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Restoration & Management

HomeWhat is Longleaf?Restoration & ManagementPrescribed Fire

Prescribed Fire

Frequent, low intensity, and often large scale, surface fires were the dominant factor in shaping the longleaf pine ecosystems across the historical range. This frequent fire regime, over generations, selected for longleaf pine’s fire-resistant attributes.

Prescribed fire may be the best management tool that we have for attaining range-wide restoration and management of longleaf pine ecosystems. Increased frequency of fire leads to more diversity and abundance of grasses and forbs; seasonality of burn also plays a role but is secondary to frequency.

Frequency

Today, landowners and land managers use prescribed fire to achieve specific objectives and to mimic the natural processes that shaped the longleaf landscape. Prescribed fires in natural or planted longleaf pine systems should occur often, every 2-10 years. The variability in recommendations stems from the diversity of longleaf habitats, and the variation in the suite of groundcover species that define the habitat and influence the fire return interval.

Seasonality

The season of burning has various effects on the species composition of the groundcover, individual species abundance, or groundcover biomass. Fire managers often refer to dormant and growing season burns. These terms are not restricted to discrete months on the calendar, but rather the physiological changes that occur in trees and plants throughout the year. Generally, the dormant season is considered from late fall into winter, and growing season burns are conducted in the spring into the summer, depending on location within the longleaf range.

Dormant season burns typically top-kill stems of over-abundant hardwoods but can greatly increase stem densities of small understory trees and shrubs by stimulating resprouting. Growing season burns tend to do more towards control and reduction of small diameter hardwoods in the understory and midstory, with the best success towards control occurring after a program of repeated early growing season burns. A combination of (or alternating) dormant and growing season burns will provide most landowners the best opportunity to achieve desired burn outcomes.

How We Can Help

The Longleaf Alliance supports landowners with fire training and education, technical assistance in fire management planning, and cost-share support where available. Our Fire and Longleaf 201 Academy offers a course dedicated to the challenges, benefits, and practices of prescribed fire when managing for longleaf pine. Staff members also provide fire line support on public lands through our Local Implementation Teams and multi-agency partnerships. We also facilitate the Georgia Sentinel Landscape Prescribed Fire Program.

Additional Resources

  • Southeast Prescribed Fire Update
  • Southern Fire Exchange
  • Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils
  • Introduction to Prescribed Fire in Southern Ecosystems (USDA Forest Service)
  • eFire (Interactive Online Program)

BROWSE THIS SECTION

  • The Tree
    • Life Stages
    • The Economics
    • The History
    • The Misconceptions
  • The Ecosystem
    • Built by Fire
    • Habitats
    • Species Diversity
  • Restoration & Management
    • Groundcover Restoration
    • Herbicides
    • Longleaf Regeneration
    • Prescribed Fire
  • Photo Gallery

From our feed

Since its inception in 1995, The Longleaf Alliance Since its inception in 1995, The Longleaf Alliance has used science-based outreach, partnership engagement, and on-the-ground assistance to support longleaf restoration, stewardship, and conservation across the Southeast.For #NationalNonprofitDay, we want to say thank you to all our supporters and partners (many of which are also non-profits). Without you we could not do all that we do! Help us celebrate the day by sharing a non-profit that means something special to you. Tag us in the post so we can like/share/follow their work too 😊
Come visit The Longleaf Alliance's table at the Fo Come visit The Longleaf Alliance's table at the Forestry & Wildlife Expo in Buena Vista, Georgia this Saturday, August 12th.Admission is FREE!
Cogongrass is a BIG problem in the Southeast - inc Cogongrass is a BIG problem in the Southeast - including longleaf pine habitats. It is a tricky species to eradicate, but there are options. Some more effective than others.What doesn't work? Mowing, burning, and grazing. Here is why – 75% of cogongrass is underground in its rhizomes and roots. Removing only the top 25% of this species simply encourages it to regrow and spread. Its high silica content means it not only makes lousy forage, but it also increases its probability of igniting. Cogongrass fires are intense, with typical flame lengths doubling the height of the grass.So what does work?Effective chemical control of cogongrass can be achieved with glyphosate, a foliar active herbicide. Even though this is not a selective herbicide, applying glyphosate only to the cogongrass leaves will target this invasive without harming your mid to upper-story species. Other treatment options include imazapyr, tilling, and combining strategies like mowing and fire with herbicide treatments.Summertime (May to October depending by one’s location) is the best time to treat cogongrass. Be prepared to re-treat, as cogongrass does not give up easily and can take up to five re-treatments for confirmed eradication. For more information, check out our Longleaf Leader article (link in bio).
Georgia landowners - Please spread the word about Georgia landowners - Please spread the word about this free workshop (and meal) in Emanuel County on August 1st. RSVPs are needed by tomorrow - Friday, July 28th - so reserve your spot today! Details at longleafalliance.org > events (link in bio).
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Conservation partners

PCA

PCA

RMS

RMS

Whitfield

Whitfield

Bartlett

Bartlett

Enviva

Enviva

Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern

advantage

advantage

Blanton

Blanton

Drax

Drax

Fram

Fram

IFCO

IFCO

Kronospan

Kronospan

Manulife

Manulife

McLeod Rhodes

McLeod Rhodes

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