Cheatgrass has quietly become one of the biggest threats to western rangelands, crowding out native forage, increasing wildfire risk, and costing ranchers valuable time, grass, and money. But there’s reason for hope.

This week, Haley sits down with Jaycie Arndt of IMAGINE (Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems) to unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly of this fast-spreading invasive. From its origins and aggressive growth habits to practical management strategies and emerging research, Jaycie shares real-world solutions landowners can put to work today.

If you care about protecting sagebrush country and the future of the American West, tune in for Part 1 of our cheatgrass deep dive, with Part 2 coming soon.

Topics

[0:00] Intro with Jaycie Arndt

[1:05] What cheatgrass is and how it got to the West

[6:40] How it spreads: livestock, equipment, disturbance, and fire

[9:05] Can grazing actually help control cheatgrass?

[14:00] Treatment costs + grants and agency funding options

[16:30] The biggest mistake landowners make

[19:00] Cheatgrass, wildfire cycles, and losing sagebrush country

[24:30] Workshops, webinars, and where to find resources

[27:10] Key takeaways + what landowners can do next

Links

IMAGINE

Cheatgrass Handbook

Need professional help finding, buying or selling a legacy ranch, contact us:

Mirr Ranch Group

901 Acoma Street

Denver, CO 80204

Phone: (303) 623-4545

https://www.MirrRanchGroup.com/