Pinyon-juniper woodland is the most common forest type in the American Southwest, covering over 40 million hectares (100 million acres) in 10 states, and extending south into Mexico, and north into Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming.
Prairie dogs are an important component of the ecosystems they inhabit. They directly and indirectly influence grasslands through their grazing and burrowing and as prey.
In 2016 the American bison was named our national mammal. Explore 15 fun facts about bison, from how to judge their mood (by the tail!) to the role of the National Park Service in conserving the species.
In March 2012, 39 firefighters from lands managed by the Department of the Interior came together at Chickasaw National Recreation Area to conduct prescribed burns in portions of the park. Fire crews burned 650 acres of eastern red cedar slash that had been left to dry after cutting. These burns were conducted as part of a continuing prairie restoration project to remove eastern red cedar and restore native grasslands to the park.
