The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service will host a public workshop to present information and gather feedback on a range of topics regarding the science and management of pinyon and juniper woodlands, particularly mature and old-growth forests.

The workshop will occur May 8, 1-5 p.m. and May 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 2024, at the Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks, NV, 89431. This event is part of BLM’s ongoing public comment period on pinyon and juniper woodlands, during which interested parties may also submit comments regarding management and conservation of pinyon and juniper ecosystems. Please see more information on how to comment below.

Workshop information and registration

Topics for the workshop will include classifying the various pinyon and juniper systems and understanding their geographic and population dynamics, methods for assessing woodland conditions, values associated with old-growth pinyon and juniper woodlands, management objectives and effectiveness, and opportunities for increasing climate resilience. Participants will have opportunities to engage and interact on a range of topics.

To attend the event, individuals are required to reserve a spot. This is a two-day workshop, but you must register for both days to attend. To attend on May 8, please register through the eventbrite portal for day one. To attend on May 9, please register through the eventbrite portal for day two.

Portions of the workshop will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Breakout and discussion sessions will not be available for virtual participation. For more details on the livestream and how to register, visit the webinar site on Zoom. You can also view the workshop agenda at the link on the right of this page.

Public comment period

BLM is accepting public comments about the management and conservation of pinyon and juniper ecosystems through May 20, 2024. BLM is specifically interested in information regarding:

• Classifying different types of pinyon-juniper ecosystems and identifying appropriate management actions.
• Assessing the condition of pinyon and juniper woodlands.
• Values associated with old-growth pinyon and juniper woodlands.
• Identifying threats to pinyon-juniper ecosystems and management methods to increase their resiliency.
• Planning for a diversity of ecosystems and conditions.
• Data and information gaps.
• Incorporating Indigenous knowledge to improve our understanding and management of pinyon and juniper woodlands.

Comments can be electronically submitted to the project email address, blm_wo_forestry@blm.gov. To submit written comments, please send mail to:

Debra Paul
Bureau of Land Management
Coeur d’Alene District Office
3232 W. Nursery Road
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815

Background Information

On April 22, 2022, the President signed Executive Order 14072, Strengthening the Nation's Forests, Communities, and Local Economies,  which sets forth the Biden administration’s policy to conserve America’s mature and old-growth forests on federal lands and directs BLM and U.S. Forest Service to define and inventory those forests, analyze threats to them, and develop policies to institutionalize climate-smart management and conservation strategies, with robust opportunity for public comment. BLM and U.S. Forest Service completed the initial inventory of mature and old-growth forests in April 2023. The initial inventory identified 24 million acres of mature and old-growth pinyon and juniper woodlands on federal lands, making the pinyon-juniper group the most abundant old-growth forest type on Forest Service and BLM lands. of mature and old-growth forests in April 2023. The initial inventory identified 24 million acres of mature and old-growth pinyon and juniper woodlands on federal lands, making the pinyon-juniper group the most abundant old-growth forest type on Forest Service and BLM lands.