News

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced another record setting year with $33.5 million in conservation grants from the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund (LLSF) to restore, enhance and protect longleaf pine forests in eight southern states.  These grants will leverage $21.2 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of $54.7 million.

The 2023 Range-wide Accomplishment Report of the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative celebrates 2.17 million acres of longleaf management activities across the nine-state historic range.  To date, partners have contributed to more than 23.8 million acres of longleaf management activities rangewide, and ALRI is celebrating its initial 15 years of partnership while simultaneously keeping an eye to the future.

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership announced the 2023 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishments Report showcasing how USDA, DOD, DOI, and their on-the-ground partners collaborate to solve complex land-use challenges, combining resources and aligning funding across the 13 sentinel landscapes. Through FY22, projects in sentinel landscapes attracted $1.16 billion in funds, permanently protecting over 677,100 acres. These contributions have enrolled 4.4 million acres in assistance programs to tackle land-use challenges in FY22 alone.

Five of the 13 Sentinel Landscapes occur in the longleaf pine range: Eastern North Carolina, South Carolina Lowcountry, Georgia, Northwest Florida, and Avon Park Air Force Range.  Read more about each of those Sentinel Landscapes and connections to longleaf pine in the report.

The 2024 REPI Challenge awarded $59 million from DoD and partner contributions to 17 projects, two of which are in the longleaf range, that will support fire management and protect against encroachment issues.

The 2024 NFWF Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund RFP is now open. The LLSF is a public-private partnership that expands, enhances, and accelerates longleaf pine ecosystem restoration across the historical longleaf range throughout the southeastern U.S.  Approximately $30 million in grant funding is available for on-the-ground projects that help accelerate longleaf pine restoration on private and public lands to support wildlife, sequester carbon, safeguard water quality, and increase forest resilience.  Proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 15, 2024. 

America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative celebrates initial fifteen years of conservation success and announces signing of a memorandum of understanding to renew partnership efforts to restore longleaf pine forests across the South for another fifteen years.

America’s Longleaf debuts the second iteration of the Range-wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine for 2025-2040!  With updated strategies and objectives, this revised Conservation Plan will guide our efforts in longleaf restoration for the next 15 years. 

In 2016, the James River National Wildlife Refuge obtained Virginia native longleaf pine plugs from the Virginia Department of Forestry.  Now, the longleaf pine demonstration site is thriving and progressing nicely into the bottlebrush stage. 

The America’s Longleaf 2022 Range-wide Accomplishment Report celebrates 2.22 million acres of longleaf management activities across the nine-state historic range.  This report includes detailed acreage results of longleaf restoration on private and public lands and specific stories showcasing examples of the many individuals, agencies, and projects that collectively contribute to the success of ALRI.

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is thrilled to announce the designation of the Virginia Security Corridor Sentinel Landscapes, which encompass the Potomac and Tidewater Sentinel Landscapes.  These designations are the result of five years of unwavering collaboration and dedication demonstrated by ambitious and committed partners within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced $32.7 million in partner funding and matching contributions through the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund will go toward grant projects to restore, enhance, and protect longleaf pine forests.  The largest grant slate in the program’s history will impact more than 500,000 acres of longleaf in all nine states of the historic longleaf range!

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is now accepting applications for the 2024 Sentinel Landscape Designation Cycle!  Apply today to become part of an innovative community working to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, and increase resilience to climate change.  Five of the current 11 Sentinel Landscapes lie within the historic longleaf range leading to increased protection and restoration opportunities for the longleaf ecosystem!

Important sentinel landscapes updates!  The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership designates a new sentinel landscape in the longleaf pine range - the South Carolina Lowcountry Sentinel Landscape, releases the 2022 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishments Report, and celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the partnership.

Meet Carol Denhof - plant ecologist, President of The Longleaf Alliance, and the new 2023 Longleaf Partnership Council Chair!  Recently, Carol was interviewed on her thoughts on a variety of topics regarding longleaf pine, the importance of private landowners, and the toughest question of all - her favorite longleaf plant!

