recreationally. There is less canopy cover in a ponderosa pine community compared to a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and spruce/fir community, resulting in more grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The high species richness of the understory in this community makes it preferred by grazing animals such as elk (Cervus elaphus), deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and moose (Alces alces). Wildfire In the northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho and western Montana, dry settings of ponderosa pine forests historically burned by low severity surface fires that did not kill overstory trees at 15 to 23 year mean return intervals. Cultural burning by Native Americans augmented and even dominated burning in several locations. Recreation The ponderosa pine forest is a favored location for summer cabins and is often easily accessed. Much camping and four-wheel driving happens during the summer in the area also. Hunting is favored in the ponderosa pine forest because the trees are more spaced out than other conifer forests making for better range of sight, and the forest is lower and has less snow. See also Ponderosa pine forest Colorado Rockies forests Rocky Mountain Floristic Region South Central Rockies forests Temperate coniferous forests References Temperate coniferous forests of the United States Forests of the Rocky Mountains