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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

Restoring and managing longleaf ecosystems requires active management, and prescribed fire is still the most valuable and effective tool that we have. We support landowners with fire training and education, technical assistance in fire management planning, and cost-share support where available. The Longleaf Alliance’s Fire and Longleaf Academy offers a course dedicated to the challenges, benefits, and practices of prescribed fire when managing for longleaf pine. Staff members also provide fireline support on public lands through our Local Implementation Teams and multi-agency partnerships.

Additional Resources

  • Southern Fire Exchange
  • Fire-Adapted Communities Learning Network
  • Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils

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

Today for National #WildlandFirefighterDay, we wan Today for National #WildlandFirefighterDay, we want to thank the thousands of local, state, federal, or contract workers who fulfill a role in wildland fire and their friends and families who make it possible for these folks to work long hours, far from home.Because of the job description “firefighter” one might assume these folks are dedicated to wildfire suppression only, but in fact, wildland fire encompasses both #PRESCRIBEDfire and wildfire. #WildlandFire is an overarching term for any non-structure fire that occurs in natural fuels so fire practitioners in the field have duties relating to prescribed burning, wildfire response, AND fire preparedness. The terminology, communication, and command structure is the same whether actively starting or suppressing fire in natural landscapes.In the Southeast, our fire practitioners are integral to keeping our forests and natural communities healthy.📷 TLA’s amazing staff in the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership whose hard work supports implementation of prescribed fire and habitat restoration. In the last fiscal year (2020-21), the EST, WEST, and AMBBIS teams burned over 90,000 acres with #GCPEP partners. #ThankAFirefighter #longleaf #longleafpine #longleafpines #goodfire #rxfire #restorelongleaf
July 1st should be in your longleaf management cal July 1st should be in your longleaf management calendar. Why? Because TODAY is the day that several state-operated nurseries begin accepting seedling orders. Longleaf seedlings are in high-demand and many growers sell out quickly. Ordering early, even if you are waiting to hear back about a cost-share application, is your best chance to guarantee seedlings.Check out these state forestry nurseries which are accepting orders as of today:👉 Georgia Forestry Commission - Flint River Nursery - BAREROOT longleaf seedlings > https://gatrees.org/forest-management-conservation/tree-seedlings👉 North Carolina Forest Service - Claridge Nursery - CONTAINER longleaf seedlings > http://www.buynctrees.com/Find a list of our partnering nurseries at longleafalliance.org/what-we-do/restoration-through-partnerships/nurseries/📷 Longleaf pine germinants in container trays for nursery production. Photo courtesy of PRT in Atmore, Alabama. #longleaf  #longleafpine #longleafpines
You are invited to join representatives from The L You are invited to join representatives from The Longleaf Alliance, Clemson Extension, the SC Forestry Commission, and the USDA-NRCS to learn more about longleaf pine management practices for protecting water quality, improving wildlife habitat, and enhancing native plant communities. This series is designed for landowners to attend sessions #1 and #2 prior to participating in the field tour, but the field tour is optional.Details at longleafalliance.org > events.
Do you know an amazing person or team worthy of re Do you know an amazing person or team worthy of recognition for their contributions to longleaf conservation? If so, say "thank you" by submitting a nomination on their behalf for a 🏆 2022 Regional Longleaf Award 🏆 by FRIDAY, July 1st. Awardees will be recognized at the 14th Biennial Longleaf Conference in Wilmington, NC on October 26, 2022. Details at longleafconference.com > awards (link in bio)
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