2017 Range-wide Accomplishment Report Details Longleaf Restoration Work

Every year, ALRI compiles their numerous accomplishments into one comprehensive and detailed summary – the Range-wide Accomplishment Report.  We are thrilled to report on the great strides in the establishment and restoration of longleaf pine for 2017, with over 1.7 million acres receiving restoration activities! 

“All of us on the LPC remain intently committed to the ALRI goal of 8-million acres of longleaf pine, and the habitat for the many species of flora and fauna that depend upon the longleaf ecosystem,” says Jim Guldin, 2017 Longleaf Partnership Council Chair.  The success of ALRI year after year could not be possible without the remarkable work done by our 17 Longleaf Implementation Teams (LITs).  They are the “boots on the ground” responsible for educating and assisting the local communities and private landowners throughout the entire Southeast longleaf region, and their efforts make up a substantial portion of this year’s accomplishments.

In 2017, approximately 131,250 acres of new longleaf pine were planted, with an increase in planting occurring on private lands.  Prescribed burning took place on 1.37 million acres across both public and private lands.  Additionally, a new reporting category was included in this year’s Report to account for silvicultural activities, meaning 5,600 acres of new longleaf stands were created through hardwood pine removal, prescribed fire, and other activities that converted an existing forest into a new longleaf forest.

Says Guldin, “This Report captures a variety of other accomplishments in longleaf restoration that can be attributed to the gargantuan efforts of numerous dedicated longleaf enthusiasts across the range, and I applaud their hard work as we endeavor to restore this noble ecosystem.” 

The full findings, outcomes, and accomplishments of 2017 can be found here.

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