Hybrid Lunchbox Talk – Longleaf Pine Restoration Benefits: The Perspective of a Landowner and Forest Manager

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill

Longleaf pine forests once covered over 90 million acres of the Southeast, but they have been reduced to less than 5 million acres today. Restoring longleaf pine ecosystems is a challenging but rewarding endeavor that requires patience, knowledge, and passion. In this talk, a current forest manager and landowner will share his experience and insights on restoring his family’s land with longleaf pine, and how he has benefited from its superior timber quality, pine straw income, and wildlife habitat. He will also discuss the current and future economic value of longleaf pine forests, and how they can help landowners diversify their income streams, reduce risks, and enhance environmental quality. This talk is intended for a general public audience who wants to learn more about longleaf pine restoration, including its economic benefits to the landowner, from a boots-on-the-ground perspective.