A multimillion-dollar plant to process oil and fuel, more controlled burns and even using goats are some of the ideas proposed to help reduce the number of Eastern red cedar trees in Oklahoma. The hardy, invasive trees threaten the state’s landscape by choking off land for crops and pastures and by fueling wildfires.
Wildfires that spread across at least four counties last month increased in intensity when they came across Eastern red cedar trees. Fires seemed to explode as flames engulfed the trees.
The wildfires, which destroyed 680 homes and businesses and burned more than 114,000 acres, were a reminder how much of a danger the trees pose and how fast they are overtaking the land. The Eastern red cedar takes over nearly 300,000 acres of Oklahoma land each year. It’s estimated the state is losing about 700 acres per day to the trees.
Gary Bledsoe, chairman of the Eastern Red Cedar Registry Board that was formed two years ago to encourage markets for the cedars, as well as methods to eradicate the trees, said only 10% of the cedar trees in the state is marketable in a lumber form.
“That other 90% mostly is just a brushy species that is encroaching on pastureland and roadsides and in timber,” he said. “It’s not really marketable as timber. They just look like brush.”
From News Oklahoma: https://newsok.com/oklahoma-looks-at-ways-to-curb-spread-of-red-cedar-trees/article/3706673