The 2023 Request for Proposals for the NFWF Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund is now open. The LLSF is a public-private partnership that expands, enhances, and accelerates longleaf pine ecosystem restoration across the historical longleaf range throughout the southeastern U.S.  Approximately $16.9 million in grant funding is available to projects that restore, enhance, and maintain longleaf pine on private and public lands to improve wildlife habitat and water quality, with some funding also available for bottomland hardwood restoration.  Proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 2, 2023. 

The Longleaf Partnership Council gathered Council members, partners, and friends of longleaf in person for the first time in two years on May 23-24, 2022, to update on the ongoing efforts for longleaf pine restoration.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, through the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund, announced $7.5 million will go toward 22 grant projects to restore, enhance, and protect longleaf pine forests in nine southern states.  With non-federal matching contributions of $9 million, a total of $16.5 million will go towards the largest longleaf ecosystem conservation impact in the program’s history!

America’s Longleaf is out with its 2021 Range-wide Accomplishment Report, which highlights 2.29 million acres of longleaf management activities across the Southeast – the most acreage since America’s Longleaf formed in 2010.

Four installations within the Eastern North Carolina Sentinel Landscape received $4.3 million from the 2022 REPI Challenge to improve climate resiliency, assess surface water flow threats, and manage and protect wildlife habitats, including the longleaf pine ecosystem.

The Longleaf Partnership Council members, partners, and friends of longleaf met virtually in March for the first LPC meeting of 2022. Click the title to read all about it!

The Longleaf Partnership Council members, partners, and friends of longleaf met virtually in November for the fourth quarterly meeting of 2021. Click the title to read all about it!

Check out what the local implementation teams have been working on recently, including a feature on the first year accomplishments of the Longleaf for All working group!

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership announced three new areas designated as sentinel landscapes - Northwest Florida, Southern Indiana, and Camp Bullis in Texas. The Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape contains rural and agricultural lands, iconic longleaf pine forests, threatened and endangered species habitat, and key Department of Defense facilities, as well as public lands for public recreation opportunities and habitat for threatened and endangered species such as the red cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise, and frosted flatwoods salamander.

A new year means a new LPC Chair - TNC's Colette DeGarady! Learn more about Colette's background in longleaf restoration and her thoughts on what makes partnerships like ALRI so important.

The 2022 Request for Proposals for the NFWF Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund is now open. The LLSF is a public-private partnership that expands, enhances, and accelerates longleaf pine ecosystem restoration across the historical longleaf range throughout the southeastern U.S.  Approximately $5.6 million in grant funding is available to projects that restore, enhance, and maintain longleaf pine on private and public lands to improve wildlife habitat and water quality, with some funding also available for bottomland hardwood restoration.  Proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. 

The Longleaf Partnership Council recently released the updated Strategic Priorities and Actions 2022-2024.  This document lays out the blueprint for the next three years of recovery actions, allowing ALRI to move the needle towards the long-term goal of restoring 8 million acres of longleaf pine and setting up the partnership for future success.

In less than a year, ALRI's newest working group, Longleaf for All, is seeing incredible results in the forestry outreach community. Longleaf for All utilizes ALRI’s network and platform to increase minority participation in forestry-related programs, practices and activities, and help landowners reap the economic, ecological, and cultural benefits of owning forested land.

Learn about what ALRI's local implementation teams have been up to the last few months to restore longleaf pine across the historic range in the Fall 2021 LIT update.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund, in the 10th year of grant-making through this public-private partnership, announced 21 grant recipients and $12.2 million in partner funding and matching contributions to restore, enhance, and protect more than 415,000 acres of longleaf pine forests in all nine states of the historic Southeast range!

From Virginia, down to Florida, over to Texas, and all across the historic range, the local implementation teams continued to advance longleaf restoration through prescribed burning, education, and planting efforts.

