Beauty with BENEFITS

摘要

Restoring native sagebrush steppe habitat in and near vineyards and wineries in central Washington could attract more than just beneficial insects to the vineyard. By serving as a home for butterflies, the vineyards and wineries could also attract consumers interested in sustainability, low-input farming, and experiencing nature's beauty up close. Before agriculture came to central Washington and the Columbia Basin, the area was a vast sagebrush steppe landscape, consisting of low, wiry shrubs interspersed with clumps of perennial grasses. What looks like semiarid desert is actually home to about 30 species of butterflies, though most species have declined with the rise of agriculture, said Washington State University's Dr. David James.