Art by Audrey Carver • Arte por Audrey Carver

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Pinyon pine

Pino piñonero

Pinus monophylla

I am a small evergreen tree that grows on dry mountain slopes where few other trees can survive. Unlike most pines, I have only one needle in each bundle, giving my gray-green branches a distinctive look. My woody cones produce large, nutritious pine nuts that feed pinyon jays, woodpeckers, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and people. Pinyon jays bury many of my seeds for later, helping new trees grow across the landscape. My dense branches provide year-round shelter and nesting places for birds and other wildlife. Deep and spreading roots anchor rocky soils and help me find water during long dry periods. I am well adapted to drought, but hotter temperatures, severe wildfires, and longer droughts caused by climate change can reduce my cone production and threaten the forests I help create.

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