As the fiscal agent for the Lower Rio Grande Salt Cedar Control Project (LRGSCCP), the Socorro Soil and Water Conservation District controls salt cedar and other noxious species in Socorro, Sierra, and Dona Ana counties. We have the capability to remove as little as one tree or as much as several acres through mechanical and/or chemical treatments.

Why remove salt cedar? Salt Cedar is a perennial, invasive species that is native to the Mediterranean, China and Southeast Asia. In these areas, salt cedar has natural enemies that limit its growth potential. These enemies are not present in New Mexico, and the tree thrives. It literally deposits salt into the soil through its leaves, making the soil sterile to all but the most salt tolerant species, which typically include Russian Olive and Siberian Elm. Beneficial native species such as Cottonwood and Black Willow are unable to grow in these saline soils, greatly limiting the nesting habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, an endangered species.

Furthermore, estimates place water use by salt cedar as high as 7.7 acre feet per year. That’s 2.8 MILLION gallons! Much of this water is simply taken up by the roots and evapotranspirated into the air, effectively wasting the precious resource.

Salt cedar control is further complicated by the plants aggressive reproductive capability. Each tree can produce up to 500,000 seeds per year. The tree is also rhizomic, meaning that spreading roots can sprout new trees as they grow laterally, up to 50 feet from the parent tree.

Removing salt cedar is not a one step process, nor is it inexpensive. Simply cutting down the tree is not only ineffective, it results in re-sprouts that can grow as much as 12-15 feet per year. The least expensive initial treatment method for salt cedar control is to use herbicide. Imazypyr is the most commonly used active ingredient, and although extremely effective, can take up to four full growing seasons to fully kill the tree. Mechanical methods involve physically removing the root ball of the tree from the ground through various methods, which is also highly effective. However, no single treatment will kill salt cedar. It requires vigilance over time to achieve success.