The pine forests of the Rocky Mountain ecosystem are vast and varied. Besides deciduous trees (Aspens, oaks, sycamores) the forests are made up of hundreds of millions of Ponderosa, Lodge Pole, Scotch, and Limber pines. These pines are threatened by two major natural phenomena: fire and insects (the Mountain Pine Beetle, the Ash Borer, and other types of borers and insects). But the forests survive and prosper. Pictured above is a pine forest in the midst of a regrowth cycle following a fire. If you look closely you can see the new pine trees covering the hillside with ruminants of the old forest poking above the small, newer trees. Some pines re-germinate only after their seeds are touched by fire! Some pine seeds are spread by wind, birds, or wild animals. And...some forests are planted by humans for harvest at a later date.