Cedar Tree Removal in Lawton, OK

Cedar tree removal is one of the most common jobs on the edge of Lawton and out in the county. The tree people around here call cedar is eastern redcedar, a native juniper that spreads by seed, mostly carried by birds, into any fence row, pasture or vacant lot that is not burned or mowed. On prairie, regular fire used to keep it in check. With fire suppressed, it fills in fast, and the Cross Timbers woodlands of central Oklahoma have grown denser for the same reason.

Problems cedars cause close to home

• Fire. Redcedar burns readily, and its low branches act as a ladder that carries fire from the grass into the crown. Dense cedar stands were linked to the rapid spread of the 2005 and 2006 wildfires in drought-stricken Oklahoma and Texas. A cedar thicket against a house or outbuilding is a real hazard on a dry, windy day.
• Pollen. Eastern redcedar pollen is a known allergen, and large stands near a home add to the spring pollen load.
• Lost grass and fences. Cedars shade out pasture grass, and roots and trunks growing through a fence line push wire and posts out of line.
• Crowding. Cedars planted as windbreaks or privacy screens decades ago often outgrow the space and die out on the inside.

The good news about cedar

Unlike many trees, eastern redcedar does not sprout from its stump. The U.S. Forest Service's species profile notes that it does not resprout after complete cutting or burning. If it is cut below the lowest green branch, the tree is gone. That means removal is permanent, and there is no need for herbicide on the stumps. New seedlings will keep arriving from birds, so mowing or periodic follow-up keeps a cleared area open.

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How we clear cedar

For a few cedars in a yard, we cut each one low at the ground, drag the brush to the chipper and leave the area raked. Larger cedars near a fence or house are taken down in pieces so they do not land on the wire or the roof. On fence lines, the trunk and brush are cut away from the wire carefully, and any wire that has grown into the trunk is freed. For acreage with dense cedar, we look at whether cutting and chipping, cutting and piling, or mulching in place makes the most sense for how you will use the land. Our lot clearing service covers the larger jobs.

What to do with the brush

Cedar brush is bulky. Chipping it on site cuts the volume a great deal, and the chips make a fragrant mulch for beds and paths. Hauling is available if you do not want them. If you burn brush on rural property, check the county burn rules and any burn ban in effect first, especially during dry, windy weather.

Cedar near the house

If you want to keep some cedars as a screen, we can remove the dead interior wood and lift the lowest branches off the ground, which reduces the ladder effect for fire. Keeping a clear space between cedars and the house is worth considering on any property near grass or pasture.