Public Lands Management
The goal of this set of activities is to increase the acreage and improve the condition of longleaf pine forests on state- or locally-owned public lands; federal public lands are excluded from the scope. Activities will include longleaf pine establishment on lands not currently supporting longleaf pine, to include site preparation and tree planting; native understory establishment and enhancement; prescribed burning; midstory reduction and intermediate stand improvement treatments; and invasive species control.
Within this activity category, SC Forestry Commission will focus use of grant funds on:
- Site preparation & tree planting of 65 acres on DNR lands damaged by wildfire
- Site prep and tree planting on 435 acres of state land to convert from slash pine to longleaf.
- Create demonstration areas on state lands to showcase understory establishment – 100 acres total.
- Conduct prescribed burning on 5,500 acres of state lands
- Apply herbicides and/or use mechanical methods to control invasive species on 70 acres of state lands.
- Control midstory species on state lands on 1,800 acres.
Expected accomplishments for this set of activities are:
Performance Measure |
Expected Accomplishment |
Acres of longleaf pine established on public land |
500 |
Acres of longleaf pine understory establishment/improvement on public land |
100 |
Acres longleaf pine prescribed burned on public land |
5,500 |
Acres of longleaf pine with midstory reduction or stand improvement treatments on public lands |
1,800 |
Acres of longleaf pine treated for invasive species on public land |
70 |
Total acres of longleaf pine established or improved on public land |
7,970 |
Accomplishments – as of May 1, 2011
| Acres of longleaf pine established on public land | 1927 |
| Acres of longleaf pine understory established/improved | 0 |
| Acres of longleaf pine prescribed burned on public land | 9,606 |
| Acres of longleaf pine with midstory reduction or stand improvement | 4,039 |
| Acres of longleaf pine treated for invasive species | 0 |
| Total acres of longleaf pine established or improved on public land | 15,572 |
| Jobs Created | Number of Jobs |
| Equipment Operator at Sand Hills State Forest (grant employee) | 1 |
| Equipment Operator at Manchester State Forest (grant employee) | 1 |
Private Lands Management
This set of activities is designed to provide longleaf pine restoration and management on privately-owned forest lands. The Forestry Commission is accomplishing this work by offering incentive payments to private landowners for site preparation, tree planting, prescribed burning, and hardwood control practices. Through signups held during the Fall of 2009, all of the funds allocated to this aspect of the Longleaf Restoration Initiative were allocated. Private landowners interested in longleaf restoration can sign up for the Forest Renewal Program by contacting their local project forester.
Within this activity category, SC Forestry Commission will focus use of grant funds on:
- Conduct site preparation and tree planting on 775 acres of private land.
- Conduct prescribed burning on 6,000 acres of private lands.
- Apply herbicides and/or use mechanical methods to control scrub oaks and other midstory species on 1,500 acres of private land.
Expected accomplishments for this set of activities are:
Performance Measure |
Expected Accomplishment |
Acres of longleaf pine established on private land |
775 |
Acres of longleaf pine prescribed burned on private land |
6,000 |
Acres of longleaf pine with midstory reduction or stand improvement treatments on private land |
1,500 |
Total acres of longleaf pine established or improved on private land |
8,275 |
Accomplishments – as of May 1, 2011
| Acres of longleaf pine established on private land | 1,147 |
| Acres of longleaf pine prescribed burned on private land | 2,652 |
| Acres of longleaf pine with midstory reduction or stand improvement | 858 |
| Total acres of longleaf pine established or improved on private land | 4,657 |
Plant Materials Capacity
This set of activities involves increasing the availability of longleaf pine seed, seedlings, and associated understory plant materials for use in restoration work. These resources are currently limiting potential for this work. Activities will include enhancing areas for cone collection; collecting, processing, and storing seeds; expanding nursery capacity; and planting, tending, and processing seedlings to provide these plant materials to facilitate longleaf pine restoration efforts.
