Description
An engaging look at the history of the piñon pine and its ecosystem. Combining natural history and observations of the cultural importance of the tree to both native Indians and European settlers, Lanner provides information on the management of the tree and its interdependence with the birds and animals of the piñon-juniper woodland. Science, cultural history, and ecologicall issues, plus delicious recipes using the piñon pine nuts, make for a concise natural and cultural history of the piñon pine.

Reviews
"A well-written and often witty survey of the natural history of (piñon) pines, spiced with observations on their importance to the native Indians and subsequent European settlers. . . . The engaging text and copious pictures make it difficult to put the book down, and the appendix of recipes for pine-nut dishes is an added bonus." —Library Journal

“Lanner's book is beautifully written. From the preface through the final chapter on the future of the pinon-juniper woodland, the book makes for enjoyable reading. A final section on

Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
Woodlands of Piñon Country
Through Time and Space—How Piñons Came to Pinon Country
Origin of a Species—How the Singleleaf Piñon was Born
Closing the Circle—How Hybrid Trees are Formed
Rats, Pines, and Pre-History—How Pack Rats Help Man Read the Past
A Place to Live, Something to Eat—A Tree is What You Make It
Feathered Cultivators—Birds that Plant Trees in the Desert
Man Meets Tree, Tree Meets Man—Beginning a Lasting Relationship
Food that Grows on Trees—Prospering in the Great Nut Grove
Reading Nature's Message
The Piñon in Indian Myth
Better than Those in Castile—Men on Horseback Come to Piñon Country
Pine Nuts as a Foodstuff
Science Finds the Piñon
Fuel for a Silver Empire
Turning Woodlands into Pastures—The Hard Way
Tomorrow's Woodland
Pine-Nut Cookery
Notes
Bibliography
Index