The Longleaf Partnership Council is pleased to announce a new communications fact sheet showcasing how protecting and restoring longleaf pine forests can help keep help keep drinking water safe, reliable, and affordable. The fact sheet also highlights how good stewardship can contribute to drinking water and the benefits for water utilities of investing in longleaf restoration. 

The Longleaf Partnership Council members and partners met virtually in April to discuss recent accomplishments, updates, and activities of longleaf restoration. Click the title to read all about it!

A project benefiting three installations in the Eastern North Carolina Sentinel Landscape is one of the 2021 REPI Challenge funding recipients! Receiving nearly $3.5 million dollars in REPI funds and partner contributions, this project will protect against incompatible development and bolster ongoing conservation efforts, including managing and protecting the longleaf pine ecosystem.

The 2020 Range-wide Accomplishment Report marks 10 years of accomplishments thanks to the continued collaboration of the many partners that make up ALRI.  These achievements translate to positive outcomes for local economies, national defense, rare species, recreation, forest resiliency, wildfire risk, clean air and water, carbon sequestration, and climate change mitigation. 

Get to know the Longleaf Partnership Council Chair! Chris Erwin, American Forest Foundation Director of Biodiversity and Southern Region Conservation, veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and lifelong lover of the great outdoors, recently shared with us how he came to be involved in the longleaf effort and his insightful thoughts on the importance of family-owned forests in the Southeast.

ALRI is proud to announce Longleaf for All, a new working group focused on making the Longleaf Partnership Council a better partner for minority and unserved landowners and forestry professionals with the goal of creating a positive change within the forestry and longleaf community. Longleaf for All, with its diverse team of committee members from across the forestry field, will advise the LPC on ways to more effectively build relationships, share information and resources, and provide guidance on how ALRI and partners can enact long-term strategies for inclusion and opportunities.

Once again, our longleaf implementation teams were hard at work in their on-the-ground efforts to bring longleaf pine back to the landscape. Earlier this year, we officially welcomed Heartland LIT as our 18th LIT, based in the southern portion of the Florida longleaf range

The Longleaf Partnership Council gathered Council members, partners, and friends of longleaf to hold the now quarterly virtual meeting on January 26, 2021, to update on the ongoing efforts for longleaf pine restoration.

The Longleaf Partnership Council is pleased to announce a new communications fact sheet showcasing longleaf pine's unique tolerance to fire as well as highlighting the economic and conservation benefit to planting longleaf and utilizing prescribed burning as a forest management practice.

The SE FireMap is a new fire mapping system for the Southeastern United States. Developed with funding provided by the USDA NRCS, SE FireMap uses a remote sensing based approach to track both prescribed fire and wildfire activity on public and private lands across the range of the longleaf pine. 

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is now accepting pre-proposals for the 2021 Acres for America program, which funds projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements. Approximately $3.5 million in funding is available in 2021, and in the past, several grants have been awarded to longleaf projects!

Exciting work is going on across the longleaf range thanks to ALRI's local implementation teams! Check out all the updates on restoration and education efforts.

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is now accepting applications for its 2021 designation cycle! Apply today to become part of an innovative community working to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, and increase resilience to climate change.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest more than $46 million this year through the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership for projects that mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, and restore healthy forest ecosystems on public and private lands.  Among the eight new projects is "Sustaining Gains in Longleaf Pine Restoration Through Coordinated Cogongrass Control" in Alabama and Florida.

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia received a $5 million 2020 REPI Challenge Award to acquire an easement on 16,000 acres to, among other actions, protect, restore, and manage habitat for threatened, endangered, and at-risk species such as the gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, and woodstork.

The Longleaf Partnership Council met virtually with the greater longleaf conservation community in October to discuss updates and impacts to longleaf pine restoration efforts.  The theme of the latest meeting, “Giving Longleaf Its Moment”, encouraged new and innovative ways to acknowledge and celebrate the iconic species and ecosystem outside of in person festivities!

