Eastern Cedar Removal

Cunningham Backhoe Service offers eastern red cedar removal, using our excavator to reach in, grab, and remove deeply rooted cedar trees. With years of experience in backhoe work, we’re ready to tackle invasive cedar growth across Oklahoma.

How Our Excavator-Enabled Service Helps You

• Rapid, safe removal - even in tough-to-reach areas.
• Prevents cedar from becoming future fire fuel or water hogs.
• Reclaims pasture and property space - boosting land value and usability.
• Helps offset historic state-level impacts on water, fire risk, and habitat.

Why Red Cedar Removal Matters - Especially Now

1. Wildfire Risk Reduction

• Eastern red cedar is a highly flammable “ladder fuel” - the volatile oils in its foliage and proximity to the ground help fires spread quickly from grass to taller vegetation or homes.
• In fact, fires in early 2025 burned across 170,000 acres, consumed over 200 homes, and claimed several lives

2. Water & Land Protection

• These trees are serious water consumers, drawing up to 16gallons daily - reducing water availability for pastures and wells.
• Their dense canopies also block rainfall, harming native grasslands and livestock forage.

3. Ecological Restoration

• Cedar encroachment (nearly 10 million acres since 1990 in Oklahoma rangelands) chokes out native species, disrupting habitats.
• It also worsens soil and watershed health by altering natural water cycles.

Oklahoma’s Response & Why You Should Act

• HB 2239 (2023) launched a $3.2 million pilot to remove cedar from the North Canadian watershed and study its impact.
• HB 2162 (2025) expands this effort statewide by creating ongoing funding to control cedars.
• Legislative and conservation leaders emphasize cedar removal as a key wildfire prevention and water conservation strategy

Cunningham Backhoe Service is proud to expand its offerings in support of Oklahoma’s fight against wildfire and environmental degradation caused by eastern red cedar. Our excavator makes cedar removal efficient - even where dense or deep-rooted - helping homeowners and landowners protect their property and the natural ecosystem.

‍