A field day and workshop held on May 23rd at the U.S. Forest Service Kisatchie National Forest Ranger District office near Natchitoches, Louisiana is among the first ventures to spark landowner interest in longleaf pine along the western edge of this species’ historic range.
Longleaf pine technology transfer efforts in the West are led by a partnership of more than 12 federal and state agencies, along with nongovernmental organizations such as The Longleaf Alliance, National Wild Turkey Federation, and The Nature Conservancy.
Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) scientists from the Restoring Longleaf Pine Ecosystems unit helped organize the event and with others, led morning field presentations designed to:
• highlight comparisons of timber values between longleaf and other pine species,
• provide practical ways to encourage biodiversity and wildlife habitat during longleaf restoration, and introduce state-of-the-art regeneration technology geared to meet the needs of the private landowner.
In one of the first presentations, Clint Iles of Templin Forestry, Inc. of Alexandria, Louisiana, used the backdrop of a 70-year-old slash pine stand scheduled for conversion to longleaf pine to describe how mixed and pure longleaf pine stands produce high quality poles and small saw logs not available in comparable pure stands of loblolly and slash pine. To the timber buyer, these products bolster the appeal of longleaf pine for small sale areas typically offered by non-industrial private landowners.
From The USFS Southern Research Station: https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2013/06/26/field-day-inspires-landowners-in-the-western-longleaf-pine-range/