NFWF recently released the 2021 Request for Proposals for the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund, inviting all interested to submit applications for project grants that restore, enhance, and maintain the longleaf pine ecosystem on private and public lands, as well as support bottomland hardwood restoration and enhancement in focal areas of Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina.  This year, projects that help improve the understanding and quantification of the carbon and water benefits of longleaf pine and bottomland hardwood restoration and enhancement are of particular interest.  An informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at 3:00pm Eastern and all proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 4, 2021.

From nighttime burning in Georgia to storm cleanup in Louisiana and youth education in South Carolina, check out what the local implementation teams have been up to this Fall!

The USFWS announced a proposal to change the status of the red-cockaded woodpecker from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This will be published in the Federal Register, opening a 60-day public comment period.

The proposal comes from the many years of conservation actions undertaken by federal, state, and private partners to resurrect the RCW and its preferred longleaf pine habitat. ALRI is referenced in the announcement due to the collaborative efforts to restore the longleaf pine in the Southeastern landscape.

Meeting in the time of COVID-19!  Though things looked a little different this year, the Longleaf Partnership Council was still able to join together virtually this summer to discuss progress in ALRI’s efforts to restore longleaf pine and a variety of other topics.

Despite setbacks and limitations due to COVID-19, the local implementation teams, ALRI's boots-on-the-ground, were persistent in their efforts to further longleaf pine restoration. Read about all the work they've been up to this Spring and Summer!

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership released their 2020 accomplishments report outlining the Partnership's land conservation and natural resource restoration projects that strengthen military readiness, bolster agricultural and forestry productivity, conserve natural resources, and increase access to recreational opportunities.

Three of the seven Sentinel Landscapes occur in the longleaf pine range: Georgia, Eastern North Carolina, and Avon Park Air Force Range.  Read more about each of those Sentinel Landscapes and connections to longleaf pine in the report.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today released its new 5-year plan to conserve the Southeast’s threatened gopher tortoise by focusing on the conservation and restoration of its key habitat―longleaf pine forests, and fire will play a leading role in the efforts. The initiative has already conserved 274,302 acres of gopher tortoise habitat since 2017, and the new plan’s goal is to conserve an additional 975,687 acres by the end of 2024. The gopher tortoise is one of nine species to represent the USDA’s premier wildlife conservation program―Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW).

The 2020 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishment Report released today describes the work done to strengthen military readiness and protect the environment by a partnership that includes the Defense Department, the Agriculture and Interior departments, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Longleaf Stewardship Fund awarded 23 grants totaling $5.6 million to restore, enhance, and protect longleaf pine forests in the Southeast.  With non-federal matching contributions of $6.9 million, a total of $12.5 million will go towards an impressive longleaf ecosystem conservation impact!

Private landowners like Joseph McKinney are a vital piece of the ALRI success story. By utilizing NRCS cost share and technical assistance programs and working with local partners, Mr. McKinney is bringing back the majestic longleaf pine to his land and leaving a legacy for future generations.

The Longleaf Partnership Council is pleased to announce a new communications fact sheet emphasizing the benefits of longleaf pine during windstorms such as hurricanes and tornadoes.  

The 2019 Range-wide Accomplishment Report shines the spotlight on achievements in longleaf pine restoration activities over the past year and encourages further collaboration among partners in a push to reach our goal of 8 million acres of longleaf pine across the range.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has released the a Request for Proposals for the development of a longleaf pine growth and yield model.  The deadline for proposals is Thursday, April 30th. 

The Texas Longleaf Implementation Team has created a photo gallery of groundcover plants of longleaf forests.  These species can be found in wet longleaf pine forests and upland pine forests/woodlands in East Texas.  The photo gallery is an ongoing project so check back for updates!

