New Intermountain Insights: Climate Resilience in Persistent Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands
Pinyon-juniper woodlands are ubiquitous across the Intermountain West and important to many–from Tribal Nations and recreationists to pinyon jays and mule deer. However, concern has arisen among researchers and managers about their vulnerability to a warming and drying climate. Managers have indicated that they often lack the information needed to guide climate-smart management in woodland ecosystems. Although substantial conservation efforts address threats to other dry forests in the West, relatively little conservation effort has focused on climate resilience of persistent woodlands.
The Intermountain West Joint Venture partnered with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a new report titled “Improving Climate Resilience of Persistent Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands.” This Intermountain Insights breaks down the report, highlighting implications for landscape and wildlife health and considerations for land managers.