Grasses like cheatgrass, medusahead, and ventenata outcompete native plants, offer little nutrition for deer, and create flammable conditions that harm the ecosystem. At the same time, trees such as pinyon pine, juniper, and eastern red cedar are moving into open grasslands and sagebrush. They shade out the shrubs, forbs, and grasses deer need, soak up more water, and break up habitat, making it harder for deer to move across the landscape. If these trends continue, large areas of traditional deer habitat could turn into ecosystems that can’t support healthy populations within just a few decades.
The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has developed a comprehensive, science-based approach to tackle this urgent challenge. By focusing on large landscapes of 12,000+ acres, MDF works across public and private lands to protect winter ranges, migration corridors, and areas where native plants can bounce back. With careful planning, partnerships, and commitment, invasive vegetation can be controlled—and mule deer habitat can thrive for generations to come.
