Cedar Trees [Removal in Cherry County]

May 16, 2024. Grant County News 139(42): 1, 6. Edits are included here.

There are and have been very some significant projects combined that required lots of attention and effort to remove unwanted invasive cedar trees from thousands of acres of northern Cherry County prairie and riverine woodlands. Now, instead of dense tree growth, there is an open vegetive conditions for birds and flora, recreational opportunities and even grass for cattle to graze.

A primary tract where work initially began was the 7668 acre tract of publicly owned property south of the Niobrara River and west of the Snake River as managed by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds.

This large tract was created when the sections of land – typically sections 16 and 36 - within the newly created Samuel R. McKelvie Division of the Nebraska National Forest was being established so the federal property would not have disparate tracts. The trade was officially authorized by governmental edict on April 19, 1917, according to Kelly Sudbeck, executive director of BELF. 

There are about 7,100 acres where cedar trees have been cleared, according to agency staff. “The flat lands on both sides of the river for hunting purposes. The bluffs and canyons on the north side of the Niobrara, the west side of the Snake Canyon and maybe 60 acres on the north side of section 10 have not been treated.” “A project to hand cut othe new seedlings on the bluffs south of the Niobrara is underway. We follow up after cutting large trees to remove seedlings.”

The initial cedar removal effort began on the property in 2001, with a $2500 indicated cost for cedar tree cutting. A nearly similar amount was spent through 2003. In 2007 the expenditures increased to nearly $10k. 

Then in 2018, expenditures increased to the multiple tens of thousands of dollars, not only for cutting, but also for burning piles of cut trees, MIweed eating, pasture cutting and forestry and management practices. 

During the years, funding was also provided by the Nebraska Forest Service, the EQIP program of the Department of Agriculture, and the Sandhills Task Force. 

The overall cost of this effort was $421,754 with $169,972.50 the actual cost to BELF, with the remainder of $251,781.50 allotted by cost-share, maccording to information provided by the state property management agency.

The BELF tract is leased. The 2024 rent was $162,458.28. When the lease the lease was originally awarded via a bid process, the bonus paid was basically $305k.

In 2019 Ducks Unlimited was the project sponsor for funding to remove cedars from nearby, and along Steer Creek within McKelvie Forest. The original estimate was $250,000 to treat 2600 acres.

Partners that provided funds were the U.S. Forest Service ($129,000), Nebraska Environmental Trust ($100,000), Ducks Unlimited ($16,000) and the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture Group ($5000).

Eventually, the effort successfully cleared 3263 acres, according to Angelina Wright, a Ducks Unlimited Biologist.

Nearby on the McKelvie Forest land, the U.S. Forest Service has undertaken additional work.

A portion of the Rio Vista Allotment’s Niobrara exclosure - at the anortheast corner of the forest tract - was recently treated in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "The approximate acreage of the riparian footprint treated was 56 acres. Those were very expensive acres, but it will benefit a couple species of sensitive orchids and associated fen habitat, not to mention wild turkeys and other species pushed out by the afforestation and closed canopy," said Gregory Wright a Forest Service biologist."

This area has a unique riverine floodplain wetland, which is known to be a haven for birds, especially notable are at least two species (a rail and a wren) that occur in the winter season, because the spring flows from the adjacent bluff provides open water in the marsh setting.

"Cedars were also removed to restore almost 800 acres in the Rio Vista East pasture. The total project cost was near $50,000 and it was completed within the last six months,” said Gregory Wright, a Forest Service biologist.

“Nearly all cedars have been removed west of the Hwy 16F spur,” he also indicated in an email. 

This state highway is a primary access road to the forest and the distinct Steer Creek Campground and also seems to serve as⁹ a potential controlled burn firebreak. 

“Because we treated that area while encroachment was still early, we were able to treat about 23,000 acres for $100,000. Many treatments have happened surrounding the hand-planted forest, and much of the north-south corridor along 16F has been treated so that prescribed fire can be safely odone using that area as a boundary. A prescribed fire took place a couple of years ago in the River (Heifer) pasture and it looks fantastic,” Greg Wright very recently said in an email.

When an April 21, 2024 prescribed burn to help with cedar control and grassland improvement, was happening associated with a 2650 acre tract south of Nenzel there were some errant flames on about 20 acres outside the fire lines. Everything was quickly under control, and assistance was also by the Cody and Kilgore volunteer fire department crews.

To see the overall work footprint, partners, and treatment types visit The Work | Keeping Grasslands Grass: Eastern Redcedar Management in the Nebraska Sandhills

The attached map indicates other Snake Gorge private lands may have made efforts to limit cedar trees. Any source of information is not available.

Other work is ongoing, planned, or recently completed elsewhere on the Bessey Division of the Nebraska National Forest, which includes forest land near Halsey.

In 2012, cedar removal associated with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission was done at the 137-acre Anderson Bridge WMA, near the north boundary of the forest. It was done in cooperation with the National Wild Turkey Federation. 

The overall cost included $20,000 from the Federation, and 4,500 from the a grazing fund, according to Tom Krolikowski, a biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 

It created a nice, enjoyable hiking roundabout trail personally enjoyed to see the seen as well as listen to the wildbirds life.

Further west in the river valley, cedars were removed from Chat Canyon WMA, most notably at the southern portion of the area split by the Niobrara River, Krolikowski said. An initial expense was $40,000 with a second phase effort of $35,000 to continue the removal of more unwanted cedar trees. The Forest Service was a partner.

There is a readily available web site that is very informative at agronomy.unl.edu/eastern-redcedar-science.

In 2019, Ducks Unlimited was the project sponsor for funding to remove 

cedars from nearby, and along eastern Steer Creek within McKelvie Forest. 

To see the