United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Forest Service 

Southern 

Research Station 

Resource Bulletin 

SRS-9 

The Longleaf Pine Forest: 

Trends and Current Conditions 

Kenneth W. Outcalt and Raymond M. Sheffield 
The Authors: 

Kenneth W. Outcalt, Research Plant Ecologist, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA; 

and Raymond M. Shefield, Resource Analyst, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC. 

September 1996 

Southern Research Station 

P.O. Box 2680 

Asheville, NC 28802 

Reprinted April 1998 

with errata on page 2 
The Longleaf Pine Forest: 

Trends and Current Conditions 

Kenneth We Outcalt and Raymond Me Sheffield 

Introduction 

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems once 

occupied perhaps as much as 60 million acres in the 

Southeastern United States (fig. I), stretching from 

southeastern Virginia south to central Florida and west into 

eastern Texas (Stout and Marion 1993). These firedependent ecosystems covered a wide range of site 

conditions, from low, wet flatwoods along the coast to dry 

mountain slopes and ridges in Alabama and northwest 

Georgia. Longleaf forests have been intensively exploited 

since colonial times, with little regard for regeneration. 

Intensive logging of the old-growth forest reached a peak 

shortly after the turn of the century (Ware and others 1993) 

and by 1935, only about 20 million acres of longleaf pine 

forest remained. The amount declined to 12 million acres by 

1955 and to 3.8 million acres in 1985 (Kelly and Bechtold 

1990). 

Longleaf pine is the key tree species in a complex of firedependent ecosystems long native to the Southeastern 

United States. The continuing reduction of this important 

forest type threatens the myriad of life forms characteristic 

of, and largely dependent on, longleaf pine ecosystems. The 

diversity of ground cover plants per unit area places longleaf 

pine ecosystems among the most species-rich plant 

cornunities outside the Tropics. Extreme habitat reduction 

is the primary cause for the precarious state of at least 19 1 

taxa of vascular plants (Hardin and White 1989). This 

situation concerns conservation and natural resource 

organizations throughout the South. A committed effort to 

restore and manage longleaf pine ecosystems will help 

ensure its future in this Nation's natural heritage. This report 

is an assessment of the amount, location, ownership, and 

condition of the remaining longleaf ecosystem. 

Methods 

This report is based on information gathered by the Forest 

Inventory and Analysis units of the Southern Research 

Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The 

first broad-scale, objective inventories were conducted in the 

1930's. The survey cycle, or time between repeat plot 

measurements, has averaged 6 to 8 years for the States with 

longleaf pine. Data for 1985 are adapted from Kelly and 

Bechtold (1990). Data for 1995 are from surveys 

completed as follows: Georgia, 1989 (SheEeld and Johnson 

1993); Alabama, 1990 (McWilliams 1992); North Carolina, 

1990 (Brown 1993); Louisiana, 1991 (Rosson 1995); Texas, 

1992 (Miller and Hartsell 1992); South Carolina, 1993 

(Conner 1993); Mississippi, 1994 (Hartsell and London 

1995); and Florida, 1995 (Brown 1996). 

These inventories were conducted on permanent sample 

plots systematically distributed across timberland to obtain a 

proportionate sample of all major forest types, sites, and 

ownership classes in the region. Each sample plot 

represented a specific number of equivalent acres of 

timberland from the entire population. This number, termed 

the expansion factor, had an average value of 3,500 acres for 

sample plots located in the longleaf pine forest type. 

Acreage totals in this report were obtained by summarizing 

the expansion factors for all plots where longleaf pine 

comprised more than 50 percent of the tree cover. 

At each sample location, a multipoint cluster plot was used 

to collect data on a representative sample of trees. Trees z 

5.0 inches in diameter were selected using a basal-area 

factor of 37.5 square feet per acre. Trees smaller than 5.0 

inches were tallied on small, fixed plots that shared common 

point centers with each variable radius point center. Plotlevel classifications used in the study were either computed 

or assigned in the field. Stocking-related items, such as 
ERRA TA (April 1998) 

forest type and stand size, were assigned in the field and 

verified during data editing and compiling for consistency 

with actual tree data collected. Variables such as site type 

and ownership were assigned during the data collection 

phase. 