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service recently released the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Restoration FY20-24 Implementation Strategy! The five-year strategy provides guidance on restoring, improving, and maintaining longleaf pine forests in the Southeast U.S.

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership will premiere “The Sentinels” on March 13^th during the D.C. Environmental Film Festival.

Find out why current Longleaf Partnership Council Chair Tiffany Woods is excited to be involved in longleaf restoration and the ALRI mission!

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has released the 2020 Request for Proposals for the Resilient Communities program.  This national program supports projects that focus on enhancing healthy forest ecosystems.  The deadline for pre-proposals is Tuesday, February 18th. 

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership has released a new Interactive Landowner Resources Tool.  The goal for this product is to make it easier for landowners to find voluntary state and federal landowner assistance programs and can be found on the redesigned Sentinel Landscapes website.

The biannual Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting was held on October 30, 2019, in Hilton Head, SC, to discuss the business of the LPC as well as promote broader understanding, coordination, and participation in ongoing activities in support of longleaf pine restoration to reach the eight million acre goal called for in The Range-wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine.  

NFWF recently released the 2020 Request for Proposals for the Longleaf Stewardship Fund, inviting all interested to submit applications for project grants that restore, enhance, and maintain the longleaf pine ecosystem on private and public lands. Additional funding this year is also available to support bottomland hardwood restoration and enhancement in focal areas of Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina.  An informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2019, at 2:00pm Eastern and all proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 6, 2020.

A huge THANK YOU to our local implementation teams for all the work they do in helping ALRI reach its goal of 8 million acres of longleaf pine!! Click here to read how our teams in the field spread the word and educate the public about longleaf restoration in their regions!

The Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay project received an $8 million REPI Challenge Award to, among other actions, restore and manage longleaf pine habitats, including gopher tortoise habitat, on the coast of Georgia.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundations’ Longleaf Stewardship Fund awarded 24 grants totaling $6.3 million to restore, enhance, and protect longleaf pine forests in the Southeast. These grants will support efforts to conserve more than 316,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat and recover populations of at-risk wildlife. With non-federal matching contributions, that’s more than $11.2 million going towards longleaf restoration!

The 2018 Range-wide Accomplishment Report celebrates the progress made in longleaf restoration over the past year and the past decade. Click here to read about how this year’s Report showcases ALRI's impacts in longleaf restoration from 2010-2018 and the values provided to the American people and the landscape.

The local implementation teams were hard at work the second half of 2018! From invasive species control to increasing prescribed burns, read all about the incredible work being done by the backbone of America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative.

Get to know the current Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council, Gary Burger!

The Longleaf Partnership Council and friends recently met to discuss the recent accomplishments and future of longleaf restoration in Columbus, Georgia, on April 1-2, 2019. Click the title to read all about it!

NFWF is now accepting pre-proposals for the 2019 Acres for America program. The goal of Acres for America is to provide urgently needed funding for projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements. Approximately $3.6 million is available for projects in 2019 and in the past, several grants have been awarded to longleaf projects! Click the title for more information.

An article in the most recent edition of The Longleaf Alliance's quarterly newsletter, The Longleaf Leader, describes the post-hurricane recovery and economic assessment of the Southeast states hit by Hurricanes Florence and Michael. Click the title to read the full article about what is being done and how landowners have been affected in the wake of these natural disturbances.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is now accepting grant proposals through their Longleaf Stewardship Fund to preserve and restore longleaf pine forests and ecosystems throughout the Southeast. An informational webinar will be held on Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at 2:00pm Eastern. All proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 7, 2019. Click on the title for more information.

The Longleaf Partnership Council recently met to discuss the business of ALRI and engage with other longleaf enthusiasts at the 12th Bienniel Longleaf Conference in Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 22-23, 2018. Click the title to read all about it!

