Hawksie-Walksie RNA

Hawksie-Walksie Research Natural Area (RNA) was established to represent big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate) grasslands with a mix of grass species at upland elevations. This RNA is divided into two separate parcels of land (originally called Hawk Mt I and Hawk Mt II) which lie on the upper slopes between Acty Mountain and Hawk Mountain. Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis)/Idaho fescue, Wyoming big sagebrush/Idaho fescue-bluebunch wheatgrass, low sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula)/Idaho fescue, and Wyoming big sagebrush/Thurber needlegrass, and mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) are common plant communities throughout the RNA. Grass species include Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), Thurber needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), and Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides). Green rabbitbrush (Ericameria humilis) and Hood's phlox (Phlox hoodii) are common at the dry washes in the center of the site .Thick-stemmed wild cabbage (Caulanthus crassicaulis) is a sensitive plant species of the RNA.