How You Can Help
Join us in working toward a thriving future for all.
Care For Your Woodland
Without abundant piñon pine seeds, Pinyon Jays can’t survive, and without abundant Pinyon Jays, piñon woodland can’t thrive – their seeds are too heavy to spread on the wind and require animals, especially the Pinyon Jay and other birds, to disperse them.
You can help by taking care of the piñon pines on your private property so they produce more seed and donate them to the birds and reforestation efforts.
ACTION: Defenders of Wildlife piñon pine care program
ACTION: Plant native grasses and wildflowers in your woodland, check with your local nursery for Piñon-Juniper habitat wildflower mixes.
Go Birding
Scientists and a slew of local conservation groups are rallying a small army of volunteers to gather the data needed to understand the elusive lives of Pinyon Jays, exactly why they are in decline and figure out how to help them thrive in this landscape. You don’t need to be an expert birder to join the effort, anyone interested in learning about these social, intelligent jays can help.
VOLUNTEER: Audubon Southwest Pinyon Jay Initiative
VOLUNTEER: Grand Canyon Trust Pinyon Jay Project
VOLUNTEER: Great Basin Bird Observatory Pinyon Jay Community Science Hub
Speak out for Pinyon Jays
Pinyon Jays need your time and attention and your voice. Let the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know that you support Pinyon Jay habitat protection and recovery efforts.
STAY INFORMED: Link to updates on status of Endangered Species Listing for Pinyon Jay
Respect the Crust!
The presence of biocrust is an indicator of health in the piñon-juniper ecosystem. It keeps soil in place, holds in moisture, and regulates soil temperatures, all factors which piñon trees need to survive and produce seeds. As important as biocrust is to keeping the desert soil intact, it is also fragile and easily damaged by a hiker’s boots or cow’s hooves. When you are walking through piñon-juniper habitat, do your best to stay on the trail so you don’t bust the crust!
GET TO KNOW THE CRUST: Science Moab Podcast Episode on Biocrust
TAKE ACTION: Don’t Bust The Crust, Leave No Trace Video
Take Action on Climate Change
Pinyon Jays and their woodland home depend on a stable climate
TAKE ACTION: 350.org
Host the Exhibit
Bring the conversation about Piñon-Juniper Woodlands and Pinyon Jays to your area! A series of up to 24 storytelling images with detailed captions and an optional online multimedia add-on, the “Piñon Country” Exhibit reveals the amazing lives of the smart and social Pinyon Jays, the role they play in the ecosystem, the peril they and their woodland home now face, and the conservation efforts on their behalf. Contact us to bring the traveling, outdoor photography exhibit to a venue in your part of Piñon Country.