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Recent studies in northern Nevada have underscored the difficulties of establishing Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata�ssp.�wyomingensis) in shrub-depleted areas. One study evaluated the survival of sagebrush transplants at each of three sites: 1) cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)-dominated, 2) native grass-dominated, and (3) crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum)-dominated. Sagebrush density at one and two years post-planting was generally highest (up to 3-fold) on the native site. Glyphosate application for herbaceous reduction increased surviving sagebrush density up to 300% (depending on site). Significantly greater volume of surviving sagebrush plants in plots treated with glyphosate suggested substantially increased production of sagebrush transplants with reduced herbaceous competition. During another study, over a 5-year period we evaluated chemical and mechanical methods for reducing crested wheatgrass and the effectiveness of seeding native species into these sites. Discing treatments were ineffective in reducing crested wheatgrass. Glyphosate treatments initially reduced crested wheatgrass cover, but weeds increased in many treated plots and seeded species diminished over time as crested wheatgrass recovered. Although sagebrush establishment from seed was very weak (<0.1 shrub/m2) and there were no significant differences among treatments by the end of the study, the few sagebrush that survived in areas where crested wheatgrass had been initially reduced may be ecologically important nevertheless. Herbaceous species are highly competitive with sagebrush during the first season of establishment, but after sagebrush has established it has high persistence in crested wheatgrass communities due to niche differentiation between these species. The addition of sagebrush into shrub-depleted former big sagebrush communities leads to greater diversity of habitat structure important to a variety of wildlife species. Although sagebrush establishment from transplants can be implemented successfully with reduction of herbaceous competition, the practical and economic limitations of this technique are obvious. Therefore, the need for improving sagebrush survival from seed remains paramount.