REGIONAL UPDATES

By Colette DeGarady, The Nature Conservancy, Longleaf Partnership Council Chair

The 2021 Annual Accomplishment Report for America’s Longleaf is Out!

Successes from fiscal year 2021 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. Together we established more

than 135,000 acres of new longleaf, implemented prescribed fire on more than 1.6 million acres, and

protected 54,000 acres of land in 2021. These achievements would not be possible without the support of private and public landowners and our federal, state, and private partners. On behalf of the Longleaf Partnership Council, thank you for every single effort of support this vast network has provided. From telling the longleaf story to working on a prescribed fire to planting a longleaf seedling, every action is meaningful. Each one contributes to the numbers you see in this report and keeps the efforts of America's Longleaf marching forward.

Please share these successes with your networks. If America’s Longleaf is new to you, check out the informative website and consider how you can get involved at americaslongleaf.org.

By Vernon Compton, The Longleaf Alliance

Partnership Milestone – GCPEP Celebrates 25 Years of Conservation Collaboration

Vernon Compton, GCPEP Director, was surprised with a special recognition for his long-standing leadership of the Partnership.

The Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership (GCPEP) celebrated a milestone on May 25, 2022 – 25 years of collaboration to conserve and restore the largest remnant of the once vast longleaf pine ecosystem. The celebration was held at Bear Lake on Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rosa County, Florida, the exact location where the first gathering was held in 1997, celebrating the creation of GCPEP. Almost 100 people were in attendance, including some initial staff who played essential roles in establishing the partnership. Mike Hudson, Manager of Blackwater River State Forest, welcomed everyone to the celebration. Speakers included Colette DeGarady, Chair of the Longleaf Partnership Council and Longleaf Pine Whole System Director for The Nature Conservancy, Ad Platt, Vice President for Operations with The Longleaf Alliance, and Vernon Compton, GCPEP Director.

The 16 public and private landowners that comprise GCPEP own and manage nearly 1.3 million acres, including much of the remaining old-growth longleaf pine trees. The interconnected lands also contain outstanding examples of longleaf forests, portions of five watersheds, and a high level of species diversity, including many endemic and rare plants and animals. Significant game and fish populations are supported in this landscape, along with thriving timber, tourism, and defense-related industries.

Top: Founding partners of GCPEP stand in recognition. Right: The celebration concluded with a hike at Bear Lake on Blackwater River State Forest.

Twenty-five years of collaborative conservation have led to tremendous advances in the landscape. Partnership successes include: • Increasing prescribed fire from < 70,000 acres to > 230,000 acres annually • Providing fire training to more than 1,000 fire practitioners • Restoring thousands of acres of longleaf pine and groundcover on public and private lands • Controlling invasive species with emphasis on cogongrass, tallow tree, privet, climbing fern, common reed, and mimosa • Protecting key buffer lands and wildlife or ecological corridors providing connectivity across the landscape • Working to recover rare species such as the Red-cockaded

Woodpecker, Okaloosa darter, gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, Bachman's Sparrow, Florida bog frog, and reticulated flatwoods salamander • Increasing private landowner outreach, education, and technical assistance • Improving public access through trail development and other recreational amenities

Best said by GCPEP Partner Brett Williams, with Eglin Air Force Base: “The partnership has enabled us to tap into more expertise, more resources, more experiences and perspectives than we could ever have found in any one organization, and made us all better practitioners.”

Congratulations to all of the GCPEP partners. Twenty-five years of working together have made a significant difference in the landscape. Here’s to continuing on that path together for the next 25 years.

{“The partnership has enabled us to tap into more expertise, more resources, more experiences and perspectives than we could ever have found in any one organization, and made us all better practitioners.” }

By LuAnn Craighton, The Nature Conservancy, and RT Lumpkin, Georgia Forestry Commission

