Should we clear junipers from our land in the Texas Hill Country?

By Grant Woods,

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← Grant's AnswersHabitat Management
Question
I know you favor eradicating cedars because they suck up so much water and keep the native grasses from growing. My father-in-law has several hundred ashe junipers on a 10-acre rocky hill in the Hill Country of Texas that isn’t likely to sprout much grass for livestock or deer. Should we still get rid of them or leave them to prevent erosion of the rocky hill. Only a few liveoaks on the hill but several on the rest of the property, where the cedars have been cut.

Kenneth,

I really like the Texas Hill Country. I’ve worked a lot in Real County!

The article at this link does a great job of explaining several aspects of managing junipers in the Hill Country.

The War on Cedar

Clearly it’s not a one size fits all answer.

Enjoy creation,

grant

February 15, 2016