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Great things are happening at the Shortleaf Pine Initiative!January 28, 2016 The 3rd Biennial Shortleaf Pine Conference (held this past September in Knoxville, TN) was a huge success. Nearly twenty speakers gave compelling presentations on topics including shortleaf silviculture, economics, and wildlife management. The conference included a field trip to Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, an excellent example of a well maintained and developing shortleaf savanna, woodland and forest. More than 100 people attended the conference and have provided positive feedback. We are already making plans for the 4th Biennial Shortleaf Conference, which will take place in October 2017 in New Jersey. Conference information will be posted as plans are finalized. We are also looking forward to the imminent release of the Shortleaf Pine Restoration Plan (SPRP), one of the greatest achievements of the Initiative. This was a huge undertaking and would not have been possible without partnering organizations and individuals contributing their time, expertise, and services. The SPRP covers the history, ecology, and economics of shortleaf pine and presents a range-wide response to the rapid decline of shortleaf pine in its range. This information was gathered over a series of workshops held in 2013 and 2014 and has been thoroughly reviewed by our partners, peers, and experts in the fields of forestry and wildlife. The SPRP is in final draft now, and we expect to release it soon following a final review. In other good news, we were able to add two members to our team to tackle some of the projects and responsibilities that have emerged as the Initiative has grown – Penny Barnhart (Accounting Specialist) and Alyssa Merka (Administrative Specialist). They are based out of UTK’s Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries in Knoxville, TN. We look forward to sharing the Shortleaf Pine Restoration Plan with you soon! If you have any questions or would like to get involved, feel free to contact us at shortleafpine@utk.edu. |
