Some love them, some hate them, but most everyone around has an opinion on cedar trees growing in Bosque County and in Texas. Cedars, or junipers, can have a place in the environment; they provide shelter for wildlife, they can serve as a natural barrier for your property, and help in areas where erosion is an issue.

On the other hand, cedars are water consumers. Oklahoma State University researchers determined in a study, the water use of 30 Red Cedar trees of various diameters and growth habits, the mean daily water use was found to be about 7 gallons of water.  Individual tree water use ranged from one to forty gallons/day.  Water use varied due to the tree size (big trees transpired more water than small trees) soil moisture and daily weather.

This data shows that cedar trees take a great deal of water from more productive range and pasture plants/grasses and forbs. Red Cedar invasion is costly to ranchers as they prevent forage production by shading and utilizing water that could benefit grasses and forbs. Cedar control will benefit both livestock and wildlife production. The principle is that by removing the brush, more water is left to seep into the groundwater or flow into the streams, rivers and lakes. The land also reverts to grassland.

For more information on cedars including control options please contact Chelsea Dorward at the Bosque County Extension Office at 254-435-2331 or chelsea.dorward@ag.tamu.edu.