Episode 308
Fire in the Longleaf Pine

The State Tree is the “pine tree,” and the most famous pine of all is the longleaf pine. This remarkable tree nurtured tribes of Native Americans, a colonyof settlers, and a young state; and it now protects unique and fragile ecosystems.

The once vast longleaf forests have been diminished for many reasons—clearing of land for farms, cutting forests for timber, bleeding the trees for resin to make turpentine and tar, and even the browsing of wild pigs. Perhaps the most significant reason for their scarcity, however, has been the lack of fire.

In this episode of Exploring North Carolina, the series takes  along, hard look at the natural history and future of these tall timbers.