Longleaf Pine Part 1: Status

Longleaf pine forests historically covered much the southern United States from the Carolinas to Florida west to Texas, but have dwindled to only a few million acres across the range. Longleaf pine is an iconic tree species desired due to its wood properties and strength. Many homes and buildings built across the south in the 1800s were built with longleaf pine. Hardwood floors and wood beams constructed during that era are easily recognized by the tight wood grain and lack of knots and deformities.

The map shows Forest Inventory & Analysis plots with longleaf pine occurrence. The gif switches between trees and seedlings. Each dot represents a plot that had one or more longleaf pine trees or seedlings on it when it was last measured, between 2013 and 2017. The exact locations of the plots are obscured to protect the privacy of individual landowners who provide permission for FIA data to be collected.

From 2013 to 2017, 1,621 longleaf pine trees were measured in East Texas by the Forest Inventory & Analysis program. From this sample, we estimate that there are 23.7 million longleaf pine trees in that region. This includes any trees at least 1 inch in diameter.

Forest Inventory & Analysis also collects data on seedlings. From 2013 to 2017, 194 longleaf pine seedlings were observed, which leads to an estimate of 13.0 million seedlings across East Texas. Seedlings provide some insight on regeneration potential.

Check back next month for more information on why longleaf pine is important and what is being done about its future.

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Forest Inventory and Analysis shows where longleaf pine occurs in East Texas – and how much. https://t.co/S4Kw6GlkGF#FIA#MonthlyMapMonday#MapMondaypic.twitter.com/BSqb8q42Bs

— Texas A&M Forest Service (@TXForestService) September 24, 2018