Since European settlement, pinyon-juniper woodlands have expanded into large portions of the southwestern United States historically occupied by grassland vegetation. Because grassland bird species are closely tied to vegetation structure, woodland expansion can substantially change the composition of breeding bird communities.

Effective integration of prescriptions employing aggregated retention of forest structure important to squirrels and other wildlife, reconstruction-based restoration prescriptions, and meso-reserves has the potential to optimize attainment of ponderosa pine forest ecosystem restoration and wildlife population goals.