Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) has the largest geographic range of the southern yellow pines, occurring in 23 states. Extensive logging, the loss of open range grazing of livestock and a lack of disturbance including fire for regeneration have contributed to a 53% decline in its range since 1980. Commercially shortleaf pine was a major timber source and provided not only pulp for paper but exceptionally valuable sawtimber for lumber production along with poles for utility uses. The fire adapted stands of shortleaf pine and shortleaf pine/oak were excellent habitat for early successional flora eg. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and fauna eg. Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginiananus) in the understory as well as late successional habitat in the overstory eg. Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis).
Results/Conclusions
In 2013, the Shortleaf Pine Initiative (SPI) was formed to identify the threats facing shortleaf pine ecosystems and also the strategies and partnerships that could address these threats. An Advisory Committee (recently enlarged and changed to a Board) was formed and comprised representatives from natural resource agencies and organizations with a shared goal of maintaining, improving and restoring shortleaf pine forests and associated wildlife habitat values. A Director was hired in 2014 and Shortleaf Pine Restoration Plan in 2016 and a recently an MOA was signed between the US Forest Service (USFS) and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA), formalizing the Center for the Restoration of Shortleaf Pine (CRSP).
Partnerships across public and private agencies have been an important component of this effort to successfully implement the Restoration Plan and accomplish measurable outcomes. This presentation will outline the history of the Shortleaf Pine Initiative with particular attention paid to the importance and value of the multi-agency partnership approach. The results of this presentation can lead to a best practices discussion for how successful restoration initiatives can be achieved with limited funds and resources.