Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Understanding and Managing Pinyon and Juniper Woodlands in a Changing Climate
Author
Chambers, Jeanne C.
Miller, Richard F.
Leao, Duncan
Coombs, Cody
Publisher
U.S. Forest Service
Publication Year
2021
Body

Across the western United States, pinyon and juniper woodlands are undergoing significant changes that are of concern to land managers and the communities who depend on them. In some areas, the woodlands are expanding, resulting in increased fuel loads, risk of more severe fires, and loss of high value habitat for species such as greater sage grouse. In other areas, these woodlands are contracting due to human development, more severe droughts, and larger wildfires. RMRS scientists and their partners synthesized over 1,000 research and management papers on pinyon and juniper woodlands in order to help land managers, researchers, and the interested public understand and address these concerns. The resulting publication, The Ecology, History, Ecohydrology, and Management of Pinyon and Juniper Woodlands in the Great Basin and Northern Colorado Plateau of the Western United States (RMRS-GTR-403), is designed to help managers quickly reference the current state of knowledge of these semiarid woodland ecosystems, prioritize areas where conservation and restoration efforts will have the greatest benefits, and identify appropriate management actions. The synthesis covers the ecology, history, and hydrology of these semiarid woodland ecosystems as well as the history of and responses to restoration and other management treatments.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Collection
  • Articles, citations, reports, websites, and multimedia resources focused on rangeland ecology, management, restoration, and other issues on American rangelands.