Improving the resilience of pinyon-juniper woodlands through community collaboration.

Pinyon-juniper woodlands throughout the Eastern Sierra are at risk from drought, wildfire, and other environmental changes. These woodlands are ecologically critical to the region, and are central to the worldviews and cultural practices of many Tribal communities.

Through the Pinyon Community Climate Action (PiCCA) project, we are taking an interdisciplinary approach that uplifts Tribal and community voices to strengthen the resilience of these woodlands.

What is the PiCCA project?

Project activities:

  • Regional household survey

    We are conducting a household survey (aiming for 1,200 responses) throughout Mono, Inyo, and Alpine Counties this summer to better understand how communities use and value the land around them.

    Survey results will be used to ensure community voices are heard in land management and planning.

  • Pinyon pine sampling across species range

    We will be in the field during the summer sampling pinyon trees throughout California and along elevational gradients.

    We hope to understand how location, climate, genetics, and stand structure might influence tree health and seed production. This will inform stewardship activities and potentially allow us to predict pine nut production.

  • Woodland monitoring network

    Using a Tribal citizen science monitoring app created by the Bishop Paiute Tribe, we will build out a monitoring network for pinyon-juniper woodlands.

    Community members can use the app to log information about tree health and pine nut production, which can help flag vulnerable areas that are a high priority for Tribal stewardship.

  • Interviews and focus groups

    Conduct one-on-one interviews and focus groups with stakeholders throughout the Eastern Sierra to discuss relationships with the land, land stewardship, and adaptation to environmental change.

  • Elevate Indigenous-led stewardship

    The Bishop Paiute Tribe and Big Pine Paiute Tribe will each lead work within their nations to identify pinyon-juniper woodland sites for Tribal stewardship and conservation, and engage the broader communities to share knowledge and values.

    Key learnings from this process will be shared with project partners, and will inform stewardship activities in the future.