Yeah, well basically Toby Hemmenway says in Gaia's Garden to look and see what natives grow in your area and see if they have cultivated varieties. So where I live in Upstate NY, a food Forest totally makes sense because Cherries, Blue berries and Straw berries grow wild all over. So that's why We are building a cherry tree guild.
I've been to your area and I know Elk and Pronghorns and Mule deer live there, so basically you would be growing the cultivated versions of ungulates! Of course aren't there little groves of trees along creek bottoms? I see what you are saying, though.