By Riley Lysinger, September 2024
In Lakeview, Oregon’s tallest town, the sagebrush sea is fighting against wildfires, invasive plants, and urban growth; with it fauna that depend on the sagebrush sea for life are also dwindling. However, adults in custody make an effort to grow native plants to restore ecological diversity and take opportunities to learn about this growing issue facing the sagebrush sea. Warner Creek Correctional Facility’s Sagebrush in Prisons Program is a yearly highlight for the facility, especially for the adults in custody (AIC). One adult stated “growing native plants and learning about ecology in the process has changed my outlook on the meaning of the word, native. To me it means to preserve the land so future generations can see the historical and cultural beauty and significance of the landscape.”
The program brings a sense of pride to the Sagebrush work crew, as they nurture and grow sagebrush plugs from seed, all the while understanding the difference they are making to fauna and flora species within the sagebrush sea. Warner Creek Correctional Facility (WCCF) is a minimum security, adult male institution seated at the foot of the Warner Mountains. The proximity to the mountain range gives the crew an added bonus; the views of Warner mountain and the plethora of wild animals within the range.
My name is Riley Lysinger, I work alongside Kenda Fuhriman, a seasoned sagebrush cultivator, and six diligent adults in custody; each with their own skills to get their job done, thoroughly. We work Sunday-Thursday mornings outside of the secure perimeter in a field with a shaded hoop house and an orchard. This year the Sagebrush crew has hit a milestone; the contract for 70,000 Wyoming Big sagebrush exceeds previous amounts of plugs requested, marking 2024 as the year of WCCF’s largest contract to date. We are growing 70,000 plugs for the Winnemucca BLM. At this point in time we have 79,086 plugs ranging from .5” to 3.5” in height.
Another milestone for the Sagebrush program at WCCF occurred earlier this summer through our partnership with Oregon Hunters Association. On the morning of June 26th the Sagebrush crew as well as the Medford and Lakeview chapters of Oregon Hunters Association met at Clover Flat to gain field experience and remove cages from plugs planted in previous years on a Pinyon-Juniper forest firescar.
Education is one of the keystones to the Sagebrush in Prisons Program. With each new day there are problems that need innovative solutions to move forward. From learning how to raise native plants and come up with quick solutions, to understanding how the sagebrush sea is an interconnected system teeming with life, education is crucial to our program. One AIC commented “it is engrossing learning something new that I can actually have an opportunity to move forward with in life.” Topics of lessons and conversation range widely once we have our basis of sagebrush ecology laid out. Topics include; pollinators, sustainability, growing food crops, apple trees, water management, and Pacific Northwest endangered species.
