Two hundred years ago, a visitor to the southern half of Alabama would have travelled through a vast forest of longleaf pine that, in many instances, would have stretched for miles and miles encompassing millions of acres. Today that number has dwindled to around three million acres or 97 percent less than its original mass. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, French and English, the Native Americans thrived in and along the periphery of the ecosystem anchored by the longleaf pine forest.

The importance of the longleaf in relation to its impact on the ecosystem, and its benefit to the men and women who settled the region and to those that remain today can be seen in Alabama’s recognition of the tree. To that end, the Alabama Legislature first designated the Southern pine as the state tree in 1949. Nevertheless, due to the diversity in the species it was decided by Alabama’s governing body to signify one particular variety as the symbol for the state. As a result, the longleaf pine was designated as the official state tree in 1997.

And it is not just Alabama’s past that the longleaf has seen dominance. According to the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF), the longleaf pine was the dominant tree on 60 million acres across the southeast, as well as occurring in mixed stands of trees on another 30 million acres. The longleaf forest is one that is characterized by an open canopy and usually supporting a low growing variety of plants and shrubs. The early explorers in the region described what they saw as a “vast savannah” of the long-needle pine, according to AWF. And it was fire, whether created by lightning strikes or Native Americans, which maintained the health and expansion of this forest.

When Europeans came to the region to settle, they quickly took advantage of the longleaf pine for a variety of desired materials. Naval stores, of course, came to mind first as a market for the massive pine forest of the Gulf Coast. Tar, turpentine, wood for masts and wood for ship construction became part of the final product for the forest. Lumber for construction of homes, businesses and defensive positions all benefitted from this abundant resource. Later in the 19^th century, vast tracts of timber in Alabama and elsewhere were removed to make way for the plantations that dominated areas like the Black Belt.

Today, restoration projects are underway to replenish some of the lost acreage. In the last five years, a restoration program funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Southern Company has been established with the goal of re-establishing at least 5,000 acres of longleaf pine.  The hope with this project is to restore the lost or damaged ecosystem that is associated with the longleaf pine forest. This type of management can ensure the future for the wildlife in our region for generations to come.

The importance of the longleaf pine to our ecosystem and for the economic wellbeing of our region has not been lost to people such as environmental consultant Fred Nation. And to provide a platform for education on the significance of the longleaf, the Foley Public Library will host Fred Nation on Wednesday, August 13. He will discuss the longleaf and its impact on the region. Nation, who is also a free-lance photographer and writer, lives in Daphne and has worked to develop nature trails and field guides for the cities of Daphne and Fairhope, Blakeley State Park, Week’s Bay Reserve, Camp Beckwith and the Baldwin County Parks and Recreation Department. Nation is also the author of “Where the Wild Illicium Grows,” and “Historic Plants of South Alabama and the Central Gulf Coast.” Nation’s presentation will take place from 2 – 3 p.m. in the Foley Library meeting room. For more information contact the Library at 251-943-7665.