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Shortleaf pine forests and associated habitats once covered a vast area of the continent stretching from eastern Texas and Oklahoma to the eastern seaboard from New Jersey down to Florida. Early settlers and Government Land Office surveys describe these pine dominated and mixed pine-oak forests as open woodlands where sunlight reached the ground and a diverse assortment of native wildlife flourished. Over the last 30 years, this extensive shortleaf pine ecosystem has lost over 50% of its former acreage with most of the significant decline taking place east of the Mississippi River. Massive pine beetle outbreaks in poorly managed stands, changes in timber management practices, altered fire regimes, disease, and land use changes have contributed to this rapid decline. These forested landscapes across twenty two states represent an extraordinary diversity of cultural, ecological and economic values centered on wildlife and recreation, water quality, and a high-value wood products industry. With millions of people depending on the values and benefits of this imperiled ecosystem, the need to develop a range-wide conservation strategy is more compelling than ever. The following areas support why shortleaf is an important native species to restore.
Ecological and social history of shortleaf pine
History
Life history & characteristics of shortleaf
Silvics
Shortleaf wood characteristics & products
Wood Quality
Current & future shortleaf trends
FIA Data
Shortleaf economic analysis
Economics
Shortleaf's adaptability in a variable climate
Climate Change
Comparing shortleaf to other southern pines
Species Comparisons
Diverse vegetation & wildlife
Diverse Ecosystems
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