Results 

Trends 

The amount of longleaf pine has declined, from 3.77 

million acres in 1985 (Kelly and Bechtold 1990) to 2.95 

million acres in 1995. This is likely an over estimate 

because losses have occurred in some States like Georgia 

since the last survey in 1989. The distribution of the 

remaining longleaf stands across the South was similar to 

the original longleaf range except for its elimination from 

northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia (fig. 

2). The largest concentration of longleaf is in Okaloosa and 

Santa Rosa counties in the Florida panhandle and the 

adjacent Escambia County, Alabama (table 1). All of these 

counties had over 100,000 acres of longleaf pine in 1985, 

but Santa Rosa had a 36 percent decline to 7 1,600 acres in 

1995. 

The amount of longleaf pine on public lands has remained 

relatively stable from 1985 to 1995, with only North 

Carolina and Florida showing a small decline (fig. 3). 

Trends in longleaf area on forest industry lands were 

generally downward (fig. 4). Only Texas showed a small 

increase in longleaf pine acreage, while all the other States 

lost longleaf forest from industry lands. The area of 

longleaf on forest industry lands in North Carolina, 

Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi declined by about 50 

percent over the last decade. Overall, forest industry has 

lost 225,000 acres, which is 27 percent of the total decline 

in Longleaf pine since 1985. The greatest losses in longleaf, 

however, occurred on private nonindustrial lands (fig. 5). 

All States except Mississippi show a decline in the amount 

of longleaf pine on private lands. Georgia, Florida, and 

Alabama lost over 100,000 acres of longleaf pine from 

private lands since 1985. The total acreage on private lands 

declined by 591,200 acres, which is 72 percent of the total 

decrease in area occupied by longleaf pine. 

Current Conditions (1995) 

Florida has the largest amount of longleaf pine remaining, 

with nearly three quarters of a million acres or 25 percent 

of the total (fig. 6). Georgia and Alabama both contain 18 

percent of the remaining longleaf acreage. Eighty-five 

percent of the remaining longleaf was established by 

natural regeneration; 15 percent by planting. Nearly all 

planted stands are less than 40 years of age, while natural 

longleaf stands are predominantly 41 years of age and 

older (fig. 7). Forest industry owns 16 percent of the 

longleaf acreage (fig. 8). Public agencies control 33 

percent of the longleaf acreage, while other private 

landowners consisting of individuals, farmers, and other 

corporations own 5 1 percent. Florida is unique because it is 

the only State where the public sector owns the largest 

amount of longleaf. The situation is reversed in Georgia, 

with very little longleaf on public lands. 

From 25 to 35 percent of the longleaf remaining in Florida, 

Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina occurs in 

stands of 20 acres or less (figs. 9- 12). From 45 to 60 

percent of all natural longleaf in these States is in stands of 

less than 50 acres. In Florida, most small stands of longleaf 

are in private ownership, while most stands over 100 acres 

are on public lands. Public ownership is also skewed 

toward the larger stand sizes in North Carolina. 

About 60 percent of all longleaf stands are dominated by 

trees in the sawtimber size class (table 2). Florida and 

Georgia have considerable acreage in nonstocked status, 

which are cutover lands that have regenerated poorly. 

Recent surveys have classed sample plots by site type. In 

North Carolina and South Carolina, distribution of longleaf 

is relatively equal between xeric and mesic sites (fig. 13). 

Longleaf in Georgia is primarily on mesic sites, with few 

longleaf acres on xeric sandhills. In Florida, most longleaf 

is growing on flatwoods sites, but a fairly large amount 

occurs on xeric and mesic sites as well (fig. 13). Most 

natural stands of longleaf in Mississippi are on mesic sites. 

Longleaf pine acreage on rnesic sites in Louisiana is about 

twice that on xeric sites. Few longleaf occur on hydric 

savanna sites in any State. Longleaf sites in Alabama and 

Texas were not classed by site type. 

Discussion 

The decline of the longleaf ecosystem will continue as 

more area is converted to other uses. Georgia seems 

particularly vulnerable because only a very small 

percentage of the longleaf ecosystem is on public lands. If 

we wish to maintain and, or restore critical portions of this 

habitat, we must first prioritize areas so efforts are 

expended on the best or most vital sites first. 
Because the longleaf ecosystem is made up of a number of 

different cornunity types, a classification scheme will help 

organize these efforts. Craul and others1 proposed a system 

based on climatic zones, which we have modified by 

splitting the Carolina zone into two parts (fig. 14). North 

Carolina has no inventory stands in the Sandhills or the 

Coastal Plain zones in the northern part of the State. In 

South Carolina, longleaf is well distributed in both zones. 

Longleaf distribution is good in the other zones with a 

number of sites in the Georgia Uplands, the Horida and 

Georgia Lowlands, the Alabama and Mississippi Lowlands, 

the Alabama Mountains, and the Texas and Louisiana 

Coastal Plain. Thus, except for Virginia and nortSleastern 

North Carolina, a number of longleaf sites still exist in each 

of the broad longleaf zones. 

Within each zone, ownership, stand size, stand age, and site 

type could be used to further refine prioritization of sites. 

Data on stand size reveal that much of the remaining 

longleaf occurs in small stands, especially in privately 

owned areas. Because 75 percent of all longleaf grows in 

stands of less than 100 acres, the resource is becoming a 

very fragmented habitat. This fragmentation highlights the 

importance of maintaining the larger areas of longleaf 

concentration, such as exist in the panhandle area of Florida 

and adjoining Alabama. 

The greatest needs and potential gains exist on private lands, 

which account for most of the remaining longleaf and most 

of the recent losses. The dominance of sawtimber-sized trees 

on these lands coupled with increasing sawtimber prices 

indicate a potential for significant harvest removals in the 

near fiuture. If the proper information and incentives are 

unavailable when harvest occurs, losses of longleaf habitat 

on private lands could substantially accelerate. Efforts, such 

as those in North Carolina that increase seedling supply and 

disseminate information on the potential returns from 

activities such as pinestraw production, foster the 

reestablishment of longleaf following harvest. 

Although old-growh stands do exist, none were sampled by 

the inventory plots. The data indicate that few of the 

remaining sites have trees over 80 years old. Thus, 

maintaining any existing old growth and fostering the 

development of old grovvth should be a priority. 

Cmul, P.J.; Croker, T.C.; Brendemuehf, R.W. 1965. Longleaf pine site 

mnes. 58 p. Unpublished final rew. On Fie G&: Southem Research 

Starion, Forestry Scienms ory, 320 Grwn Set, A&ens, GA 30602- 

2w. 

Data on site type indicate that Florida and buisima may 

have little longleaf on very wet areas. This situation needs 

further investigation to ensure that we are not losing our wet 

savanna areas because this specialized habitat has a large 

number of unique species. 

The understory communities are also vital components of 

the longleaf pine ecosystem. However, the condition of these 

communities could not be obtained from current inventory 

data. We assumed that most longleaf pine plantations were 

established on sites previously cultivated or mechaslically 

prepared, which severely reduces the native ground cover 

(Outcalt 1993, Outcalt and Lewis 1990). Thus, the 

understory of plantations is probably in poor condition. 

The sites that regenerated naturally (85 percent) probably 

received little significant mechanical disturbance because 

longleaf rarely invades old field sites, and site preparation 

was minimal when using natural regeneration. Most longleaf 

on these sites probably originated from the seedfall of trees 

left after timber harvest operations. Although harvest 

operations can cause some damage to the understory, no 

species are eliminated and it recovers quickly. Therefore, 

initially the areas regenerated naturally should have had a 

largely intact understory component. A small number of 

these sites, primarily on military areas where activities 

frequently caused growing-season fxes and on some national 

forest lands with an aggressive prescribed burning program, 

are currently in good condition. Most other sites contain 

longleaf communities where disruption of the natural fxe 

regime has resulted in an increase in the size and density of 

the woody understory and a concurrent decline in the 

herbaceous component. 

The severity of the change in understory conditions depends 

on the site and fire history. Sandhills (xeric) sites are 

infertile and droughty, Thus, even in the absence of fire, the 

woody component increases relatively slowly. Many 

flatwoods sites have been periodically burned during the 

dormant season. Although this burning results in an increase 

in woody shrub density, it does prevent these shrubs from 

eslablishing a midstory layer. Periodic fires also maintain 

conditions open enough for the continued existence of most 

of the herbaceous component. On fertile upland (mesic) 

areas, the understory is probably much more degraded. 

Without fire, increased fertility leads to a rapid increase in 

woody growth. This results in a large increase in woody 

species and a subsequent loss or severe reduction of 

herbaceous species. Very wet sites also are in poor condition 

because they are too wet to burn most years. This results in 

the accumufation of large amoune of fuel, m&ng the sites 

vev difjFicuIt to prescribe burn. Therefore, most have not 
been burned; the woody component of the understory has 

become dominant; and very little of the herbaceous 

component remains. 

Summary 

The area occupied by longleaf pine, once the dontinmt tree 

species of the Southern Coastal Plains, has been drastically 

reduced over the last 200 years. In all States except Florida, 

the private sector owns the majority of the remaining 

longleaf pine. The private sector is also where most of the 

losses in longleaf acreage occurred from 1985 to 1995. The 

potential for future losses is high because much of the 

longleaf controlled by the private nonindustrial owner is, or 

will soon reach, sawtimber size. Harvest levels will probably 

increase due to rising prices for this product. If we wish to 

reverse the loss of longleaf, we must provide information 

and incentives to the private sector to encourage growing 

longleaf pine. 

Although acreage in public ownership is relatively stable, 

other conditions need attention. Fortunately, most of the 

remaining longleaf pine originated from natural 

regeneration, and much of the understory remains on these 

sites. More normal fve regimes are needed, however, to 

improve the condition of the understory. Public lands will 

also have to provide most of the old-growth longleaf areas 

and the large contiguous blocks of longleaf type necessary 

for some species and landscape scale process. 

Literature Cited 

Brown, Mark J. 1993. North Carolina's forests, 1990. Resour. Bull. SE142. Ashevilfe, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 101 p. 

Brown, Mark J. 19%. Forest statistics for Florida, 1995. Rescwr. Bull. 

SRS-6. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Southern Research Station. 48 p. 

Canner, Roger C. 1993. Forest statistics for South Carolina, 1993. Resour. 

Bull. SE141. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 52 p. 

Hardin, E.D.; mite, D.L. 1989. Rare vascular plant taxa associated with 

wiregrars (Atistida stticta) in the Southeastern United States. Natural 

Areas J~urnal. 9(4): 234-245. 

Hartsell, Andrew J.; London, Jack D. 1995. Forest statistics for 

Mississippi counties-1994. Resour. Bull. SO-190. New Orleans, LA: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest 

Experiment Station. 89 p. 

April 46; Long Beach, MS. Gen. Tech. Rep. SO-75. New Orleans, LA: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest 

Experiment Station: 1 1-22, 

William H. 1992. Forest resources of M&arna. Resow. Bull. 

SO-170. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculwe, Forest 

Service, Southern Forest Expehent Station. 7 1 p. 

Miller, Patrick E.; Hartsell, Andrew J. 1992. Forest statistics for east 

Texas counties-1992. Resour. Bull. SO-173. New Orleans, LA: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Exphent 

Station. 55 p. 

Outcalt, K.W. 1993. Wirems cover foBowing site preparation of 

sandhills. In: Gjerstad, D.H., ed. Proceedings international conference on 

forest vegetation management; 1992 April 27-May 1; Auburn, AL. 

Auburn, AL: Auburn University School of Forestry Report 1993: 1, 198- 

201. 

Outcalt, K.W.; Lewis, C.E. 1990. Response of wiregrass (Aristik stricta) 

to mechanical site preparation. In: Duever, L.C.; Noss, R.F., eds. 

Wiregrass biology and management, symposium proceedings; 1988 

October 13; Valdosta, GA. Gainesville, FL,: KBN Engineering & Applied 

Sciences. 12 p. 

Rosson, James F., Jr. 1995. Forest resources of Louisiana, 1991. Resow. 

Bull. SO-192. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Southern Forest Expehent Station. 7 1 p. 

Shemeld, Raymond M.; Johnson, Tony G. 1993. Georgia's forests, 1989. 

Resour. Bull. SE-133. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 97 p. 

Stout, IJ.; Marion, W.R. 1993. Pine flatwoods and xeric pine forests of 

the southern (lower) coastal plain. In: Biodiversity of the Southeastern 

United States: lowland terrestrial communities. Martin, W.H.; Boyce, 

S.G.; Echternacht, A.C., eds. New York: John Wiley. 373-446. 

Ware, S.; Frost, C.; Doerr, P.D. 1993. Southern mixed hardwood forest: 

The former longleaf pine forest. In: Biodiversity of the Southeastern 

United States: lowland terrestrial communities. Martin, W.H.; Boyce, 

S.G.; Echternacht, A.C., eds. New York: John Wiley. 447-493. 

Kelly, J.F.; Bechtold, W.A. 1990. The longleaf pine resource. In: 

Proceedings of symposim on the management of longleaf pine; 1989 
List of Tables and Figures 

Page 

Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State. county. and ownership ................................. 6 

Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State. county. and size class .................................. 12 

Figure 1-Natural range of longleaf pine ......................................................... 18 

Figure 2.X urrent distribution of longleaf pine .................................................... 19 

Figure 3-Area of longleaf pine on public lands ................................................... 20 

Figure 4-Area of longleaf pine on forest industry lands ............................................ 20 

Figure 5-Area of longleaf pine on private lands .................................................. 20 

Figure &Total longleaf acreage by State and origin ............................................... 20 

Figure 7-Distribution of longleaf stands by origin and age class ...................................... 21 

Figure 8-Distribution of longleaf stands by State and ownership ..................................... 21 

Figure 9-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in Florida by size class and ownership ................... 21 

Figure 10-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in Georgia by size class and ownership .................. 21 

Figure 1 1-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in South Carolina by size class and ownership ............. 22 

Figure 12-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in North Carolina by size class and ownership ............ 22 

Figure 13-Distribution of natural longleaf stands by site type ........................................ 22 

Figure 14-Site zones for longleaf communities (adapted from Craul and others 1965) ..................... 23 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Moore 

Hoke 

Richmond 

Bladen 

Brunswick 

Cumberland 

Pender 

Scotland 

Onslow 

Carteret 

New Hanover 

Sarnpson 

Craven 

Pitt 

Columbus 

Harnett 

Robeson 

Jones 

Lenoir 

Total 

Aiken 

Chesterfield 

Lexington 

Barnwell 

Kershaw 

Berkeley 

Richland 

Jasper 

Charleston 

Williarnsburg 

Georgetown 

Dorchester 

How 

Harnpton 

Colleton 

Calhoun 

Orangeburg 

Lancaster 

Florence 

Beaufort 

Marlboro 

Total 

rrhousand acres 

North Carolina 

South Carolina 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership (continued) 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Thousand acres 

Georgia 

Decatur 

Thomas 

Charlton 

Worth 

Liberty 

Emanuel 

Baker 

Grady 

B~Y an 

Wayne 

Dougherty 

Bulloch 

Ben Hill 

Taylor 

Richmond 

Effingharn 

ChaaAoochee 

Tattnall 

Brooks 

Mitchell 

Jenkins 

Appling 

Laurens 

Long 

Coffee 

Ware 

Turner 

Calhoun 

Burke 

Echols 

Seminole 

Colquitt 

Lowndes 

Brantley 

Treutlen 

Irwin 

Pierce 

Lee 

Dodge 

Atkinson 

Jeff Davis 

Cook 

Webster 

Telfair 

Jefferson 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership (continued) 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Thousand acres 

Georgia 

Crawford 

Dooly 

Glynn 

Crisp 

Camden 

Screven 

Bacon 

Wilcox 

Early 

Marion 

Upson 

Muscogee 

Berrien 

Bibb 

Toombs 

Miller 

Clinch 

Lanier 

Mclntosh 

Total 

Florida 

Okaloosa 

Santa Rosa 

Wakulla 

Liberty 

Walton 

Leon 

Escambia 

Marion 

Levy 

Citrus 

Putnam 

Columbia 

Lake 

Bay 

Suwannee 

Madison 

Sumter 

De Soto 

Gulf 

Volusia 

Baker 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership (continued) 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Thowand acres 

Florida 

Duval 

Washington 

Jackson 

Osceola 

St. Johns 

Clay 

Orange 

Glades 

Pasco 

Flagler 

Hernando 

Nassau 

Highlands 

Calhoun 

Brevard 

Seminole 

Taylor 

Franklin 

Hardee 

Bradford 

Manatee 

Polk 

Gadsden 

Alachua 

Hillsborough 

Hamilton 

Holmes 

Total 

Alabama 

Escambia 

Mobile 

Covington 

Baldwin 

Washington 

Shelby 

Monroe 

Talladega 

Coosa 

Autauga 

Bibb 

Clarke 

Clay 

Cleburne 

Perry 

Dale 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership (continued) 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Thousand acres 

Alabama 

Crenshaw 5.6 - - - - 5.6 

Lee 5.2 - - - - 5.2 

Hale 2.6 2.6 - - - - 

Tuscaloosa 2.5 2.5 - - - - 

Macon 1.8 1.8 - A - - 

Total 535.1 81.8 5.8 16.4 190.3 240.8 

Mississippi 

Perry 

Forrest 

Lamar 

Harrison 

Stone 

Jones 

Wayne 

Pearl River 

George 

Greene 

Jackson 

Hancock 

Marion 

Total 

Vernon 

Beauregard 

Calcasieu 

Rapides 

Natchitoches 

St. Tammany 

Grant 

Evangeline 

Winn 

St. Helena 

Sabine 

Allen 

Tangipahoa 

Total 

Louisiana 
Table 1-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and ownership (continued) 

National Other State and Forest Other 

County Total forest Federal county industry private 

Thousand acres 

Texas 

Tyler 23.3 - - - 17.5 5.8 

Newton 10.6 - - - 5.3 5.3 

Jasper 7.3 7.3 - - - - 

Sabine 3.8 3.8 - - - 

Total 45.0 11.1 - 22.8 11.1 

Total, all areas 2,953.5 45 1.7 3 17.7 203.9 458.7 1,521.5 
Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class - - 

Nonstocked SaplingCounty Total areas" seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Thousand acres 

North Carolina 

Moore 

Hoke 

Richmond 

Bladen 

Brunswick 

Cumberland 

Pender 

Onslow 

Scotland 

Carteret 

New Hanover 

Sampson 

Craven 

Pitt 

Columbus 

Harnett 

Robeson 

Jones 

Lenoir 

Total 

South Carolina 

Aiken 

Chesterfield 

Lexington 

Barnwell 

Kershaw 

Berkeley 

Richland 

Jasper 

Charleston 

Williamsburg 

Georgetown 

Dorchester 

Hony 

Hampton 

Colleton 

Calhoun 

Orangeburg 

Lancaster 

Florence 

Beaufort 

Marlboro 

Total 
Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class (continued) 

Nonstocked SaplingCounty Total areasa seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Thousand acres 

Georgia 

Decatur 

Thomas 

Charlton 

Worth 

Liberty 

Emanuel 

Baker 

Grady 

B~Y an 

Wayne 

Dougherty 

Bulloch 

Ben Hill 

Taylor 

Richmond 

Chattahoochee 

Effingham 

Tattnall 

Brooks 

Mitchell 

Jenkins 

Appling 

Laurens 

Coffee 

Long 

Ware 

Turner 

Calhoun 

Burke 

Echols 

Seminole 

Colquitt 

Lowndes 

Brantley 

Treutlen 

Irwin 

Pierce 

Lee 

Atkinson 

Dodge 

Jeff Davis 

Cook 

Webster 

Telfair 

Jefferson 
Table 2-Area of Iongleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class (continued) - -- 

Nonstocked SaplingCounty Total areas" seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Thousand acres 

Georgia 

Crawford 

Dooly 

Glynn 

Crisp 

Camden 

Screven 

Bacon 

Wilcox 

Early 

Marion 

Upson 

Muscogee 

Berrien 

Bibb 

Toombs 

Miller 

Clinch 

Lanier 

McIntosh 

Total 

Florida 

Okaloosa 

Santa Rosa 

Wakulla 

Liberty 

Walton 

Leon 

Escambia 

Marion 

Levy 

Citrus 

Putnarn 

Columbia 

Lake 

Bay 

Suwannee 

Madison 

Sumter 

De Soto 

Gulf 

Volusia 

Baker 
Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class (continued) 

Nonstocked SaplingCounty Total areas" seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Thousaad acres 

Florida 

Duval 

Washington 

Jackson 

Osceola 

St. Johns 

Clay 

Orange 

Glades 

Pasco 

Flagler 

Hernando 

Nassau 

Highlands 

Calhoun 

Brevard 

Seminole 

Taylor 

Franklin 

Hardee 

Bradford 

Manatee 

Polk 

Gadsden 

Alachua 

Hillsborough 

Hamilton 

Holmes 

Total 

Alabama 

Escambia 

Mobile 

Covington 

Baldwin 

Washington 

Shelby 

Monroe 

Talladega 

Autauga 

Bibb 

Coosa 

Clarke 

Clay 

Cleburne 

Perry 

Dale 
Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class (continued) 

Nonstocked SaplingCounty Total areas" seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Thousand acres 

Alabama 

Crenshaw 

Lee 

Hale 

Tuscaloosa 

Macon 

Total 

Mississippi 

Pew 

Forrest 

Lamar 

Harrison 

Stone 

Jones 

Wayne 

Pearl River 

George 

Greene 

Jackson 

Hancock 

Marion 

Total 

Louisiana 

Vernon 

Beauregard 

Calcasieu 

Rapides 

Natchitoches 

St. Tammany 

Grant 

Evangeline 

Winn 

St. Helena 

Sabine 

AHen 

Tangipahoa 

Total 
Table 2-Area of longleaf pine stands by State, county, and size class (continued) 

County 

Nonstocked SaplingTotal areasa seedling Poletimber Sawtimber 

Tyler 

Newton 

Jasper 

Sabine 

Thousand acres 

Texas 

Total 45.0 - 5.3 11.1 28.6 

Total, all areas 2,953.5 69.2 645.5 443.6 1,795.2 

" Nonstocked areas are those with stocking less than 16.7 percent. Trees less than 5 inches d.b.h. are saplings and 

seedlings, trees between 5.0 and 8.9 inches d.b.h. are poletimber and trees 9.0 inches d.b.h. and larger are sawtimber. 

Each area is classified according to predominant size class. 
Figure 1-Natural range of longleaf pine. 
9Y 

I - 

6g 

Od In- 
State 

Figure 3--Area of longleaf pine on public lands. 

State 

Figure 4-Area of longleaf pine on forest industry lands. 

State State 

Figure %Area of longleaf pine on private lands. Figure &Total longleaf acreage by State and origin. 
1-10 11-20 21-40 41-60 61+ All Aged 

Age Class (years) 

Figure 7-Distribution of longleaf stands by origin and age class. 

lllndustry 

EJPrivate 

Size class (acres) 

Figure 9-Distribution of n longleaf stands in Rorida by size class 

and ownership. 

1 000 

0 Public 1 

mindustry 

EZI Private 

. . 

..... . . . ,/ .* ./ '8. . ' . . . 

600 1:::::::::::;:: ,,,, 

State 

Figure &--Distribution of longleaf stands by State and ownemfip. 

!ZZPub!ic 

lllndustry 

Elprivate 

Size class (acres) 

Figure 1 &Distribution of longleaf stands in Georgia by size 

class and ownership. 
1-20 21 -50 51-100 >I00 

Size class (acres) 

Figure 1 l-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in South Carolina by 

size class and ownership. 

1-20 2 1-50 51-100 

Size class (acres) 

Figure 12-Distribution of natural longleaf stands in North Carolina by 

size class and ownership. 

State 

Iondeaf smds by site tyEje. 


Outcalt, Kenneth W.; Sheffield, Raymond M. 1996. The longleaf pine forest: trends 

and current conditions. Resour. Bull. SRS-9. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 23 p. 

Longleaf pine cornunities were once the most prevalent ecosystem in the Southeastern 

United States. Conversions of land to agricultural and urban uses and replacement of 

longleaf with other pine species following logging have drastically reduced the area 

occupied by longleaf pine. Although longleaf communities can still be found over most 

of its original range, the species occupies less than 5 percent of its historical acreage, 

Private individuals own most of the remaining longleaf pine, except in Florida. The 

private sector is where most losses in longleaf acreage have occurred over the last 

decade. Because prices and the number of sawtimber-sized trees are increasing, potential 

harvests in the near future will probably be high. If appropriate information and 

incentives are not in place, losses of longleaf from private lands could substantially 

Keywords: Ecosystem, habitat, longleaf pine, nonindustrial private owner, resources. 
,Qrrs strop @ The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

is dedicated to the principle of multiple use 

management of the Nation's forest resources for 

sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. 

Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private 

forest owners, and management of the National Forests and 

National Grasslands, it strives-as directed by Congress-to 

provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 

discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or 

familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 

communication of program information (braille, large print, 

audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of 

Communications at (202) 720-5881. To file a complaint, write the 

Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Washington, DC 20250, or call (202) 720-7327. USDA is an equal 

employment opportunity employer.