Grazing has played a major role on fire behavior within pinyon-juniper ecosystems. Overgrazing and the subsequent removal of herbaceous species cover, left insufficient fuels for fires to spread across the landscape and control development of large tree establishment. Eventually the abundance and spread of overstory plants eliminated many grasses and forbs, and some management personnel cite the lack of fire as a major factor in the elimination of many of the country’s true grasslands.

Recognizing the need and importance of grassland communities, mechanical treatment methods, such as chaining and cabling were used throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, followed by slash and pile burning, to improve watershed conditions and increase wildlife and grazing habitat. However, some of these sites remain free of vegetation, even after 20 years, because of soil sterilization from the high intensity burns and soil disturbance *(USDAFS, 2000).

While other mechanical methods are available today, many are increasingly expensive and prescribed burning still remains one of the most economical alternatives to returning an area to more desired conditions and/or improving habitat.

*USDAFS. 2000. Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Effects of Fire on Flora. Rocky Mountain Research Station. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-42-Vol. 2.

Pinyon-juniper encroachment is a problem throughout much of the west. Note the burned area with increased grasses/forbs in the foreground and the unburned pinyon-juniper encroached area lacking forbs in the background.