County holds work session on eastern red cedar management; task force proposed

Will Johnson, Butler County Administrator, and attorney Tim Connell led a work session on eastern red cedar management, describing the tree as an aggressive encroacher that consumes significant water, degrades forage and increases wildfire risk. Connell said cedar trees "spread seed, increase heat, harbor ticks, use significant water and do not contribute to the agricultural economy," and recommended considering policies to discourage new shelterbelts, classify cedars as a noxious weed or pursue nuisance abatement tools.