MEDORA, N.D. — In coordination with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, and other partners, the North Dakota Badlands Restoration Project is offering producers a free tour on Tuesday, June 25 focusing on improving rangeland health through juniper control strategies. The event starts at 10 a.m. Mountain Time at the Medora Community Center with a presentation discussing the effects on plant composition, forage quality, and soil impacts in juniper removal areas. The tour, departing and returning to Medora, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Time, featuring stops at juniper removal management sites. Free bus transportation and lunch are provided. For registration and more information, visit www.northdakotawildlife.org/event.
Wildfire Risk and Collaboration
Junipers increase wildfire risk due to their flammability and ability to spread hot embers. Collaborative efforts between NRCS and the U.S. Forest Service have led to the North Dakota Badlands Restoration Project, aimed at managing juniper stands using mechanical methods.
Producers Act Against Juniper Spread
Kim Shade and Alan Richard are actively combating the spread of Rocky Mountain junipers on their ranches near Medora in southwest North Dakota. “Junipers have become my worst noxious weed,” says Shade, who purchased a track hoe mounted tree shear to clear junipers encroaching on grasslands. “Junipers have become a real problem,” agrees Richard, who enlisted a contractor with a track hoe mounted tree masticator to grind up encroaching junipers.
Both men are collaborating with the NRCS in North Dakota for juniper removal, with additional efforts underway on adjacent and neighboring National Grasslands administered by the Forest Service.
Addressing the Juniper Invasion Historically
Rocky Mountain junipers were limited to north-facing draws and butte summits in the Badlands. However, with changes in land management over the past century, including fire suppression, junipers have proliferated into grasslands. “It is like a slow green wave coming at you,” says Mike Gerbig, NRCS Badlands conservation delivery unit supervisor, Dickinson, N.D. Others have likened it to a “green glacier.”
“It is important to stay ahead of juniper encroachment because the trees can completely change grasslands,” says Johnathan Fettig, NRCS state rangeland specialist in North Dakota. “They are master manipulators of the environment.”
Water Consumption and Erosion Concerns
An 8 ½-inch diameter juniper tree can consume 30-35 gallons of water a day, posing a significant threat in areas like the Badlands, which receive minimal precipitation. Dense juniper stands can also dry up springs and creeks, exacerbating erosion and depriving wildlife and livestock of essential habitat and forage.
Financial Assistance and Support
NRCS offers financial assistance to private landowners for juniper removal, with partners providing additional support of up to $100/acre to offset costs.
More Information
For more information on financial assistance and technical advice, contact your local NRCS field office or visit the North Dakota NRCS website at North Dakota | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov).
For inquiries about the tour, contact Cara Greger, Western North Dakota Conservation Coordinator, at 320- 808-4897 or cgreger.ndwf@gmail.com.
To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
