Introduction to the Shortleaf Pine Initiative

Shortleaf Pine Initiative

From Concept to Implementation

Discussion Topics

• Western Range Perspective • Regional Issues and Challenges • Shortleaf Pine Initiative • Implementation Plan and Timeline

Ozark Interior Highlands Range of Shortleaf Pine (23 States)

Ouachita Mountain - Shortleaf Pine Woodlands

Land Types

Ozark Interior Highlands Ozark Mountain - Oak Pine Woodlands

Background For Restoring

The Interior Highlands

“The Interior Highlands evolved under 12,000 years of natural and human induced fires”

-Tom Foti, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Surface Fires

Mixed Severity /Low Intensity

Photo: FM9 Head Fire by McRee Anderson

Historical Fire Burned At Landscape Scale Low Intensity Surface Fires

Fire history of oak–pine forests in the Lower Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA

R.P. Guyette and M.A. Spetich, 2003

Fire Return Interval

4.6 3.1 5

80+

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1680 - 1820 1821 - 1880 1881 - 1920 1921 - 2000

Date Range

Year

s

(Guyette and Spetich, 2003)

Fire history of oak–pine forests in the Lower Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA

Guyette and Spetich, 2003

Photo: Ouachita NF circ 1920

Upland Hardwood Forests and Related Communities of the Arkansas Ozarks in the Early 19th Century

Thomas L. Foti (2001) in

Upland Oak Ecology Symposium: History, Current Conditions, and Sustainability

Ozark Mountains 44 - 78 Trees/Acre

1.5M Acres Woodlands

Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands

•3.5 M Acres

•250 Endemic Species

Restoration Works!

“Grocery” or Species Diversity

Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands

•3.5 M Acres

•250 Endemic Species

Ecosystem Health and Sustainabilty

Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration

Shortleaf Pine Restoration – Environmental Effects

• Birds (Wilson et al. 1995)

• 16 Species of conservation concern occur with greater frequency in restored stands:

• Red-cockaded woodpecker Bachman’s sparrow • Eastern wood-peewee Brown-headed nuthatch • Northern bobwhite Red-headed woodpecker • Prairie warbler Wild turkey • Kentucky warbler Ruby-throated

hummingbird • Great-crested flycatcher Yellow-breasted chat • Common yellowthroat White-eyed vireo • Yellow-throated vireo Blue-gray gnatcatcher

Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration

Shortleaf Pine Restoration – Environmental Effects

•On deer forage (Masters et al. 1996)

•-7-fold increase in preferred forage in restored stands as compared to untreated

Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Restoration

Shortleaf Pine Restoration- Environmental Effects

•On butterfly fauna (Thill et al. 2004)

•-numbers of adult butterflies were lowest in the untreated controls

•-were highest in treated stands the first year after burning

•-Diana’s fritillary, a species of conservation concern, was significantly more abundant in restored stands

•

European Occupation and Fire Suppression

Shortleaf Pine Woodlands

No Regeneration

Densification – Shade Tolerant species

Tree Density = 300+ tree/acre

Shortleaf Pine Initiative

Ecological and Social Issues

• Lack of Intact Shortleaf Pine Forest

• Lack of Pine Regeneration

• Loss of Timber Industry in Places • Decline in Wildlife Habitat at Scale

• Loss of Ecological Integrity at Scale

Wildlife and Ecological Issues!

Red Oak Borer Damage 2000-01 Interior Highlands

1 Million Acres of Oak Mortality

Challenging Ecosystem!

Fire Management Issues!

Regional Workshops Fire Management Issues!

Private Lands

(did I set the brake?)

Fire history

Current conditions

Partnerships

Demonstrations

How to put it all together??

Shortleaf Pine Initiative Stakeholder Workshops

Monitoring

• Steering Committee Formation • 15 Partner Agencies – Monthly Meeting

• Planning Team Formed •Strategy Initiated

• Website/Logo • Stakeholder Workshops

• Write Plan

Shortleaf Pine Initiative To Dos!

McRee Anderson Project Lead

Elizabeth Holcomb Senior Tech Analyst

Doug Zollner Plan Developer

Mike Black Senior Conservationist

George Hernandez Senior Scientist

Alex Wyss Media/Marketing

Clarence Coffee Regional Planning Lead

Lark Hayes Consultant

Shortleaf Pine Initiative Planning Team

Overall Project Management, Steering Committee, Develop and Lead Regional

Workshops, coordinate plan review process

Write draft plan, Develop and co-Lead Regional Workshops

GIS, Research and Writing, Listserv, Website Management, Coordinate Steering Committee

Co-lead Regional Workshops, Demonstration Site Development, Partnership and Outreach

Website, Logo, Brand, Outreach, Co-lead Regional Workshops

Co-lead Regional Workshops, Scientific Review

Co-lead Regional Workshops, Demonstration Site Development, Partnership and Outreach

Internal plan review, mentor/advise

Ozark Interior Highlands Regional Stakeholder Workshops

Western Range Ft Smith, AR September 2013

Central Range Knoxville, TN June 27-28

Eastern Range Roanoke, VA October 11

Workshop Implementation Timeline Workshop

Date Location Regional Targets

1 June 27-28 2013

Knoxville, TN UT Agricultural Building Holiday Inn

Central Range (KY, TN, OH, NC, FL, GA, AL, MS)

2 September 2013

Ft. Smith, AR Shortleaf Pine Conference Meeting Location -TBD

Western Range (TX, OK, AR, MO, LA)

3 October 11 2013

Roanoke, VA Appalachian Fire Conference Hotel Roanoke Conference Center

Eastern Range (WV, VA, SC,

4 February 2014

TBD Northeast Range (MD, PA, NJ, DE)

Regional Stakeholder Workshops Pre-Work Components

Part A. Shortleaf Pine Habitats -Current condition Part B. Threats to shortleaf pine habitats. Part C. Describe the most important barriers to shortleaf pine restoration Part D. Describe Restoration Actions Taken To Date. Part E. What strategies do you think would be most effective in getting to implementation of shortleaf pine habitat restoration?

Shortleaf Pine Initiative Planning Timeline

Summer – Fall 2013 Regional Stakeholder Workshops

Fall - Winter 2013 Regional Stakeholder Workshops Input for Plan Development

Spring -Fall 2014 Range-wide Shortleaf Plan (DRAFT)

Regional Workshops

Photo: Oak Woodlands, Bayou Ranger District, John Andre

Questions ?

Photos by John Pelton

Liatris pycnostachya

Castilleja coccinea

Mimosa quadrivalvis ssp. nuttallii

Echinacea pallida

Asclepias tuberosa

Silphium laciniatum

Regeneration Issues!

Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands

•3.5 M Acres

•250 Endemic Species

Restored Fire Regime (Frequency/Seasonality)

Photo: LBL, KY by Jim McCoy

Shortleaf Pine Oak Woodlands

•3.5 M Acres

•250 Endemic Species

Regional Workshops

Thanks!

Restored Ecosystem = Healthy System

Herbaceous Diversity - 100- 150 species/ acre

Tree Density - 38-76 trees/ acre