sedges, spikerushes, rushes, bulrushes, and cattails are grass-like species used
extensively in riparian and wetland revegetation projects because of aggressive root systems
and wildlife habitat value. Numerous native grasses, forbs, and shrubs are available for
wetland / riparian revegetation projects and are designated in Tables 2 and 4. Planting
greenhouse-grown plugs has shown higher establishment over seeding or collections of
wildlings – plugs collected from wild populations (Hoag and Sellers 1995). Plugs should be
planted during summer when heat, light, and water are greatest. Broadcast seeding of
wetland / riparian areas are used primarily as a method to increase overall species diversity.
Following seed broadcast, avoid covering seeds with soil, as light and heat is needed for
proper germination.
Many plants having a large range vary considerably in height, growth habits, leafy
characteristics, and reproductive habits. Plants of the same species with these variations are
grouped into local ecological units associated with habitat differences. These local ecological
plant groups are known as ecotypes; plants in the early stages of varietal development, but
lacking the refinement in plant characters that come with breeding to fix the desired
characters. In a practical sense, ecotypes are considered best adapted to conditions within
200 miles from the center of origin or point of collection.
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