Western Juniper: A Regional Tree with a Big Impact

Learn why building with juniper is a great choice for your project - like this enclosed raised bed garden! it’s good for the garden and good for the planet!

In this article:

• Why Build with Juniper 

• Juniper History – How Did We Get Here? 

• Juniper’s Ecological Impact 

• Sage-Grouse 

• Locally Sourced 

• Juniper Benefits in the Garden 

• Get Started on your 2024 Kitchen Garden! 

Why Build with Juniper

“Wait, but isn’t juniper a shrub?”  

We get this common question when we tell people about the benefits of building with juniper. There are a variety of forms within the Juniperous genus, ranging from groundcovers to shrubs and trees. When we talk about building with juniper, we are specifically referring to Western Juniper, Juniperous occidentalis, a tree native to eastern Oregon. 

In the wood production industry, Juniperous occidentalis is sometimes also referred to as restoration juniper. Restoration juniper is not only beautifully knotted, regionally native, and rot resistant, the tree has a rich history of human interaction and harvesting the wood provides ecological benefit to the sagebrush steppe ecosystem in eastern Oregon. 

Juniper History - How Did We Get Here? 

If western juniper is a native plant, why does harvesting have an ecological benefit? The answer to this question requires a look into the history of how people have interacted with the environment for generations. 

The Indigenous people of eastern Oregon understand how prescribed burns control the juniper population and increase biodiversity. Before colonization, they were free to maintain their relationship to the land through fire. It has only been more recently that the U.S. Forest Service is acknowledging the beneficial ecological impact of prescribed burns. For decades, the main view about fires has been that they should be suppressed.   

Humans and their living environments are inextricably linked, and people who work in sustainable forestry are learning how we harvest wood can lead to more reciprocity in our relationships with the environment. At Noble Root, we remain curious and considerate of how our wood sourcing impacts larger ecosystems and biodiversity. 

Harvesting wood always has an impact. How can we understand what kind of impact we are making? We will take a deeper look at juniper and its relationship to biodiversity and local economies to explore how to support our environments for future generations. 

Juniper’s Ecological Impact  

No plant is a bad plant!  

The concept of a weed is simply a plant that you do not want in an area. An ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality is misplacing energy that can go toward noticing how to have reciprocal relationships with our environments. Remember that invasive plants often grow in areas of human disturbance. Douglas-fir and western juniper are both native trees that have grown rapidly in populations due to lack of prescribed burns, and the impact is significant. 

Wildfire suppression has created conditions for juniper to thrive, resulting in taking over the former high desert grassland ecosystem called the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Restoration juniper is great at finding water, so much so that the population growth has led to small creeks drying up, and when juniper is removed, water returns to these channels that are important spawning grounds for salmon and other migratory fish. Western juniper also outcompetes other plants leading to minimal understory growth. The lack of water and diverse plant groundcover leads to erosion and loss of biodiversity. 

Sage-Grouse

Sage-grouse are sage brush “obligates,” meaning they are completely reliant on sagebrush for survival and reproduction. They use the sagebrush and surrounding grasses for safe nesting ground; starting in the fall, sagebrush is nearly all they eat until spring. Sage-grouse are vulnerable to changes in their environment because they are relatively long-lived and lay less eggs compared to other upland game birds. They are quick to be impacted by disturbance and slow to recover from it. 

The largest threat to sage-grouse that has been identified is the encroaching juniper woodlands that crowd out grasses, forbs and sagebrush that the sage-grouse need to survive. The juniper trees also provide perches and cover for predators and the sage-grouse will avoid areas with even very low juniper populations. 

Locally Sourced

Materials used in landscaping can come from all around the world, and a portion of the ecological impact of sourcing is the distance they travel. At Noble Root, we prioritize local materials whenever possible, so western juniper is an option we stand behind. Restoration juniper reduces the carbon footprint of a landscaping project because it is one of the closest wood sources available. As another example, we also love sourcing locally made Oregon-artisan trellises for kitchen gardens.  

Not only do you reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the number of miles to get materials, you also help strengthen Oregon’s economy by supporting a market for natural resource jobs in rural areas. Eastern Oregon sawmills and land restoration are important job sectors in rural communities that generate revenue that goes back into sustaining rural communities.  

There are also programs like the Sagebrush in Prisons Project, an environmental partnership between the Institute for Applied Ecology, Department of Corrections, and the Bureau of Land Management that provides “unique and meaningful ecological activities and horticultural training to incarcerated men and women with the goal of restoring native habitat for the greater sage-grouse in the great basin region.” Crew members in prison grow sagebrush from seed and care for the plants until they are sent to BLM restoration sites in the fall. 

Juniper Benefits in the Garden

Restoration Juniper has numerous benefits for the gardener in addition to the ecological and habitat benefits in eastern Oregon.  

Some of these benefits include: 

• Rot resistant, making it perfect for exterior applications like raised beds, decking, fencing. The tree is high in natural oils that help to preserve the wood, while many other types of wood need chemical treatment to be suitable for exterior applications. These chemical treatments can leach into our food and water supplies. 

• Durable, lasts longer than redwood and cedar 

• Natural insecticidal properties reduce the need to resort to pest control measures  

• Beautiful and intricate knots and rich honey color add visual interest 

• The lovely smell engages senses 

• Rustic look, less sophisticated looking than cedar 

Get Started on your 2024 Kitchen Garden!  

Inspired to have a raised bed garden made with restoration juniper? 2024 can be your kitchen garden year, and now is the time to get started! Spring will be here before we know it! 

• December - Book Your Garden Consultation

• January - Garden Consultation 

• February - Design/Install Raised Bed Kitchen Garden 

• March - Plant Cool Season Kitchen Garden! 

By getting started now, you will enjoy three full seasons of yard-to-table meals grown and harvested straight from your garden! Are you excited yet intimidated by the idea of growing food? No worries, we are here to support your growth in the garden! We are accepting a limited number of new 2024 Garden Coaching clients. Monthly Garden Coaching sessions are held in the privacy of your backyard and customized to support your growth as a gardener through all three seasons! Take a look at our coaching and other services and sign up for a consultation today! 

About: 

Noble Root empowers homeowners to confidently grow food, flowers, and herbs with personalized support. We offer garden coaching, landscape design, DIY plans, and full-service garden installations in Portland-metro, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington areas.