Fencing for ecosystem recovery in the Texas Hill Country

In the Texas Hill Country there’s an invasion of Juniper Ashe trees. We at the ranch have done what we can to make our peace with these fast growing trees- they serve many purposes such as a natural dewormer for our livestock, the berries provide food for the birds, but beyond their benefits are their vices. They can swallow an entire landscape in less than a decade- taking out iconic live oaks, giant elms, and more. Junipers drink up much of the little water we receive from the sky, the ground underneath them is barren from the high essential oil content pr lack of light, they grow so thick that they make land inaccessible. What we have observed after clearing small sections of junipers is that trees on the brink of death from being choked out come alive again, the seed bank recovers from the lack of light and water, and the landscape thrives into a diverse ecosystem that supports all life.

With proper funding we believe we can manage these lands we occupy with livestock. We have what you might call antique fencing around the whole property which allows us to graze cattle without many escapees, but cattle don’t eat juniper, goats do. We have a growing herd of goats but as you may be aware, if a fence doesnt hold water it wont hold a goat. So, we are limited to where we can graze them. We would like to invest in fencing all over the ranch so that we might manage the invasive juniper, while also fertilizing, creating biodiversity, and producing meat in return. We want to create a closed loop system and hope that in seeking funding for this fencing, we can allow people more access to land in an area that is being encroached upon by data centers, development, and civilization in general.