"Some of these little trees are sixty years old. They haven't had room enough to grow, not enough light, not enough water."
The forest that was there naturally when we came in from the East was essentially grassland. There was more actual space devoted to grass than to trees, and the trees were widely separated. The larger ponderosa pines don't take fire easily, so you could have a ground fire sweep across periodically, kill the smaller trees, and it would essentially landscape the forest. That was healthier for the trees that are there. Some of these little trees are sixty years old. They haven't had room enough to grow, not enough light, not enough water. It's not healthy for the trees that are there. It makes it very hard to go hiking, too!