Within this activity category, SC Forestry Commission will focus use of grant funds on:
- Improve existing longleaf cone production areas
- Hire contractors to collect cones
- Build infrastructure for seed extraction.
- Increase productive capacity at nursery for containerized seedlings to 2 million seedlings per year (now at 1.5 million)
Expected accomplishments for this set of activities are:
Performance Measure |
Expected Accomplishment |
Acres improved for longleaf pine cone collection (including seed orchards) |
30 |
Pounds of longleaf pine seed collected and/or processed |
3,500 |
Increase in nursery capacity for producing longleaf pine seedlings (number of seedlings) |
500,000 |
Number of longleaf pine seedlings produced |
500,000 |
Accomplishments – as of May 1, 2011
| Acres improved for longleaf pine cone collection | 0 |
| Pounds of longleaf pine seed collected and processed | 3,556 |
| Increase in nursery capacity for producing longleaf seedlings | 750,000 |
| Number of longleaf pine seedlings produced | 1,600,000 |
| Jobs Created | Number of Jobs |
| Hired contractor to collect cones at Sand Hills State Forest | 4 |
| Hired temporary workers to process cones | 1 |
| Total | 5 |
Planning
This set of activities involves ensuring that program activities are implemented strategically and are integrated with efforts of other longleaf restoration partners. Activities will involve inventories and assessments to determine restoration needs, managing related data in databases and GIS, coordinating and prioritizing implementation of activities, and coordinating and supporting start-up of local planning teams.
Within this activity category, SC Forestry Commission will focus use grant funds to:
- Identify, quantify, and map areas on state-owned lands where longleaf pine occurs as well as assessing current year cone crop. We will utilize soils data for preliminary determination of areas for mapping. We will map approximately 5,000 acres using this process.
- Hire an administrative specialist to track accomplishments and produce reports.
No quantitative performance measures are established for this set of activities.
Accomplishments – as of May 1, 2011
- Have developed criteria for inventory of state-owned lands and queried consulting foresters to determine interest level for this type of work
- Hired administrative specialist (started October 19, 2009)
| Jobs Created | Number of Jobs |
| Hired administrative specialist to oversee grant recordkeeping | 1 |
Education and Outreach
This set of activities involves educating the public and program staff about values, opportunities, and methods of longleaf pine restoration. Activities will include producing and supporting training sessions for staff, forestry consultants, and landowners; as well as production and distribution of educational materials, and outreach through mass media to raise public awareness.
Within this activity category, SC Forestry Commission will focus use grant funds to:
- Send 45 agency foresters to the Longleaf Academy
- Utilize experts from the Native Plant Society to train foresters on identification and care of understory species.
- Help sponsor the Longleaf Alliance’s Seed, Seedling, and Natural Species conference.
- Conduct landowner workshops, produce articles for newsletters, and provide one-on-one assistance to landowners.
- Conduct a media campaign using such methods as press releases, PSA’s, and internet advertising.
Expected accomplishments for this set of activities are:
Performance Measure |
Expected Accomplishment |
Number of educational or training sessions focused on longleaf pine restoration or management supported |
12 |
Number of forestry professionals educated in longleaf pine restoration or management at formal training sessions |
45 |
Number of private landowners educated in longleaf pine restoration or management at formal training sessions |
250 |
Number of educational items (brochures, CDs, etc.) focused on longleaf pine restoration or management produced and distributed. |
5,000 |
Accomplishments - as of May 1, 2011
- 44 Forestry Commission foresters and technicians attended the Longleaf Academy
- Helped sponsor the Longleaf Alliance’s Seed, Seeding, and Natural Species Conference
- Number of educational items (brochures, CDs, etc.)produced and distributed - 7,800
- Longleaf pine educational or training sessions conducted for Forestry professionals - 4
- Partnered with the Association of Consulting Foresters to provide training for 82 Foresters
- Held a Certified Tree Planter workshop to provide updated information on planting longleaf pine
- Private landowners educated in longleaf pine restoration/mgt. training session - 86