Historic Longleaf Pine Range

Today the trees are only found within small patches of this range.

Historic longleaf pine range.

Only about one percent of their original range remains. Longleaf pine pinus palustris mill was once one of the most ecologically important tree species in the southern united states. Range the historic range of the longleaf pine once extended from southeastern virginia to florida west through louisiana to east texas. The natural range of longleaf pine includes most of the atlantic and gulf coastal plains from southeastern virginia to eastern texas and south through the northern two thirds of peninsular florida.

Perhaps what is taken for granted is how diverse this forest type was and is across the landscape. Longleaf pine forests were remarkable in the sense that they covered such a large geographical range. Historic pre european settlement range of longleaf pine forests based on little 1971. Longleaf pines can survive.

In 2005 america s longleaf restoration initiative alri was formed to support a focused range wide restoration approach across public and private lands. Significant landscapes for longleaf pine conservation. This is especially beneficial for the red cockaded woodpecker an endangered species found mainly in mature long leaf pine forests in southern states. Initially plot locations for this project should be on lands east of the mississippi river and north of latitude 29ᵒn.

Longleaf pine and its accompanying forest ecosystems covered vast swaths of the southern united states spanning an estimated 92 million acres. Longleaf pine communities may have covered some 92 million acres but now fewer than 3 million acres remain. Before european settlement longleaf pine forest dominated as much as 90 000 000 acres 360 000 km 2 stretching from virginia south to florida and west to east texas. To be eligible for funding projects must occur within the historic longleaf pine range as depicted on the map below.

25 mile buffer dod presence along the gulf of mexico. Public and private sector leaders have recognized the need to address the substantial decline in longleaf pine forests across the historic range in the southeast united states.