Cost of Controlling Maturing Western Juniper Trees

Herbaceous Succession after Burning of Cut Western Juniper Trees

—The expansion of western juniper ( Juniperus occidentalis spp. occidentalis Hook.) in the northern Great Basin has resulted in the wide-scale conversion of sagebrush-steppe communities to juniper woodlands. Prescribed fire and mechanical cutting are the 2 main methods used to remove juniper and restore sagebrush steppe. Mechanical treatments commonly leave cut juniper on site. Disadvantages of...

Western Juniper Harvest Systems Trial

Vegetation response to western juniper slash treatments.

The expansion of piñon-juniper woodlands the past 100 years in the western United States has resulted in large scale efforts to kill trees and recover sagebrush steppe rangelands. It is important to evaluate vegetation recovery following woodland control to develop best management practices. In this study, we compared two fuel reduction treatments and a cut-and-leave (CUT) treatment used to con...

Western Juniper-Induced Abortions in Beef Cattle

It has been known for many years that ponderosa pine needles can induce late-term abortions in cattle. Labdane acids including isocupressic acid (ICA) and agathic acid are responsible for initiating abortions. Recent research demonstrated that a number of trees including many species of pine, juniper, and cedar contain either isocupressic acid or agathic acid at concentrations sufficient to be ...

Production, Cost, and Soil Compaction Estimates for Two Western Juniper Extraction Systems

Harvesting trials were performed during the winter and spring of 2003–2004 in central Oregon to compare the costs, production rates, and soil compaction impacts of two systems for harvesting western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis). The two systems compared were a conventional system consisting of manual felling, delimbing, and bucking using a chainsaw and skidding logs with a rubber-tired grap...