The pine family evolved in Asia in response to mountain building which created a drier and more seasonal environment. The family evolved many interesting mechanisms to survive and eventually extended their range into North America and Mexico. Rapid evolution in Mexico produced a variety of pines, with two of them extending their range into the Southwest. Ponderosa pine is the tree that botanically defines the Southwest. A second tree, piñon pine, soon extended its range into the Southwest. The extension of piñon pine into the Southwest was aided by humans and by a remarkable bird, the piñon jay. This presentation will include an introduction to piñon pine and its human and bird interactions. Dr. Ubelaker is a biologist with a long history of working on the Taos campus and will bring his observations on the remarkable interactions of pine and bird to the lecture.