Over 300 people braved the August heat to participate in the first Forestry & Wildlife Expo held in Buena Vista, Georgia, a rural community located in the heart of the Chattahoochee Fall Line Conservation Partnership project area. Forestry and wildlife are important components of the region’s rural lifestyle and local economy. The goal of the Expo was to connect local landowners with local resources that could assist them in achieving their land management goals. Participants had a chance to visit with a variety of exhibitors, contractors, and agency representatives who provided helpful information focused on technical assistance, financial assistance, and equipment related to land management. Informal lecture presentations about managing for quail and identifying native snakes were well received and generated a lot of questions from the audience. Everyone Staff from Chehaw Park and Zoo shared the natural history of native snakes with visitors during the Forestry and Wildlife Expo. Photo by LuAnn Craighton. enjoyed watching the drone demonstrations and discovering how technology is being used in land management. Several landowners even went home with great door prizes! The Marion County School System graciously hosted the event on their high school campus. Mr. Hagin, the agricultural instructor at the school, organized the Future Farmers of America (FFA) students to assist with the event, and their efforts helped the day run smoothly. The Expo was a collaborative event planned and executed by a committee of partners including: The Chattahoochee Fall Line Rx Fire Co-Op, Georgia Forestry Commission, Chattahoochee Fall Line Conservation Partnership, The Georgia Conservancy, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Bobwhite Quail Initiative, West Central Georgia Forest Landowner Association, and The Nature Conservancy.

Fun, Fire, and Forests: Sharing the Story of Longleaf with Youth and Community

By Wendy J. Ledbetter, The Longleaf Alliance

Sharing the story of the longleaf forest with young generations of communities serves for future stewardship of the longleaf landscape. Fort Stewart/Altamaha Longleaf Conservation Partnership members are participating in education and outreach events in the South Georgia area. Members of the Partnership attended the NOVA Wild! Twilight Camp for the Coastal Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Savannah. Cub Scout members and their families learned about the plant and animal species and habitat of the longleaf ecosystem. The event used Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as focal points for activities. The Boy Scouts of America has incorporated Lisa Lord, TLA, and 2nd Annual Savannah River Fire STEM programming to encourage the natural curiosity of youth Festival attendees members and their sense of wonder about these fields through existing programs. The approach included discussions and problem-solving with youth to encourage them to consider key concerns for the wildlife, such as habitat needs, migration routes, and ways to care for forests. The event also provided an opportunity for curious youth to learn more about working in wildlife conservation and prescribed fire.

The second annual Savannah River Fire Festival was held in April at the Mary Kahrs Warnell Forestry Education Center in Guyton, Georgia. Over 250 people attended the event and learned about the use of prescribed fire, fire safety, and the role of fire in the longleaf ecosystem. Festival attendees observed a prescribed fire conducted by the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the ever-popular Burner Bob® made an appearance. A scavenger hunt encouraged folks to visit exhibits from the 15+ conservation and environmental organizations and agencies at the Festival. Plans are to continue the Fire Festival in future years and develop additional connections and leverage for communication about the role of fire and longleaf forests. To increase networking and examine public perception of fire, we are planning a panel discussion with other fire festival organizers attending the 2022 Longleaf Alliance Biennial Conference in Wilmington, North Carolina.

By Randy Browning, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Partners of the expanded Mississippi, Louisiana, & Alabama Implementation Team, in collaboration with The American Forest Foundation and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, coordinated a joint field day and bio-blitz on the privately owned Payne Farms. The landowners manage an 876-acre portion of their Mississippi property for multiple objectives, including timber, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Payne Farms is a diverse property containing longleaf pine, two beaver ponds, a natural spring, and a 2.5- acre pitcher plant bog. Partners from the U.S. Dr. Carl Qualls discussing bio-blitz results. Stone commemorating the Fish & Wildlife Service, the University of Southern historic fire tower dedication. Photos by Randy Browning. Mississippi, and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science led ecological surveys as part of the event’s bioblitz; a biodiversity blitz or bio-blitz is a rapid assessment of what lives in a particular area at a given point in time. They reported over 200 plant species, 59 bird species, 14 fish species, 9 amphibian species, 8 reptile species, and 3 mammal species, some of which are federally protected and are species of greatest conservation need.

Topics during the field day included — • Longleaf pine management, wildlife management • Longleaf habitat diversity • Bio-blitz survey results • Dedication of a historic fire tower that Payne Farms acquired and restored to its former glory

This joint event was considered one of our premier collaborative partner events since Covid restrictions were lifted.

