Oklahoma State University Aims To Rid Areas Of Red Cedars

Oklahoma State University is spending about $500,000 to tear up trees, all in the name of the environment.

About $500,000 is being spent to dig up invasive, non-native trees like the red cedar, which pose a wildfire risk.

"We know there are there are probably more than a million acres with 50 percent of ground cover with red cedars," OSU extension forestry specialist Craig McKinley said in March.

3/15/2013 Related Story: Red Cedars Continue To Fuel Oklahoma Wildfires

Wildfires scorched tens of thousands of acres last year across the state, and many specialists blame the red cedar for fueling the flames.

Aside from wildfire risk, the trees can also zap 20 gallons of water each day from the already drought-plagued soil.

In Oklahoma, there are an estimated 462 million red cedars. OSU's two-year project will get rid of thousands of trees covering more than 6,600 acres.

The trees will be recycled and turned into mulch.