longleaf pine initiative
DESCRIPTION
Restoring warm-season grassland habitat in the Southeastern USA through the Conservation Reserve Program Longleaf Pine Initiative, March 2009, by Stan Moore, Seven Rivers RC&D Council, Georgia.TRANSCRIPT
Longleaf Pine Initiative:Longleaf Pine Initiative:Restoring Native Warm Restoring Native Warm
Season GrassesSeason Grasses
Seven Rivers RC&D CouncilSeven Rivers RC&D CouncilStan Moore, RC&D Coordinator Stan Moore, RC&D Coordinator
USDA, NRCS Baxley, GAUSDA, NRCS Baxley, GA
Seven Rivers Resource Seven Rivers Resource Conservation & Development Conservation & Development
CouncilCouncil RC&D public/private RC&D public/private
partnership partnership Locally LedLocally Led VolunteersVolunteers Non profitNon profit Seven Rivers Mission: Seven Rivers Mission:
Local people working Local people working together to develop, together to develop, enhance, and protect enhance, and protect our resources for the our resources for the betterment of our betterment of our economy and economy and environment.environment.
Longleaf Pine EcosystemLongleaf Pine Ecosystem
200 years ago: 90 200 years ago: 90 million acresmillion acres
Today less than 4 Today less than 4 millionmillion
High diversity of High diversity of plants in understoryplants in understory
Numerous wildlife Numerous wildlife speciesspecies
Frequent fire neededFrequent fire needed Navel IndustryNavel Industry
CRP Longleaf Pine InitiativeCRP Longleaf Pine Initiative
Purpose: Purpose: reestablish reestablish Longleaf Pine Longleaf Pine Stands and native Stands and native warm season warm season grasses grasses
Benefit Wildlife Benefit Wildlife Protect Water Protect Water
QualityQuality
CRP Longleaf Pine InitiativeCRP Longleaf Pine Initiative Sign up started Sign up started
December 2006December 2006 Continuous Sign UpContinuous Sign Up Allocated 64,750 acres Allocated 64,750 acres
in GAin GA Additional 20,000 Additional 20,000
acres acres Cost share for site Cost share for site
prep, tree seedlings, prep, tree seedlings, planting, NWSG planting, NWSG planting and planting and maintenance maintenance
ExperienceExperience
Planted longleaf trees Planted longleaf trees beforebefore
First CRP Longleaf First CRP Longleaf plantings not plantings not successfulsuccessful
Never planted any Never planted any NWSG in GA on a NWSG in GA on a large scale beforelarge scale before
Landowners had Landowners had questions about questions about NWSG, to plant or notNWSG, to plant or not
NRCS CRP Native Warm Season NRCS CRP Native Warm Season Grass Seed MixtureGrass Seed Mixture
Big Bluestem 1.5 lbs PLS/ac Indian grass 1.5 lbs PLS/ac Little Bluestem 1.5 lbs PLS/ac Switch grass 0.5 lbs PLS/ac Forbs 1 lbs/ac_____ TOTAL 6 lbs/ac
Weed pressure if not planted in Weed pressure if not planted in Native Warm Season GrassesNative Warm Season Grasses
Partnership for NWSGPartnership for NWSG
Seven Rivers RC&D sent Invitation to Seven Rivers RC&D sent Invitation to bid on grassland planting programbid on grassland planting program
Must meet certain criteria. Such as Must meet certain criteria. Such as experience, warranty and promotionexperience, warranty and promotion
Seven Rivers accepted FDCE’s bid Seven Rivers accepted FDCE’s bid from Ohio from Ohio
Seven Rivers RC&D- FDCE Partnership-Seven Rivers RC&D- FDCE Partnership-dedicated to establishing successful native dedicated to establishing successful native
grasses & conservationgrasses & conservation
Public-Private partnerships Public-Private partnerships strengthen conservationstrengthen conservation
Seven Rivers RC&D outreach and Seven Rivers RC&D outreach and educationeducation
FDCE superior grassland FDCE superior grassland establishment techniques and resultsestablishment techniques and results
The ResultsThe ResultsThis site was planted in early spring 2008. This site was planted in early spring 2008.
Picture was taken late spring 2008Picture was taken late spring 2008
The ResultsThe ResultsThis site was planted in early spring 2008. This site was planted in early spring 2008.
Picture was taken September 2008Picture was taken September 2008
Grasslander NWSG DrillGrasslander NWSG Drill
NWSG planting NWSG planting needs for small needs for small acreage acreage landownerslandowners
USFWS Partners USFWS Partners Program Program
Seven Rivers RC&D Seven Rivers RC&D FundsFunds
Grasslander Field Day February Grasslander Field Day February 20092009
NWSG Seed for SaleNWSG Seed for Sale
Seed mix meets NRCS Seed mix meets NRCS specifications of CRP specifications of CRP programprogram
Mixed for Grasslander Mixed for Grasslander drilldrill
Plus a couple of Plus a couple of wildflowers specieswildflowers species
Partners: Seven Partners: Seven Rivers, Grasslander, Rivers, Grasslander, Soil and Water Soil and Water Conservation DistrictsConservation Districts
Grasslander Drill and Seed ProjectGrasslander Drill and Seed Project
Planted over 300 Planted over 300 acres so far 2009acres so far 2009
Assisted over 30 Assisted over 30 landowners in CRPlandowners in CRP
Planting EQIP Planting EQIP wildlife openingswildlife openings
Demo planting Demo planting AlfalfaAlfalfa
Other ProjectsOther Projects GA native grass seed GA native grass seed
sourcesource Only Midwest grass Only Midwest grass
species planted CRP species planted CRP now now
Gather and grow seed Gather and grow seed locallylocally
Collected ten species Collected ten species of grass last fall of grass last fall
Looking for fundingLooking for funding Partners: Seven Partners: Seven
Rivers, Tall Timbers, Rivers, Tall Timbers, USFWS.USFWS.
CRP Save Acres For wildlife CRP Save Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) ProgramEnhancement (SAFE) Program
New opportunities for reenrolling CRP New opportunities for reenrolling CRP TreesTrees
In GA: restoring native pine savanna In GA: restoring native pine savanna Must be located in Longleaf areaMust be located in Longleaf area Approximately 90 -100% cost shareApproximately 90 -100% cost share Rental payments for 15 yearsRental payments for 15 years Purchase another nwsg drill, Seven RiversPurchase another nwsg drill, Seven Rivers Partners: GA Forestry Commission, GA Partners: GA Forestry Commission, GA
DNR, Environmental Defense Fund, NRCS, DNR, Environmental Defense Fund, NRCS, Seven Rivers RC&DSeven Rivers RC&D
Seven Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Seven Rivers Resource Conservation and Development CouncilCouncil
Stan Moore, RC&D Coordinator USDA, NRCS Baxley, GA Stan Moore, RC&D Coordinator USDA, NRCS Baxley, GA 912-367-7679912-367-7679
www.sevenrivers.orgwww.sevenrivers.org