Juniper

Western Juniper's Growing Influence in Eastern Oregon

Estimated Acreage 1936 1988

> 10 percent cover 420,000 2.2 million

Total area with juniper 6 million

Volume of current stand -------- 467 million cubic feet

Private landowners own 58 percent of the area and 49 percent of the volume

BLM is the principle owner of public lands with juniper - 79 percent of publicly owned juniper forest

Over Ð... of the present juniper forest became established between 1850 and 1900 (greatest increase came between (1879 and 1918).

Rate of Establishment

1650 - 1800 2900 acres/year

1800 - 1850 8200 acres/year

1850 - 1900 23,100 acres/year

1900 - 1940 6000 acres/year

52 percent of juniper grows in the 10 - 15 inch precipitation zone

41 percent of juniper grows between 4000 - 5000 ft. in elevation

Juniper crown intercepts more that Ð... of the annual precipitation

Juniper transpires water year round compared to seasonal transpiration of other vegetation

Juniper roots can extend several times the crown diameter

Almost 50 percent of juniper forests have crown covers 10-20 percent

Juniper woodlands have up to 10 times the erosion rate of sagebrush - grass ecotypes (Buckhouse et. al.)

Average cubic volume of wood per acre in juniper forests is 200 cubic feet

Over half the area of juniper forests have fewer than 50 trees per acre

Counties with more that Ð... million acres of juniper

Crook 857,000 Harney 884,000

Grant 539,000 Jefferson 582,000