A classification of spruce-fir and mixed conifer habitat types of Arizona and New Mexico

Spruce-fir forests occupy less than 0.5% of Arizona and about 2% of New Mexico. Despite this limited distribution, these high elevation forests are important resources, providing major snow catchement and watershed areas and serving as focal points for winter and summer recreation. The subtending mixed conifer forests, covering about 3% and 4% of Arizona and New Mexico, respectively, are intensively utilized for timber, range and wildlife production, watershed management, and recreation. These forest types respond in complex ways to many man-caused and natural impacts and treatments such as timber harvesting, fire, recreation usage, and foraging by livestock and game