INSPIRE A KID How does cheatgrass cheat? Did you know some plants can grow through the winter? Cheatgrass is one. It sprouts in late summer or fall when most plants are making seeds and going dormant. Dormant means plants stop growing - kind of like hibernation in animals. Cheatgrass keeps growing its roots through winter and produces leaves as soon as snow melts. This allows it to take water and nutrients from the soil while most plants are still dormant. Cheatgrass is able to grow quickly and make seeds when most plants are just starting to sprout. This unique way of growing is part of the reason why cheatgrass is a problem in Wyoming. Cheatgrass is not a native plant, and lives up to its name. It cheats by making seeds before other plants can, and takes away resources native plants need to survive. Cheatgrass also has sharp seeds that keep most animals from eating it. This means a little cheatgrass can quickly take over an area in a few years. Too much cheatgrass can hurt Wyoming's wildlife habitat. Keeping cheatgrass out of important habitats helps protect the wildlife that makes Wyoming so great. You can help the Wyoming Game and Fish Department control this cheater: * Learn what cheatgrass looks like so you can identify it. * If you hike, bike or drive in an area that has cheatgrass, clean off any mud or seeds on your clothes, shoes or tires before you leave. This will make sure you do not accidentally take any seeds with you to a new area. (Photo by Patrick Owen/WGFD) HOLIDAY GIFT SELECTIONS Running out of holiday gift ideas? The Wyoming Game and Fish Store has a wide variety of wildlife-themed merchandise for all the outdoor enthusiasts on your gift list. Visit our online store to see all that we have to offer WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPT. ONLINE STORE 12 | December 2022 SHOP ONLINE at wgfd.wyo.gov/store or call 1-800 LIV-WILDhttps://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/Inspire-a-Kid http://wgfd.wyo.gov/store