The San Joaquin Valley, which the NAS inhabits, has been reduced to 41% of its natural area due to urbanization, agricultural practices, and industries (Germano et al. 2011). Nonnative species of plants have been brought to the San Joaquin Valley with the spread of urbanization and agriculture in the area for aesthetic and livestock purposes (Germano et al. 2001). These invasive species have replaced the shrubland with grassland, eliminating the NAS' prime habitat (Germano et al. 2001). Prescribed burning has been suggested and tried in the valley to help terminate invasive grasses; this has shown to provide sufficient habitat for NSA (Germano et al. 2001). Unfortunately, prescribed burning has proved to destroy the Desert Salt Bush without any recovery of the bush itself, one of the preferred plants of the NAS (Germano et al. 2001). With the NAS habitat severely fragmented and altered, restoration and a full recovery of the species is essentially impossible (Germano et al. 2001, Koprowski
The San Joaquin Valley, which the NAS inhabits, has been reduced to 41% of its natural area due to urbanization, agricultural practices, and industries (Germano et al. 2011). Nonnative species of plants have been brought to the San Joaquin Valley with the spread of urbanization and agriculture in the area for aesthetic and livestock purposes (Germano et al. 2001). These invasive species have replaced the shrubland with grassland, eliminating the NAS' prime habitat (Germano et al. 2001). Prescribed burning has been suggested and tried in the valley to help terminate invasive grasses; this has shown to provide sufficient habitat for NSA (Germano et al. 2001). Unfortunately, prescribed burning has proved to destroy the Desert Salt Bush without any recovery of the bush itself, one of the preferred plants of the NAS (Germano et al. 2001). With the NAS habitat severely fragmented and altered, restoration and a full recovery of the species is essentially impossible (Germano et al. 2001, Koprowski