Across the Southwest, pinyon and juniper trees cover large swaths of our public lands. These stubby, gnarled trees support intricate webs of life — birds perch in their branches, woodrats shred their bark for nests, chipmunks cache seeds in their hollows. And for thousands of years, pinyon and juniper forests have provided medicines, food, firewood, and more for Indigneous peoples of the Colorado Plateau.
Yet the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service have proposed large-scale removal of pinyon and juniper trees, including places like Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We work to stop destructive projects and advocate for careful, science-based restoration approaches that preserve pinyon and juniper forests for the plant, animal, and human communities that depend on them.
Pinyon and juniper trees can grow to be over 1,000 years old. When agencies propose clear-cutting projects, we work to protect old growth stands.
We organize field trips with land managers and partners to check on the conditions of pinyon and juniper forests and identify restoration priorities.
Volunteers collect data on pinyon jays to inform sound management of forests in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and beyond. Sign up to birdwatch ›
There are a variety of ways federal agencies rip, shred, and tear down pinyon and juniper forests, but the result is often the same: vast clear-cut swaths of native trees. Exotic grass species are often planted in their place, transforming native vegetation on public lands into feedlots for cows.
These scrubby trees have evolved to thrive in the desert Southwest, and they are a key species in our warming climate.
Pinyon and juniper trees look like they've had a hard life — and they have. They survive scorching temperatures, snowstorms, wind, drought, just about whatever the desert throws at them. These hardy trees support over 1,000 different species, ranging from insects, to birds, to deer. As the climate warms, pinyon and juniper are two hardy species that will likely be able to persist.
Just as pinyon and juniper adapted to life on the plateau, Indigenous peoples of the Southwest adapted to life with the constant presence of the trees. Read about the cultural uses of pinyon and juniper, ranging from food, to firewood, to art, and more.
Grab your binoculars and help us spot pinyon jays. We need volunteers to help gather information about pinyon jays. Knowing where the birds are helps us advocate against clear-cutting of the forests they depend on.
Four fascinating facts about pinyon jays that will have you ready to birdwatch in the name of conservation.
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Got a sunburn? Put some pinyon salve on it. Dandruff? Try some juniper oil. Read more about the cultural uses of pinyon and juniper trees in the Southwest.
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