Fact sheet: Dead wood plays important roles in pinyon-juniper woodland recovery after wildfire

Stand-replacing crown fires appear to be consistent with historical patterns of natural disturbance in some pinyon-juniper woodlands of the American Southwest, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin. These moderate- to high-severity fires result in the death of most or all trees across areas that range from small groups of a few trees to hundreds of acres. In some forest ecosystems, logs remaining after fire are known to reduce soil movement and increase retention of soil nitrogen. In studies of pinyon-juniper management, woody material created by tree thinning has been shown to enhance plant establishment and affect soil moisture and chemistry..