Pathways to care in pinyon–juniper woodlands: Insights from Indigenous‐led monitoring and a public survey

Conservation decisions often require navigating tensions among ecological, cultural, economic and social priorities. While debates frequently centre on single‐species outcomes, less is known about how care for landscapes may contribute to co‐stewardship.

Pinyon–juniper woodlands of California's Eastern Sierra Nevada provide a compelling case study. These culturally significant, climate‐stressed ecosystems are cared for by Tribes of the Eastern Sierra and Great Basin and managed by federal agencies, requiring coordination across knowledge systems and institutional mandates.

We examined care through an Indigenous‐led woodland monitoring network designed to track changes in woodland health and cone production, priorities identified by Tribal Environmental Departments.

We also conducted a regional household survey to assess residents' recognition of pinyon–juniper woodlands (via photo) and tested whether species knowledge and demographic factors predicted four composite indices related to care: support for environmental education, environmental responsibility, reciprocity‐connectedness to nature, and cultural heritage values.

Across 516 monitored trees (2024–2025), cone production varied across sites and tree characteristics: trees in poor condition produced approximately 50% fewer cones, and old mature trees produced approximately 60% more cones. Most trees were healthy (83%), yet juvenile density was low (mean = 3.85). Areas of poor health aligned with long‐standing observations by Indigenous stewards and highlighted newly assessed areas of stress.

Household survey respondents ( n  = 732) correctly identified pinyon–juniper woodlands at high rates (69%), with variation across groups: higher rates were found among men and in individuals with higher educational attainment, liberal political orientation and longer residence in the Eastern Sierra.

Pinyon–juniper knowledge showed no main effect on care indices but was modestly associated with higher environmental responsibility among respondents with lower climate change knowledge. The four indices were positively correlated and organized into two axes, with climate change knowledge and political orientation as the strongest predictors.

Together, these findings show that care for pinyon–juniper woodlands operates across social–ecological scales, from on‐the‐ground stewardship that reasserted Indigenous sovereignty to place‐based pathways into environmental responsibility.

Effective co‐stewardship depends on Indigenous leadership, institutional support and attention to how environmental values are socially structured, offering lessons for care‐based stewardship under accelerating climate pressures and constrained resources.