What tree begins life looking more like a tuft of grass, survives repeated fires for years on the forest floor, and then suddenly bolts toward the canopy in a remarkable growth spurt? The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is one of the most unique and ecologically important tree species in North America. Once dominating the coastal plains of the southeastern United States, longleaf pine forests have been reduced to less than 5% of their historic range. Yet these forests remain among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the continent. In this episode of SilviCast, we explore the fascinating life history of longleaf pine and the silvicultural practices being used to restore these iconic forests. Join us for a conversation with Steve Jack, Executive Director of Boggy Slough Conservation Area, who shares insights from decades of longleaf pine restoration work across the southern United States.

Guest on the Episode:
Steve Jack, Ph.D.
Director of the Boggy Slough Conservation Area

Dr. Steve Jack is the founding executive director of the Boggy Slough Conservation Area (BSCA), a 19,000-acre property near Lufkin, Texas owned by the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. In that role Steve leads the foundation’s vision for BSCA “to serve as a model of excellence for East Texas through ecological research and outreach to promote conservation, management, and stewardship of natural resources.” Prior to BSCA, Steve spent over two decades at the Jones Center at Ichauway in southwest Georgia, focused on the management and restoration of longleaf pine. He has a BS from Erskine College in SC, a MS from University of Florida, and a PhD from Utah State University.

Show Notes
The Longleaf Alliance
America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative
Silvics of Longleaf Pine (digital manual)
The Art of Managing Longleaf (book)
Ecological Restoration and Management of Longleaf Pine Forests (book)
Multiple Value Management: The Stoddard-Neel Approach to Ecological Forestry in Longleaf Pine Grasslands (outreach publication)

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