A matter of a piñon

Tall, bushy, spiny and fragrant, the pinyon pine is a beloved feature of the Mountain West — and not just for its beauty. The tiny piñon nuts in the tree’s cones are so good, people in the region have eaten them every fall for countless generations. But as climate change continues to affect the United States, something terrible is happening. The piñon harvest is getting smaller and smaller.

Today we go to New Mexico, where the pinyon is the state’s official tree. We talk to Axios race and justice reporter Russell Contreras, who’s based out of Albuquerque and has an up-close view of the piñon’s slow disappearance. And a native New Mexican — Tey Marianna Nunn, director of the Smithsonian Institution's American Women’s History Initiative — tells us about the nut and tree’s cultural importance.

More reading:

Op-Ed: Pinyon and juniper woodlands define the West. Why is the BLM turning them to mulch?

Locally foraged piñon nuts are cherished in New Mexico. They’re also disappearing

Pine nut recipes: From small seeds, inspiration