EQIP Demand Leads to Record Sign-Up — News from the West Central Louisiana

Ecosystem Partnership By Chris Rice, The Nature Conservancy

The demand for the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has never been higher in the project area, making 2022 one of the busiest landowner sign-ups in memory. On October 27, 2020, communities throughout West-Central Louisiana were devastated by Hurricane Laura. This Category 4 tragedy, coupled with that of the pandemic, had a significant negative effect on landowner interest in the program reducing sign-ups throughout 2021. Much has changed this year as landowners in the area have, in large part, cleaned up their hurricane- damaged lands and have begun looking for assistance to move forward with longleaf restoration.

The West-Central Louisiana Ecosystem Partnership (WLEP) technical assistance team, consisting of members from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, National Wild Turkey Federation, and The Nature Conservancy, has assisted NRCS District Conservationists in all phases of the sign-up process since 2015. Among other things, this includes landowner site visits, consultations, and conservation plan preparation. This year the team worked closely with NRCS staff assisting with the influx of landowners and developed conservation plans to provide cost-share assistance to 21 landowners impacting approximately 2,237 acres of longleaf forests and establishing approximately 1,099 new acres of longleaf pine. Our team is expecting another big year in 2023 as the unfunded pool of 2022 applicants together with new 2023 applicants is expected to create another busy EQIP sign-up season. The NRCS and WLEP partnership is a successful endeavor resulting in significant progress in longleaf pine restoration through outreach and education across West-Central Louisiana.

Sandhills By Charles Babb, South Carolina Sandhills Longleaf Pine Conservation Partnership Coordinator

The South Carolina Sandhills Longleaf Pine Conservation Partnership (SLPCP) enjoyed another successful season assisting Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs) expand on private lands within the focal area. Artificial nest cavities installed on three landowner properties in 2020 produced two groups of fledgling RCWs this spring. Both nesting pairs overcame challenges, as a growing season burn damaged one cavity while the other was invaded by a predator, forcing that breeding pair to lay a second clutch of eggs. A total of four chicks fledged from the two nests. Trail cameras were used to capture feeding activities as well as attempted predation of the cavities. The SLPCP reaches out to owners of mature longleaf stands in hopes of increasing RCW habitat on private properties. Four new landowners have Adult RCW delivers a meal to hungry chicks; fledging occurs in approximately three weeks. Photo by Tony Graham. begun the restoration of approximately 400 acres of longleaf that will provide potential nesting habitat in close proximity to existing clusters. RCW Safe Harbor Agreements are being pursued or are in place on these properties. Additional cavities will be installed on one parcel this winter.

“Habitat restoration often means much more than just thinning and returning fire to mature stands,” according to Tony Graham, SLPCP Outreach Coordinator. “Most sites require seeding native plants to improve fuel conditions and insect production.” The SLPCP collects native seed, consisting primarily of wiregrass and bluestems, from the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge each year to be planted on private lands. “Native understory is a critical part of a healthy longleaf ecosystem,” said Graham.

Texas Team Launches New Web Content: Herps of the Longleaf Ecosystem

By Jenny Sanders, Texas Longleaf Implementation Team Coordinator

Northern Scarlet Snake. Photo by Matt Buckingham.

In an effort to bring attention to the lesser-known but incredibly important species of the East Texas longleaf pine ecosystem, the Texas Longleaf Implementation Team (TLT) Communications Team, is excited to announce the launch of their latest online resource – Herps of the Longleaf Ecosystem. The team spent a year and a half curating and developing content for this page to ensure that it would serve as both an educational piece for the general public and a helpful resource to landowners and land managers interested in learning more about herpetofauna on their properties, including the implementation of practices that positively impact the health and well-being of reptiles and amphibians.

