Restoring scorched landscapes with native, fire-resistant plants

In recent years catastrophic fires in the West are burning hotter than ever, leaving paths of destruction through both human developments and native plant ecosystems. It would make sense that these massive environmental problems require even bigger solutions, but researchers at BYU found that something tiny can make a major difference in protecting ecosystems and restoring scorched environments: seeds.

New seed coating technology, developed by BYU’s Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, helps restore native plants after devastating wildfires. Using seed enhancement technology never before used in rangeland restoration, BYU assistant professor Matt Madsen and his students are leading an effort to reseed with native plants the fire-scorched landscapes across the Great Basin. This technology includes seed coatings traditionally used in commercial farming (for food products) and other treatments that are specifically formulated for rangeland seeds. Reestablishing native plants is key to preventing devastating wildfires, which are often fueled by invasive species that dry out earlier in the season, spread fire more quickly, and lead to megafires.

Charred landscapes, which become barren of natural plant growth after wildfires, are a vacuum for the growth of invasive species like cheatgrass which, unlike more fire-resistant native plants, fuel fires and help them spread faster and burn hotter. If left unchecked, the process becomes a dangerous cycle of flames. “If we don’t get native plants back on the landscapes, we’re going to have more and more fires and those fires are going to be increasingly destructive,” says Madsen.

Madsen and his team have developed eight different seed coatings they are now applying to the seeds of several other native plant species. Their work on one species, bluebunch wheatgrass, has yielded a 60% increase in plant emergence. On close inspection of the emerging and thriving plants, the seeds with the seed-enhancement coatings are the ones doing better and surviving.

“If we can get [native seeds] to grow through the first year, they’ll be there on the landscape for years to come,” Madsen says. Solutions as simple and small as seeds are making a big difference in restoring these scorched landscapes, and students are learning the value and importance of caring for the world around them. Small efforts lead to big changes and, in this case, small seeds help lead to a better planet.