Fire in the Land of the Longleaf Pine
(Coastal Plain)

Longleaf pine forests are filled with mystery and wonder.

The State Tree is the “pine tree,” and the most famous pine of all is the longleaf pine. Many know it from our State’s Toast: “Here’s to the land of the longleaf pine…” The longleaf has had a long and troubled history in the Southeast. It once covered 94,000,000 acres from Virginia to Texas, but longleaf forests now cover less than three percent of its original range. In North Carolina alone it was the dominant tree in 50 counties in the early 1800’s. This remarkable tree nurtured Native Americans, a colony, and a young state; and it now protects unique and sometimes fragile ecosystems. The longleaf forests have been diminished for many reasons---clearing of land for farms, cutting forests for timber, bleeding the trees for resin for turpentine and tar, and too many wild pigs! The most significant reason, however, was the lack of fire.

Play Video: LOW Speed HIGH Speed

Resources:

Longleaf Alliance
Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Fact Sheet
North Carolina Forestry Association
North Carolina State University Forestry Department
NC DENR Division of Forest Resources
Longleaf Fire Forest Educational Materials (lesson plans)
Longleaf Pine Restoration Teacher Forum