Action Plan Resulting from the
Piiion-Juniper Symposium
INTRODUCTION
Restore to health deteriorating ecosystem
conditions in the piilon-juniper.
As a follow-up to this symposium, a p u p of participants
and other intellested people met to develop th~saction plan The
meeting was held on May 6 in the New Mexico State Land
Office. The intent of the plan is to ide*
actions organizations
could undertake to improve the management of piilon-juniper
ecosystems in New Mexico for ecosystem sustainability and
social needs.
GOALS
Develop industry and uses of the
piiion-juniper system in an environmentally
conscientious way, with a balance of
cultural needs.
Be able to describe the existing condition, the
potential condition for a sustainable system,
and the desired future condition for the
piiion-juniper. Also have the management
tools needed for moving toward the desired
hture condition.
The individual goals for the action plan are:
Provide for optimum use of the resources
available from New Mexico's piiion-juniper
ecosystems.
Provide for sustainable use of the ecosystem
while maximizing biological diversity,
maintaining or improving soil productivity
and water quality, and protecting cultural
needs.
Balance management and use to sustain the
system and meet human needs.
An increased understanding of the
piiion-juniper from a historical, biological,
and cultural standpoint to allow for the
development of sustainable management
practices for piilon-juniper woodlands. An
understanding of how we got to the current
conditions in the piilon-juniper.
(10) A way to express the value of resources,
such as soil and water quality is being lost
due to lack of management.
(11) Better public understanding of the value of
the resources associated with piiion-juniper.
Optimize use while protecting resources with
an emphasis on watershed condition.
Harvest as much of the piiion nut crop as can
be utilized without a negative impact on
the ecosystem.
(12) Better management understanding of the
value of the resources associated with
piiion-juniper.
(13) A better understanding of why some areas
are more productive than others.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
ACTION
GROUPIAGENCY
(1)
Initiate research to increase our knowledge of energy flows i n the pinon-juniper ecosystems.
Research Topics
(a) Needs and roles of pinon jays and other seed eating birds?
(b) Needs and roles of small mammals?
(c) Needs and roles of soil biology?
(d) Needs and roles of cryptogamic crusts?
(e) The importance of dead and down material in nutrient cycling?
(f) Is there a symbiotic myconhizal relationship in pinon-juniper woodlands?
(g) Frequency and role of fire in different pinon-juniper habitat types?
(h) Factors that affect seed production and reproduction, including competition?
(i) Roles in the hydrologic cycle, especially ground water?
(j) The impacts of higher nut removal efforts on energy flows and material cycles?
(k) What are the energy and material flow relationships with higher and lower ecosystem scales?
(I) The effects of herbivore use on nutrient cycling?
(m) Roles of pinon-juniper trees in the carbon cycle?
(n) What are the potential impacts of increased pinon-juniper management and utilization on social
and cultural values of traditional communities?
Forest Service1
Universities
(2)
Initiate additional research to develop more and better ecosystem restoration techniques.
Research Topics
(a) Potential for use of organic amendments?
(b) Reforestation techniques?
(c) Optimum times and prescriptions for using fire to control pinon-juniper in grasslands and
woodland tree densities in woodlands?
(d) Optimum times and prescriptions for using chemicals to control pinon-juniper in grasslands and
tree densities?
(e) How will harvesting techniques and restoration methods affect soils, water, vegetation, animals,
and cultural resources?
(f) Proper thinning, pruning, and other silvicultural prescriptions?
(g) Most appropriate grasses and forbs for seeding under trees and in interspaces?
(h) Effects of restoration methods on neo-tropical migratory bird populations?
Forest Service1
Universities
(4)
Develop recommended management practices to move piiion-juniper ecosystems toward
several desired future conditions.
(a) lnclude access management.
(b) Institute a free use permit that explains how to harvest nuts and proper behavior in the
woodlands or woodland etiquette.
Implement an Anti-Fuelwood Poaching Campaign.
(5)
Implement an inventory and market analysis for alternative woodland products.
(6)
(a) Determine system's tolerance for harvesting nuts, wildings, and Christmas trees.
Implement an inventory and market analysis for pinon nut products.
(7)
(8)
Implement a piAon nut crop forecasting and record service.
Develop pinon nut shelling machine.
(9)
Develop pinon nut storage methods.
(3)
(10) Establish a clearing house for pinon-juniper information.
(a) Develop spatial and tabular data storage capabilities.
(b) Establish a geographic information system coordinator.
(c) Include information on all pinon-juniper resources.
(d) lnclude lists of experts.
(e) lnclude lists of references.
111) Develop intensive nut production practices for private lands.
112) Develop a "green product" line marketing campaign.
(13) Establish criteria for bonded warehousing of pinon nuts to facilitate third party financing of
crop purchases.
(14) Publish nutritional analyses of pinon nuts and comparisons with foreign pine nuts.
(IS) Set aside "Pinon Nut Harvest Areas" and actively manage them for pinon nut production.
Land Management Agencies
Land Management Agencies
and Pinon Nut Industry
Universities, Rural Economic
Project
Universities, Rural Economic
Project
Forest Service
Forest Service Equipment
Development Center
Forest Service Tree Seed
Laboratory
State Forester
New Mexico State University
Rural Economic Project
Agricultural Research
ServiceRlniversities
Agricultural Research
ServicelUniversities
Land Management Agencies