An aspen enhancement project was recently completed by Wyoming Game and Fish in the vicinity of Tongue River Canyon, just below Steamboat Point. As part of the project, 222 acres of conifer tree removal was implemented in existing aspen stands on State of Wyoming Trust and United States Forest Service land.

The Tongue River Canyon area has extensive aspen stands, which provide high quality habitat for a variety of wildlife species. But some of the aspen stands, especially those at the head of the canyon, are threatened by encroaching conifers from nearby forested areas. In addition, over-browsing by livestock and wildlife is reducing the number of aspen saplings reaching maturity. This project was an effort to decrease conifer encroachment in aspen stands in the Pasture and Turkey Springs Creek drainages.

Leftover slash from cut conifers was spread near aspen stands in a technique called jackstrawing, which creates obstacles for livestock and wildlife attempting to forage on saplings in the aspen stand. The work was completed by contractors hired by the WGFD.

This project was made possible by grants from the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, the Wyoming Game and Fish Habitat Trust, the Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Wyoming Sportsmen Group.