RECONSIDERING CEDAR The Threat to Nebraska's Sandhills
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- čas přidán 7. 03. 2023
- Conservationists and ranchers throughout the Northern Great Plains are working to restore, enhance, and protect grasslands through management of invasive species.
The story of how a beloved tree, the Eastern Red Cedar, brought to Nebraska's Sandhills by homesteaders 100 years ago, is now threatening to overrun the grasslands.
This video does look at it from the ranchers perspective. But they're the ones that are dealing with the cedar trees on their property. The larger picture is at the Sandhills is a very unique ecosystem in the world. Basically the Sahara desert with 2 in of soil on top. Quite beautiful in the spring when the flowers bloom. Here's a little more info:
The Sandhills, often written Sand Hills, is a region of mixed-grass prairie on grass-stabilized sand dunes in north-central Nebraska, covering just over one quarter of the state. The dunes were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Thank you for showing that private landholders are engaged in doing the right thing. With the extent of private land holdings in the U.S., they are a critical piece of restoration and conservation. Organizations such as PERC (Property & Environment Research Center) in Montana exist to find ways to assist landowners in achieving environmental goals.
As a Rancher that's been fighting cedars for over 35 years, this is a great video and most of the rest of the comments section is wrong.
Besides affect on moisture available for forage production has work been done to quantify affect on water table recharge and stream flow caused by encroachment?
Anyone looking at sterilizing trees used for windbreaks?
I've worked on clearing Melaleuca in Florida... it's relentless.
God bless the Sandhills!
Jason from the Mendota Ranch has developed a product called the Brush Bullet to deal with unwanted trees.
A dry cedar juniper might as well be soaked in gasoline and is extremely flamable.
Is that cedar a native tree to Nebraska?
Great question! This site has excellent information about how cedars came to invade Nebraska and other states: agronomy.unl.edu/eastern-redcedar-science-literacy-project
This comes across as an ad for cattle ranchers, and not a rallying cry for saving the unique ecosystem of the sandhills. Not debating that the cedar, as an invasive species in these areas, isn't a problem, however no mention is made of the incredible environmental destruction of cattle farming.
Cattle grazing isn't too bad for prairies, in many ways conservation areas unable to aquire bison use or rent Cattle for prescribed grazing as they in some ways mimic the grazing of bison and elk. Overgrazing is a threat although alot of ranchers make sure to keep up a rotational system to prevent Overgrazing.
Destroying the tree is not and nor has it ever been the solution. Why … you still have fallen seed on the ground.
The mechanical removal we show is one way to manage cedars, but you are right that it can leave remaining seeds. Fire is the best management option for destroying the seed bank. For more information, please see the guide on this website: www.wlfw.org/landscapes/great-plains/woodland-expansion/
Would goats help? Sheep, where I live, will eradicate trees.
Nope
You're lucky it's not honeysuckle and European buckthorn.
Your grazing process is wrong, you obviously need to fight the red cedar.
Ehh.. im for trees. Theres no longer millions of buffalo roaming artificially keeping the prairies mowed down. Let nature run its course. Let the land decide.
Let's all pray the seeds instead spread and thrive the more these cedars are chopped down :)
Peace
Watch the video and get educated... the trees are not native, and not helping.
Yes, you are restoring the land to the way you want it. However, you are also destroying the habit for wildlife, which has a better way to use the land.
Those cedar bushes make great habitat for birds and small animals seeking shelter (and protection from predators)
You folks should be learning from nature, not trying to control it for reasons you think is best for all.
Just a thought. Suppose some very large monster attacked your house and neighborhood ripping apart your home like you're ripping apart home and habitat, with a name like Kubota?