Ponderosa Pine Forests

The Ponderosa Forest gets more moisture from winter snows and summer rains than lower elevation zones.

Photo by Sally King

Ponderosa pine forests are found at middle elevations on the Pajarito Plateau where increased snowfall and summer rains create wetter conditions. The Ancestral Pueblo people used these trees as roof beams for their homes and hunted the mule deer which thrive in this community. Ponderosa pine forests provide important habitat for a wide range of species such as Abert's Squirrels, Red-tailed Hawks, and Western Bluebirds to name just a few.

 

Beautiful wildflowers bloom with the added moisture found in the Ponderosa Pine Forest.

Photo by Sally King

Before European settlement, ponderosa pine forests were more open than we see them today. Widely spaced trees towered above rich grasses and occasional clumps of Gambel's oak. Frequent, naturally-occurring surface fires kept the forest healthy and open. Since 1977, major crown fires have burned many of the park's large stands of ponderosa pine creating open grasslands in many areas.

 

The Ponderosa Pine Forest is a wonderful place to see wildlife like this red-tailed hawk.

Photo by Sally King

 

Abert's squirrels are many visitor's favorite resident of the Ponderosa Pine Forests.

Photo by Sally King