The feature article of the Longleaf Alliance's Fall 2018 newsletter, The Longleaf Leader, showcases how ALRI came to start, how the different conservation groups, state and federal agencies, and private landowners work together to restore the longleaf ecosystem, as well as why this successful model of cooperative partnership can be used for other at-risk habitats.

The Longleaf Alliance will be presenting twelve Regional Longleaf Awards recognizing individuals and organizations that have made exemplary contributions to longleaf restoration across the range at this year's Biennial Longleaf Conference. A Recognition and Awards Luncheon will be held during the conference on Wednesday, October 24th. Congratulations to all of this year's deserving recipients!

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundations's Longleaf Stewardship Fund awarded 28 conservation grants totaling a record-breaking $6.5 million to benefit longleaf conservation efforts throughout the entire nine state region of ALRI. After matching contributions from outside partners, that's over $14 million going towards the restoration, enhancement, and protection of longleaf pine in the Southeast!

The NFWF 2018 Conservation Partners Program is now open for proposal applications! The longleaf ecosystem, as a priority area of the Working Lands for Wildlife program, is eligible for funding. The deadline for proposals is August 22nd, with an applicant webinar on July 26th.

The incredible gains being made in longleaf conservation and restoration would not be possible without the tireless work being done by the local implementation teams! Click here to read about everything they've been up to this Spring!

This story introduces the America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative and showcases how the 17 Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the historic range of longleaf pine are working to identify collaborative goals and restoration priorities.

The Longleaf Partnership Council and friends recently met to discuss the recent accomplishments and future of longleaf restoration in Biloxi, Mississippi, on May 14-15, 2018.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation recently released the Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan to help inform grant investments through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund over the next 10 years. This business plan is meant to establish NFWF's role in larger conservation efforts, as well as invest in areas where gaps might exist to support the broader conservation community. Click here to check it out!

The public and private partners involved in the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative (ALRI) accomplished an impressive 1.7 million acres of longleaf restoration work in 2017, according to a report recently released by the Longleaf Partnership Council.

Camp Lejeune in North Carolina is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others, to help restore the red-cockaded woodpecker population in and around its lands.

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

Exciting news! Georgia has been named a Sentinel Landscape by the departments of Agriculture, Defense and Interior, through the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. Click on the title for more information!

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is now accepting grant proposals through their Longleaf Stewardship Fund to preserve and restore longleaf pine forests and ecosystems throughout the Southeast.

An informational webinar will be held on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 2:00pm Eastern.

All proposals are due by 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, February 8, 2018.

Click on the title for more information.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is seeking applications to assist USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in accelerating the implementation of prescribed burns on contract lands in Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The deadline to apply is January 17, 2018, at 5pm Eastern. Potential applicants should follow the link for more information.

Find out what Andrew Schock had to say about the longleaf pine initiative. Click on the title for the full interview.

Longleaf forests in Texas and North Carolina are getting grants from Acres of America!

The Longleaf Partnership Council conducted another productive semiannual meeting in the Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines, North Carolina, on October 23-25, 2017.

Great news! $5.5 million in grants has been awarded to support the restoration of the longleaf ecosystem in nine states.

An inspiring conversation with two tree farmers who are champions for the longleaf pine ecosystem!

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

Read about the new 2 year implementation strategy for longleaf pine restoration.

Click on the article to learn about longleaf pine cone prospects for 2017 and 2018.

The Longleaf Partnership Council concluded another productive semiannual meeting in Montgomery, AL on April 4, 2017.

Learn more about the Gopher Tortoise and how they are being protected by the Conservation Plan.

Get to know the new Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council, Dr. Jim Guldin!

Click on the article to find out more information about funding opportunities.

Learn more about a new app that will help the gopher tortoise population and FWC biologists.

A news article has been published that discusses new technological advances that scientists are using to conserve longleaf pine.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to expand and enhance longleaf pine ecosystem restoration and management across longleaf pine’s historical range.

The Longleaf Partnership Council concluded another productive semiannual meeting in Savannah, GA on November 1, 2016.

