Dozens gathered together today on top of the snowy south hills to help plant bitterbrush on the mule deer winter range.
Volunteers learned how to properly plant the bitterbrush with the instruction from Idaho fish and game and the CSI horticulture club.
Ed Papenberg says, "We may only put 4,000 seedlings today, but if we do this year after year in several sites throughout the region, we're going to have a significant effect on mule deer winter range."
Five years ago the horticulture club at CSI met with fish and game to become involved in the bitterbrush project.
Dave Kiesig, a horticulture professor said that before their participation - the plant had a 90% mortality rate - now they're seeing a higher survival rate.
Dave Kiesig says, "We started potting them up and fish and game helps buy materials and helps us with the plan, CSI donates greenhouse space in the wintertime and this is the difference in the size plant that we produce."
With the wildfires that ravaged through much of this habitat last year - it made it difficult for bitterbrush to survive.
But with the help of the volunteers - officials say it won't be long before we see the plant fully growing again.
Kiesig says, "It is an investment of citizens from the state of Idaho in their natural resource. And to us that has a real long-lasting impact. People come out here and they plant bitterbrush plant and they cane come back here in 10-20 years and look at the things that are growing and say 'hey, I had an effect on that'."
Pending on the weather - Papenberg says the next available planting session will be in the Timmerman Hill area on April 19th.
For more information you can call the magic valley fish and game at 324-4359.