Project Summary:

The longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the scarcest plant communities in the West Gulf Coastal Plain and Southeastern United States, with less than 3 percent remaining in the Southeastern landscape and only 2 percent of the original 3 million acres remaining in East Texas.

A well-managed longleaf pine savanna that includes frequent prescribed fire creates a diverse ecosystem that includes:

• Native understory grasses, forbs, trees, shrubs and vines that provide habitat for wildlife.
• Rare and endangered species such as the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, and the Louisiana Pine Snake. 
• Game species such as the Eastern Wild Turkey, Northern Bobwhite Quail, and American Woodcock, and many more.

Additionally, fire-maintained longleaf pine forests use 15 percent less water than fire-excluded systems, the diverse groundcover filters water more effectively, and the forest sequesters carbon longer than other southern pine species. Stewardship of longleaf pine forests can create diverse sources of income for forest landowners through forestry products, hunting and recreational leases, carbon trading, and other mitigation programs. Due to its ecological, historical, and cultural importance, restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem has become a regional and a Texas conservation priority over the last four decades, now taking place on public and private lands throughout the southeastern United States. 

In 2010, the Texas Longleaf Taskforce was created to promote the restoration of longleaf pine on private and public forest lands in Texas. In 2014, the taskforce developed a steering committee of 15 conservation organizations known as the Texas Longleaf Team (TLT) to focus on East Texas longleaf pine restoration, specifically in the Longleaf Ridge and Big Thicket geographic areas. TLT, now 250 members strong, shares their passion for restoration of the longleaf ecosystem in Texas through landowner and industry outreach and education, technical support, and cost-share programs that assist landowners in implementation of prescribed fire, planting and other beneficial management practices.

Project Mission:

The mission of the Texas Longleaf Team is to promote the maintenance and restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem on private and public forestlands, including its cultural and economic values, through a collaborative network of diverse stakeholders and working groups.

Project Impact:

• Projected 115,000 acres of enhanced longleaf pine, 30,000 acres of maintained longleaf pine, and 15,000 acres of newly established longleaf pine ecosystem by 2025.

• • 1.03 million Texans impacted with improved water quality, air filtration, and opportunity for economic benefits through conservation, water, and carbon offsets.
  • Carbon sequestered much longer than other southern Pine species due to its longer lifetime and height.
  • 15% reduction in water usage and better filtration due to fire maintenance and groundcover diversity of longleaf savannas. 

• Supplemental sources of income for landowners through carbon trading, wildlife leases, mitigation opportunities, clean water and air, and biodiversity maintenance.
• Approximately $2,739/acre/year value in ecosystem services encompassing benefits to carbon, biodiversity, water, and culture.

Partners Include:

TLT is led by a steering committee comprised of representatives of the following partner organizations: Forest Resource Consultants, Hancock Timber Resource Group, International Paper, Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture, National Park Service, National Wild Turkey Federation, Resource Management Service, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas Forestry Association, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Nature Conservancy, T.L.L Temple Foundation, USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Project Needs:

The Texas Longleaf Team was selected as a Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler based on the project’s positive impact to people, prosperity, and natural resources. Through the program, Texan by Nature and TLT are working together to address the following needs: 

• Diversification of funding for cost-sharing with landowners to fuel increased longleaf pine restoration and management on private land in East Texas.
• Expansion of network of partners in TLT’s geographically significant areas
• Quantification of social, economic, and environmental benefits of longleaf pine restoration 
• Enhanced media visibility and brand continuity to improve the effectiveness of digital communications for a broader audience 

Texan by Nature’s Vision and Support:

Texan by Nature (TxN) is working with Texas Longleaf Team (TLT) to bring a broader awareness to the need for collaboration between industry and conservation organizations to fuel sustainable efforts across the state. TxN is supporting TLT in brand awareness, expansion of their partner network, quantifying the environmental and economic benefits of restoration, and connecting industry partners with restoration opportunities. 

Contact Texan by Nature at info@texanbynature.org & (512)-284-7482 if you can provide resources, connections, are interested in partnering, or would like to learn more.