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An introduction to the Shortleaf Pine Initiative by The Nature Conservancy's McRee Anderson, who is the initiative's project manager.
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Shortleaf Pine Initiative
From Concept to Implementation
Discussion Topics
• Western Range Perspective • Regional Issues and Challenges • Shortleaf Pine Initiative • Implementation Plan and Timeline
Ozark Interior Highlands Range of Shortleaf Pine (23 States)
Ouachita Mountain - Shortleaf Pine Woodlands
Land Types
Ozark Interior Highlands Ozark Mountain - Oak Pine Woodlands
Background For Restoring
The Interior Highlands
“The Interior Highlands evolved under 12,000 years of natural and human induced fires”
-Tom Foti, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Surface Fires
Mixed Severity /Low Intensity
Photo: FM9 Head Fire by McRee Anderson
Historical Fire Burned At Landscape Scale Low Intensity Surface Fires
Fire history of oak–pine forests in the Lower Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA
R.P. Guyette and M.A. Spetich, 2003
Fire Return Interval
4.6 3.1 5
80+
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1680 - 1820 1821 - 1880 1881 - 1920 1921 - 2000
Date Range
Year
s
(Guyette and Spetich, 2003)
Fire history of oak–pine forests in the Lower Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA
Guyette and Spetich, 2003
Photo: Ouachita NF circ 1920
Upland Hardwood Forests and Related Communities of the Arkansas Ozarks in the Early 19th Century
Thomas L. Foti (2001) in
Upland Oak Ecology Symposium: History, Current Conditions, and Sustainability
Ozark Mountains 44 - 78 Trees/Acre
1.5M Acres Woodlands
Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands
•3.5 M Acres
•250 Endemic Species
Restoration Works!
“Grocery” or Species Diversity
Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands
•3.5 M Acres
•250 Endemic Species
Ecosystem Health and Sustainabilty
Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration
Shortleaf Pine Restoration – Environmental Effects
• Birds (Wilson et al. 1995)
• 16 Species of conservation concern occur with greater frequency in restored stands:
• Red-cockaded woodpecker Bachman’s sparrow • Eastern wood-peewee Brown-headed nuthatch • Northern bobwhite Red-headed woodpecker • Prairie warbler Wild turkey • Kentucky warbler Ruby-throated
hummingbird • Great-crested flycatcher Yellow-breasted chat • Common yellowthroat White-eyed vireo • Yellow-throated vireo Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration
Shortleaf Pine Restoration – Environmental Effects
•On deer forage (Masters et al. 1996)
•-7-fold increase in preferred forage in restored stands as compared to untreated
Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration
Shortleaf Pine Restoration- Environmental Effects
•On butterfly fauna (Thill et al. 2004)
•-numbers of adult butterflies were lowest in the untreated controls
•-were highest in treated stands the first year after burning
•-Diana’s fritillary, a species of conservation concern, was significantly more abundant in restored stands
•
European Occupation and Fire Suppression
Shortleaf Pine Woodlands
No Regeneration
Densification – Shade Tolerant species
Tree Density = 300+ tree/acre
Shortleaf Pine Initiative
Ecological and Social Issues
• Lack of Intact Shortleaf Pine Forest
• Lack of Pine Regeneration
• Loss of Timber Industry in Places • Decline in Wildlife Habitat at Scale
• Loss of Ecological Integrity at Scale
Wildlife and Ecological Issues!
Red Oak Borer Damage 2000-01 Interior Highlands
1 Million Acres of Oak Mortality
Challenging Ecosystem!
Fire Management Issues!
Regional Workshops Fire Management Issues!
Private Lands
(did I set the brake?)
Fire history
Current conditions
Partnerships
Demonstrations
How to put it all together??
Shortleaf Pine Initiative Stakeholder Workshops
Monitoring
• Steering Committee Formation • 15 Partner Agencies – Monthly Meeting
• Planning Team Formed •Strategy Initiated
• Website/Logo • Stakeholder Workshops
• Write Plan
Shortleaf Pine Initiative To Dos!
McRee Anderson Project Lead
Elizabeth Holcomb Senior Tech Analyst
Doug Zollner Plan Developer
Mike Black Senior Conservationist
George Hernandez Senior Scientist
Alex Wyss Media/Marketing
Clarence Coffee Regional Planning Lead
Lark Hayes Consultant
Shortleaf Pine Initiative Planning Team
Overall Project Management, Steering Committee, Develop and Lead Regional
Workshops, coordinate plan review process
Write draft plan, Develop and co-Lead Regional Workshops
GIS, Research and Writing, Listserv, Website Management, Coordinate Steering Committee
Co-lead Regional Workshops, Demonstration Site Development, Partnership and Outreach
Website, Logo, Brand, Outreach, Co-lead Regional Workshops
Co-lead Regional Workshops, Scientific Review
Co-lead Regional Workshops, Demonstration Site Development, Partnership and Outreach
Internal plan review, mentor/advise
Ozark Interior Highlands Regional Stakeholder Workshops
Western Range Ft Smith, AR September 2013
Central Range Knoxville, TN June 27-28
Eastern Range Roanoke, VA October 11
Workshop Implementation Timeline Workshop
Date Location Regional Targets
1 June 27-28 2013
Knoxville, TN UT Agricultural Building Holiday Inn
Central Range (KY, TN, OH, NC, FL, GA, AL, MS)
2 September 2013
Ft. Smith, AR Shortleaf Pine Conference Meeting Location -TBD
Western Range (TX, OK, AR, MO, LA)
3 October 11 2013
Roanoke, VA Appalachian Fire Conference Hotel Roanoke Conference Center
Eastern Range (WV, VA, SC,
4 February 2014
TBD Northeast Range (MD, PA, NJ, DE)
Regional Stakeholder Workshops Pre-Work Components
Part A. Shortleaf Pine Habitats -Current condition Part B. Threats to shortleaf pine habitats. Part C. Describe the most important barriers to shortleaf pine restoration Part D. Describe Restoration Actions Taken To Date. Part E. What strategies do you think would be most effective in getting to implementation of shortleaf pine habitat restoration?
Shortleaf Pine Initiative Planning Timeline
Summer – Fall 2013 Regional Stakeholder Workshops
Fall - Winter 2013 Regional Stakeholder Workshops Input for Plan Development
Spring -Fall 2014 Range-wide Shortleaf Plan (DRAFT)
Regional Workshops
Photo: Oak Woodlands, Bayou Ranger District, John Andre
Questions ?
Photos by John Pelton
Liatris pycnostachya
Castilleja coccinea
Mimosa quadrivalvis ssp. nuttallii
Echinacea pallida
Asclepias tuberosa
Silphium laciniatum
Regeneration Issues!
Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands
•3.5 M Acres
•250 Endemic Species
Restored Fire Regime (Frequency/Seasonality)
Photo: LBL, KY by Jim McCoy
Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands
•3.5 M Acres
•250 Endemic Species
Regional Workshops
Thanks!
Restored Ecosystem = Healthy System
Herbaceous Diversity - 100- 150 species/ acre
Tree Density - 38-76 trees/ acre