The Decline of the Longleaf Pine
Spanning across 90 million acres, longleaf pine trees used to be one of the most abundant pine species in North America prior to colonial times. Due to their value in regards to turpentine and timber, forests were cut down, and now only about 4 million acres of longleaf pine trees remain.
The Challenges Facing Reforestation Efforts
Reforestation is a way to improve forest health and combat deforestation, which is the permanent removal of trees to convert the land for non-forest use. But reforestation isn’t as simple as planting a few trees and immediately reaping those benefits. There are struggles that come along with the process.
Pacific Northwest Impacted by Climate Change
The negative effects of climate change were seen once again two weeks ago along the Pacific Northwest when a record-breaking heat wave killed more than one billion sea creatures. As temperatures climbed above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for four days in June, breaking temperature records, the sea animals began to wash ashore in the following weeks.
Tracking Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Carbon Sequestration of Longleaf Pine
The longleaf pine plays a large role in storing carbon emissions. According to a study conducted by a research team led by Lisa Samuelson, the director of the Center for Longleaf Pine Ecosystems and a professor at Auburn University, as much as 39% of overall ecosystem carbon can be stored in the trunks and branches of longleaf pine.
Ecosystems Spotlight: Forests, Grasslands, Coastal, Marshes, and Watersheds
An ecosystem is made up of living and nonliving parts. All the interactions between these parts are linked, creating a complex community. But that doesn’t mean ecosystems have to be large; a puddle can be just as much of an ecosystem as a desert.
Why We Need Healthy Forests
Forest health is defined by the Society of American Forests as “the perceived condition of a forest derived from concerns about such factors as its age, structure, composition, function, vigor, presence of unusual levels of insects or disease, and resilience to disturbance.” A healthy forest is an intricate system balanced by all of its interacting parts: climate, environment, plants and animals, and humans. When one of these parts overpowers the system, then the forest health is affected.
Invasive Species Spotlight: Wild Boar, Popcorn Tree, Japanese Beetle, and Apple Snail
Invasive species are non-native organisms that negatively affect their new ecosystems, causing environmental and economic harm. These organisms can be brought to new environments accidentally, like the Japanese beetle, or on purpose, like the popcorn tree. What invasive species all have in common is their adaptability and the harm they cause native plants and animals, property, and the economy.
The Importance of the Longleaf Pine Savanna
The longleaf pine (Pinus Palustris) is the foundational species of the longleaf pine savanna. Longleaf pine savannas are home to a tremendous diversity of mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, and plant species. This extraordinary ecosystem was foundational to the building of American biodiversity, America’s Navy, and America’s economy. Due to overexploitation, this diverse, rich ecosystem is fading and on the brink of collapse, but several state- and nation-wide initiatives are resurrecting this phoenix forest one acre at a time.