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

Read about how different partners have come together to restore longleaf in Florida and Alabama.

The Longleaf Alliance is proud to announce the recipients for the 2016 Regional Longleaf Awards. Click on the title to view the entire list of awards.

Read about how Longleaf and our National Defense compliment each other through the blog Patriotic Pine.

Get to know more information about Robert Abernethy and why he is passionate about longleaf.

Learn more about the Conservation Client Gateway presented by USDA.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced that several longleaf projects have received funding. Check out the entire story here.

Learn more about the "Secrets of the Longleaf Pine" documentary and it's recent achievement!

Find out what Troy Ettel had to say about the longleaf pine initiative. Click on the title for the full interview.

A new documentary will be airing this Sunday, May 8th. Click on the title for more information.

The Longleaf Partnership Council concluded another productive two day semiannual meeting in St. Simons Island, GA on April 11-12, 2016.

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

Here is a great opportunity for you to get involved in helping to restore Longleaf Pine forests.

Learn about which Longleaf projects received funding for 2016 and other projects across the country.

Several states were awarded funding to help restore Longleaf Pine - check out the winners!

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals to expand, enhance and accelerate longleaf pine ecosystem restoration across longleaf pine’s historical range.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service recently announced that $10.6 million in funding will be made available to the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem.

Learn about how prescribed burning has effected the Quail environment.

The new documentary about Longleaf Pine is set to premiere. Check out the dates and times here!

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

Discover this great event that the National Wildlife Federation is sponsoring to connect people to the great outdoors.

Longleaf Pine made a recent appearance in the New York Times.

America the Beautiful Quarters Program released the upcoming coins that will begin circulation this year. Kisatchie National Forest in the state of Louisiana was honored as one of the five National Forests to be on the coins.

Jean Huffman has been decoding tree stumps in Florida to help land managers restore the Longleaf Pine ecosystem.

On June 30, 2015, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced that $4.6 million was awarded in grants to support 22 projects across nine states. This funding will help restore 11,600 acres of Longleaf pine and enhance additional 163,000 acres.

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

On May 4, 2015, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced an investment of up to $235 million to improve the nation's water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. The funding is being made available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), the newest conservation tool of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Members and friends of the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative convened in Pensacola, Florida on April 6-7, 2015 in conjunction with the 12th Annual Stewardship Partners Meeting by Southern Company and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Interested in what the longleaf local implementation teams are up to? Read further for updates, and see all the great work that is being done across the range!

A new Farm Bill program named the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, or RCPP, is providing support to the longleaf restoration effort.

On January 14, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 115 high-impact projects across all 50 states and Puerto Rico will receive more than $370 million in Federal funding as part of the new USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to expand and enhance longleaf pine ecosystem restoration and management across longleaf pine’s historical range.

The Longleaf Partnership Council will convene its semi-annual meeting in Mobile, Alabama this October 20-21, 2014.

Good news! After the 5th anniversary celebration events in D.C., the “buzz” about America’s Longleaf is continuing to spread via several media.

“Longleafers” from across the range will gather in the nation's capital on July 22 to celebrate five years of restoration progress while also looking ahead to next steps in advancing the America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative.

An infographic has been created to highlight 2013 accomplishments by America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow to launch a new era in American conservation efforts with an historic focus on public-private partnership.

Mike Black, Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council, reflects on the Council's Spring 2014 meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The Longleaf Partnership Council convened once again for its two day, semiannual meeting in Biloxi, MS on April 7-8, 2014.

Recently appointed as Southeast Regional Conservationist at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, James E. Tillman Sr. is now adding his extensive conservation experience and many talents to America’s Longleaf.

A multi-year partnership is investing $1.7 million during FY14 in Mississippi's Upper Black Creek Watershed to reduce wildfire risk, restore native habitat including longleaf pine ecosystems that are home to the threatened gopher tortoise, and decrease sedimentation and erosion.

