Rincon (meadow)

For other uses, see Rincon.

A rincón is a grass meadow. The term is in wide use in English in the southwest United States, where it refers specifically to a sloping (usually steep) meadow on the south facing upper slopes of a forested mountain. These characteristic high meadows are formed by the repeated freezing and thawing of snow accumulations on south facing slopes, creating a habitat not conducive to forest. They are further maintained by a high frequency of low-intensity wildfire. A notable example of a wildfire begun in a rincon, with catastrophic consequences, was the 2000^[1] Cerro Grande Fire^[2][3] in New Mexico, United States.

Small meadow, called a rincón by the photographer

See also

• Goat prairie
• Potrero

References

1. "Despite sparking New Mexico's biggest-ever fire, experts say 'planned burns' are still best way to curb wildfires". businessinsider.com. June 6, 2022.
2. "US Senate Passes Spending Bill with NM Wildfire Relief". sfreporter.com. September 29, 2022.
3. "Echoes of the Cerro Grande wildfire 22 years later". Las Cruces Sun News. May 18, 2022.