The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District (DSWCD) is now accepting applications for funding to support juniper management on private lands in Deschutes County. DSWCD was awarded $585,000 by the Oregon Legislature to help address excessive juniper and improve watershed health.
Funds are available for projects with treatment areas of at least 100 acres in size. Projects will be prioritized based on their benefits to water resources and overall ecological health.
Western juniper populations have expanded far beyond conditions present prior to European settlement and are aggressively spreading across many of the drier landscapes in the Northwest. Juniper’s extensive root system competes with native bunchgrasses, shrubs, and wildflowers for already limited soil moisture. As juniper matures, its dense foliage also captures rain and snow before it reaches the ground, further reducing the water available to other plants.
When juniper dominates a site, native vegetation often declines or disappears, and invasive weeds or bare, erosion-prone soil can increase. At the same time, Western juniper is a native species in Central Oregon, and many areas in Deschutes County contain old-growth juniper that is an important and natural component of the landscape. As a condition of this grant, old-growth (pre-settlement) juniper trees will be retained in all project areas.
The Deschutes SWCD will accept applications for juniper management funding until December 31, 2025. DSWCD staff will meet with interested landowners to evaluate potential project areas for ecological and watershed benefits. Landowners with successful applications will work with DSWCD staff to develop a site-specific treatment and post-treatment management plan. Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of the project and approval by DSWCD staff.
Applications and online submission options are available at deschutesswcd.org.
