Historic Longleaf Pine Range

Significant landscapes for longleaf pine conservation.

Historic longleaf pine range.

Before european settlement longleaf pine forest dominated as much as 90 000 000 acres 360 000 km 2 stretching from virginia south to florida and west to east texas. Historic pre european settlement range of longleaf pine forests based on little 1971. To be eligible for funding projects must occur within the historic longleaf pine range as depicted on the map below. Initially plot locations for this project should be on lands east of the mississippi river and north of latitude 29ᵒn.

Longleaf pine and its accompanying forest ecosystems covered vast swaths of the southern united states spanning an estimated 92 million acres. This is especially beneficial for the red cockaded woodpecker an endangered species found mainly in mature long leaf pine forests in southern states. Longleaf pine forests were remarkable in the sense that they covered such a large geographical range. Range the historic range of the longleaf pine once extended from southeastern virginia to florida west through louisiana to east texas.

In 2005 america s longleaf restoration initiative alri was formed to support a focused range wide restoration approach across public and private lands. Longleaf pine pinus palustris mill was once one of the most ecologically important tree species in the southern united states. Its range was defined by the frequent widespread fires that occurred throughout the southeast. Longleaf pines can survive.

Longleaf pine communities may have covered some 92 million acres but now fewer than 3 million acres remain. Alabama louisiana mississippi and texas forestry as a solution for gulf prosperity draft coastal management zone. According to boyer 1990. Public and private sector leaders have recognized the need to address the substantial decline in longleaf pine forests across the historic range in the southeast united states.

Perhaps what is taken for granted is how diverse this forest type was and is across the landscape. Only about one percent of their original range remains.