Many thanks to our partners at the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas A&M Forest Service, The Longleaf Alliance, and the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, who worked tirelessly to develop this resource. Visit txlongleaf.org to see this and other pages celebrating the value and uniqueness of the longleaf ecosystem in Texas!

the Lowcountry By Tim Evans, Audubon South Carolina, and Jennie Haskell, The Longleaf Alliance

Audubon South Carolina has been restoring the longleaf pine ecosystem on its properties for many years. Till’s Poverty Farm in Williams, South Carolina, is one of the properties where Audubon has improved habitat conditions and restored longleaf with the help of SoLoACE partners like The Longleaf Alliance and the Arbor Day Foundation. Audubon harvested a 48-acre stand of loblolly pine in December 2017, providing temporary early successional conditions. With primarily an Ocilla loamy sand soil type, the area was well suited for reestablishing longleaf pine. In October 2019, firebreaks were installed, and the site was burned following a herbicide application to prepare for planting in late winter. Unusually wet conditions required the site prep burn to be conducted when much of the site had one to three inches of standing water. Longleaf Backing fire in the young longleaf stand. Photo by Tim Evans. pine seedlings sourced from ArborGen were planted in the winter of 2020. Post-planting survival inspections have exceeded expectations, and the stand was burned for the first time post-planting in May 2022 on a 76degree day with a north wind. The stand burned well, with about 85% coverage. Currently, the trees are averaging 2-3’ tall and thriving.

The Roots of Longleaf – Education and Collaboration

By Rebecca Shelton, The Nature Conservancy

In March of 2022, the Longleaf Partnership Council approved the new logo for the Okefenokee-Osceola Longleaf Implementation Team (O2LIT). This new logo allows more group recognition and public branding as we move forward with developing a conservation plan and garnering collaborative support. This past year our team focused on outreach and building a collaboration with the overlapping Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor. The O2O is a 100-mile-long, 1.6-million-acre landscape of public and private lands that connect the Ocala and Osceola National Forests. The O2O includes priority lands for the Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN) and is a significant part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This collaboration ties participants from two separate longleaf significant geographic areas, allows for more landscape-level conservation efforts, and opens the lines of partner communication amongst a wider pool of experts and disciplines. Conservation efforts to connect these natural landscapes will continue to provide habitat for Florida black bears as well as imperiled species like the Florida Scrub-Jay, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, indigo snake, gopher tortoise, and more. In addition, there are opportunities for protecting iconic Florida ecosystems, including longleaf pine sandhills and scrub in the O2O.

With respect to landowner outreach, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in cooperation with the University of Florida/IFAS Extension Office, held another landowner outreach meeting at the South Prong Plantation in Baker County, Florida. This outdoor meeting discussed dormant season land management, including scouting for invasive species, wildlife management, cool-season forages, and winter natives. Two webinars this summer focused on the Okefenokee-Osceola landscape but were open to attendees from across the longleaf range. The first focused on Longleaf Management, and the second discussed longleaf financial incentive programs; both recordings are available on The Longleaf Alliance’s YouTube.

In 2023, the O2LIT will host two Longleaf Academies with The Longleaf Alliance – a Longleaf 101 Academy and Groundcover Restoration 201 Academy. Moving forward, we hope to develop more long-term restoration goals, strengthen and develop new and existing partnerships, and provide resource education to all our members.

South Carolina’s Sewee Longleaf Conservation Cooperative Continues Restoration Activities on Private Lands By Mike Prevost, White Oak Forestry, and Jennie Haskell, The Longleaf Alliance

The Rochelle Plantation in Georgetown County, South Carolina, has been focusing efforts on longleaf pine ecosystem restoration over the years. The 800-acre tract is protected by a conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy. The privately protected property is a crucial link within the extensive matrix of protected lands amongst the Francis Marion National Forest, Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Tom Yawkey Heritage Trust Preserve, and multiple privately protected properties, all of which comprise the Sewee Longleaf Conservation Cooperative. Approximately 250 acres of Rochelle Plantation have a goal of restoring longleaf pine and associated native species on this semi-xeric site through seedling planting and regularly applied prescribed fire on a 2–3-year interval. Restoration activities included thinning the existing loblolly pine stands to 20 basal area while retaining the remaining longleaf pine overstory, where feasible, from November 2020- February 2021. Prescribed fire was applied in January 2022, after a herbicide treatment Grass stage longleaf pine. Photo by Mike Prevost. was applied in October 2021. The stand was underplanted in February/March 2022, with approximately 700 seedlings per acre. Support for the reforestation efforts came from The Longleaf Alliance and the Arbor Day Foundation. White Oak Forestry will continue to use prescribed fire to reduce the loblolly pine regeneration, reduce hazard fuels, and promote native species that contribute to the diversity of the longleaf ecosystem.