Longleaf Pine Initiative Helping to Restore Longleaf Pine Forests in Southeast U.S.

Longleaf pine forests once covered more than 90 million acres across the Southeast U.S. Over the past couple of centuries development, timbering and fire suppression has greatly reduced the ecosystem’s range. The longleaf pine forest represents some of the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems and are home to nearly 600 plant and animal species.

That is why USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to work with agricultural producers and conservation partners to restore longleaf forests. This is being done through the Longleaf Pine Initiative (LLPI). The program allows NRCS to work with producers on private lands in nine states, including Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Landowners can improve the sustainability and profitability of longleaf pine forest ecosystems with NRCS providing technical and financial assistance.

The NRCS points out that a healthier longleaf pine forest translates into a more valuable timber and wildlife habitat and a more efficient operation through the use of forest management and prescribed burning systems. That is why they are encouraging landowners in the Southeast to learn more about the LLPI and see how it could benefit their operations.