COLLEGE STATION, TX — Texas A&M Forest Service and the
Texas Longleaf Pine Implementation Team have funding available for private
landowners interested in restoring and enhancing longleaf pine ecosystems on
their property. Grants are made available on a biannual basis by the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper (NYSE: IP) through the
Forestland Stewards Initiative. Funding was granted to help conserve and
restore this iconic and important American landscape.
Longleaf pine ecosystems are a natural part of East Texas,
and once spanned over 92 million acres across the American south. By the early
2000s, that number had fallen to 3.2 million acres. Thanks to longleaf pine
restoration programs, that number has risen – today it’s up to 4.7 million
acres – but it is still just 5% of their original volume.
Beyond their ties to Texas heritage, longleaf pine
ecosystems also provide a critical habitat for the most diverse plant and
wildlife ecosystems on the continent. More than 40 plant species have been
identified within a single square meter of longleaf pine forests, with up to
140 different species per quarter-acre, all inside of a prairie-style
understory that houses few shrubs or woody plants. This environment is ideal
for game species – such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey and quail – as well
as more endangered species, like the pocket gopher, Louisiana pine snake,
Bachman’s sparrow and the red-cockaded woodpecker.
“The contributions made by IP and NFWF through the
Forestland Stewards Initiative will go a long way to restoring one of the most
critical and diverse forest ecosystems within the state of Texas,” said Hughes
Simpson, Forest Systems Department Head at Texas A&M Forest Service.
Populations of longleaf pine began dwindling in the 20th
century, when timber harvesting was at its peak in East Texas. Longleaf pine
was harvested for its high-quality fiber, huge diameter and tall, straight boles,
which in turn produced high quality lumber. Texas A&M Forest Service, along
with the Forestland Stewards Initiative and the Texas Longleaf Implementation Team, hope
these qualities also produce an economic incentive for landowners to plant and sustainably
harvest longleaf pine.
“The forest sector contributes $41 billion to the Texas
economy annually,” said Simpson. “This project will add to that contribution,
while providing critical habitat to endangered plant and animal species in
Texas, clean drinking water and carbon storage.”
Available funding can assist landowners with the cost of
site-preparation and tree planting, as well as longleaf maintenance practices
like prescribed burning and other activities that promote forest stand
improvement. Landowners interested in planting, restoring, or enhancing longleaf
pine on their property can apply for financial assistance with THIS
FORM.
The deadline for applications is September 30, 2021. All
applications should be emailed to TexasLongleafTeam@gmail.com.
Hard copies can be mailed to the following address:
Texas A&M Forest Service
Forest Systems Department
200 Technology Way #1281
College Station, TX 77845
For more information about longleaf pine initiatives and how
to apply for financial assistance, visit: http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/longleaf
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Contacts:
Hughes Simpson, Forest Systems Department Head, Texas
A&M Forest Service,
hsimpson@tfs.tamu.edu, (979) 458-6658
Jenny Sanders, Texas Longleaf Implementation Team
Coordinator, TexasLongleafTeam@gmail.com,
936-225-2175
Texas A&M Forest Service Communications Office, newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu, 979-458-6606