Longleaf Values
Longleaf pine forests were once incredibly vast. From the Atlantic coastal plain of southeastern Virginia to the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas, these forests encompassed more than 90 million acres of the North American landscape, and represented an extraordinary wealth and diversity of cultural, ecological, and socio-economic values. The tree itself, longleaf pine, literally sustained the growth of America with an abundant source of timber and naval stores. It built homes, bridges, ships, and railroads, and symbolized the bounty of natural resources that made the nation prosperous. Although longleaf pine remains a highly valuable commodity in markets today, the value of these forests runs far deeper than economics and trees.
Cultural
Longleaf pines and the systems they support are woven into the cultural fabric of America. The open, fragrant, “piney woods” are as much a part of southern culture and folklore as cornbread. Their beauty, diversity, and humble intimacies have been the inspiration for some of the country’s most honored writers, artists, and naturalists. Long before European colonization, generations of Native Americans sustained themselves with the natural and spiritual riches these lands offered—lands that they revered through their customs and rituals. Throughout time, nature lovers, sportsmen, photographers, and outdoor enthusiasts have enjoyed an endless array of recreational and aesthetic pursuits tied to the abundance and splendor of these systems.
Ecological
Today’s remnants of the longleaf pine forests are some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems outside of the tropics. More than 140 species of vascular plants can be found in a 1,000 m2 area, with as many as 40 to 50 different plant species in one square meter. Nearly 900 endemic plant species—species found nowhere else—are found in these systems across the Southeast U.S. One hundred and seventy of the 290 reptiles and amphibians occurring in the Southeast are found in longleaf pine ecosystems, with 30 reptile and amphibians that are specialists to the longleaf system. Coupled with the extensive decline of this forest type, 29 species associated with longleaf are Federally listed as threatened or endangered.
Economic
Today, longleaf pine forests provide landowners and managers with a variety of economic opportunities. Private sector markets include returns from high value solid wood products, quality pine straw and higher real estate values. Additionally, private and public funds are available for conservation easements and ecosystem services including conservation banking payment or mitigation, and premiums for wildlife hunting leases. From the public sector, landowners also receive preference on many cost-share and landowner incentive programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program.
Response to Climate Change
Though much additional scientific study needs to be done to understand current and future effects due to climate change, current information suggests that longleaf pine is the clear “winner” among all the southeastern pines (including loblolly, shortleaf and slash) by a wide margin in terms of response to climate change. This is consistent with the fact that longleaf and other favored species are more resistant to drought and high temperatures. Longleaf also offers other ecological benefits, as compared to other tree species, such as reduced reduced risk from wild fires, most insects and diseases, and hurricane and wind-related events/storms.
