The Sagebrush in Prisons Crew at Idaho State Correctional Center is proud of the work that has gone into keeping 55,000 seedlings healthy.

From cleaning cones, mixing soil, sowing seeds, and thinning plants, it has been a big job that requires constant care and communication between residents, staff, and the Institute for Applied Ecology.

The crew expanded their knowledge of sagebrush habitats to include propagation methods for other native species such as bluebunch wheatgrass, globemallow, and blanketflower. They painted labels for these plants so other residents could learn to identify them.

Crew members also learned about pollinators and the role they play in the ecosystem. We used nets to collect and identify a surprisingly diverse group of pollinators visiting the flowers in the courtyard.