The public and private partners involved in the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative (ALRI) accomplished an impressive 1.38 million acres of longleaf restoration work in 2013 according to a report recently released by the Longleaf Partnership Council.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals to expand, enhance and accelerate longleaf pine ecosystem restoration across longleaf pine’s historical range.

Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell paid a visit to South Carolina recently where she touted local efforts to conserve longleaf pine habitat and cited the project as an example of why full funding by Congress is needed for the Land & Water Conservation Fund.

Thanks to efforts by Clay Ware, Longleaf Pine Recovery Coordinator for USFWS, the "well-oiled restoration machine" known as America's Longleaf has been profiled in Fish & Wildlife News, a national publication that reaches thousands of natural resource professionals.

The Longleaf Partnership Council gathered again on October 22-23 in conjunction with the national convention of the Society of American Foresters in Charleston, SC.

The Longleaf Partnership Council is eagerly pursuing a remarkable opportunity to accelerate longleaf ecosystem restoration while also contributing to the restoration of the Gulf Coast and the revitalization of its economy.

This is the first in a series of interviews of longleaf leaders from across the range who, along with their organizations, are making uniquely important contributions to the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative. Mike Black is the Forestry Coordinator for the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) and in October 2013 will take the reins as the Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council.

At the request of America's Great Outdoors, America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative recently held a webinar to share lessons learned and helpful insights with other teams working across the country on landscape level restoration projects. Participants from the Northern Forests of New England, the Crown of the Continent in the northern Rockies and the Southwest Deserts all joined in for a lively discussion on the challenges of mounting restoration efforts at large, multi-state scales.

Planting densities for longleaf have been the subject of many conversations among foresters, wildlife biologists and landowners for several years. To address the situation, the Longleaf Partnership Council (LPC) developed a White Paper on Longleaf Pine Planting Density (2016) and Fact Sheet, providing landowners a discussion of the potential benefits and drawbacks of a range of planting densities.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Trust for Public Land and landowner M.C. Davis are partnering to conserve 20,850 acres of critical habitat land east of Eglin Air Force Base after being awarded $1.75 million from the U.S. Department of Defense as part of the 2013 REPI Challenge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with and input from the States of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina, and the Wildlife Diversity Committee of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, recently released a Range-Wide Conservation Strategy for the Gopher Tortoise. The purpose is to guide public and private partners in proactive conservation of the tortoise, which is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act across most of its range.

Not only is longleaf being successfully restored on the Osceola National Forest, the restoration efforts are generating significant positive returns for the broader economy according to a recent study. The Florida project has received considerable attention from conservationists for its ambitious goals of doubling prescribed fire acreage on the Forest, reducing fuel loads and restoring groundcover. Now impressive economic benefits have also been documented at the local, state and national scales.

The biannual meeting of the Longleaf Partnership Council was conducted in Mobile on April 25-26. The Council meeting focused on range-wide topics (e.g., how the RESTORE Act prompted by the Gulf oil spill might offer longleaf opportunities) as well as technical team reports (e.g., recommendations on longleaf seedling stocking density) and, last but certainly not least, updates from partners around the region.

Somewhere down the road, when the history of longleaf restoration is written, the year 2012 will almost certainly be seen as a significant milestone. Last year, after decades of steady decline in longleaf, the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) first determined that the decline had been halted and, indeed, that acres of longleaf dominated forests had actually increased in the previous 10 years.

Highly regarded for his decades of involvement with a range of wildlife and land management issues, Mr. Abernethy assumed the Presidency of the Alliance on December 1, 2012 after most recently serving in a senior position with the National Wildlife Turkey Federation.

The Longleaf Partnership Council concluded another successful two day semiannual meeting in Baton Rogue, LA on Nov 2-3, 2015.

More than 200 longleaf supporters gathered in Washington, DC on July 22 for a series of memorable events to celebrate five years of restoration progress by the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative.