Native longleaf pine, which once blanketed more than 70 million acres from Virginia to Texas, now hangs on in fragmented stands totaling only a few million acres. In South Carolina, a handful of large stands of longleaf pine remains. In addition to the site in the Francis Marion National Forest, longleaf stands remain on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, the Sand Hills State Forest and the Okatie Club, a private hunting preserve in Hampton County. Foresters regularly set fire to these stands to preserve the natural habitat. These remaining longleaf forests provide natural habitat for at least 19 of South Carolina's 57 rare or endangered species.
Beach fears that more migratory birds and butterflies also face extinction.
As they walk and talk, Muckenfuss and Beach wander into a meadow of Virginia fern. Beach is still excited. We have endangered an important piece of the global ecosyst. . . That swallowtail butterfly. Uh, I was saying, well, these are such amazing places.