In the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee and Kentucky, we have brought together key stakeholders to increase capacity for the restoration of fire-dependent shortleaf pine ecosystems. We:

• educate and reach out to landowners and natural resource professionals,
• host learn-and-burn events to engage private landowners in shortleaf restoration,
• develop NRCS-compliant shortleaf management plans to encourage restoration among strategic landowners, and
• support demonstration forests.

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) currently occupies less than 10 percent of its historic range, with a 70 to 80 percent reduction in Tennessee and Kentucky alone. Across its range, more than 60 percent of remaining shortleaf pine forests are found on private forestland, making private landowners a key partner in restoring the species and its associated ecosystem.

Shortleaf pine is truly a flagship for multiple-use ecological forestry in the Mountains and Piedmont of the South, who’s ecosystem management supports important wildlife habitat, natural and biological diversity, increased resiliency, and high-quality timber products.

In partnership with the University of the South, Berea College, and the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, our goal is to enhance and restore habitat for shortleaf pine and oak woodlands by demonstrating the multiple benefits and techniques for responsible management.