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BURNS, Ore. - Juniper trees cover more than 9 million acres in central and eastern Oregon, northeastern California, southwestern Idaho and northwestern Nevada and have come to dominate much of the intermountain landscape of the western United States.

How this happened, the ecological consequences, and how the spread of juniper affects the future are outlined in a new publication developed by researchers with the Oregon State University Extension Service, the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station and the U.S. Department of Agriculture called "Biology, Ecology, and Management of Western Juniper."

"Western juniper has rapidly expanded into neighboring plant communities over the past 130 years," explained Rick Miller, co-author of the report and a range ecologist at OSU's Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center in Burns. "It has caused increased soil erosion, reduced forage production, altered wildlife habitat, changed plant communities and their structure and biodiversity."

The publication covers the history, biology, ecology, and management of western juniper.

"We hope to dispel some of the myths, identify knowledge gaps, sort out some of the issues related to juniper woodland expansion and increase the overall understanding of western juniper place and function in the northern Great Basin," explained Miller.

The publication includes sections on distribution and history of juniper expansion; life history, biology and ecology of western juniper; juniper-related hydrology issues; and ecological restoration and management. Authors include OSU's Rick Miller, John Bates, USDA range scientist; Tony Svejcar, USDA-ARS range scientist; Fred Pierson, USDA range hydrologist; and Lee Eddleman, retired range ecologist with OSU's Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management.

The 80-page photo-illustrated bulletin is available from OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications. To order "Biology, Ecology, and Management of Western Juniper" (TB 152), send a request to: Publication Orders, Extension and Station Communications, OSU, 422 Kerr Administration, Corvallis, OR 97331-2119.

The publication is free, but requests should include a $3 shipping and handling fee (check or money order payable to OSU). For orders of six or more, call 1-800-561-6719.