TROY — Staff with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, along with other natural resources professionals, will be among the presenters at a free two-day workshop on shortleaf pine, hosted by the Greater Uwharrie Conservation Partnership and the Shortleaf Pine Initiative.
The “Shortleaf Pine 101” workshop, scheduled for May 12 to May 14 at the James Garner Center in Troy, is open to private forestland owners and natural resource managers who want to learn more about the economic and ecological benefits of shortleaf pine, an ecosystem that has been in decline for the several decades.
Among the topics that will be presented during the workshop are the status of shortleaf pine today; significance of the shortleaf pine ecosystem; regeneration of shortleaf pine forests; economics and yield of shortleaf pine; and cost-share opportunities for landowners who want to manage shortleaf pine stands. Additionally, members of the Shortleaf Pine Initiative will introduce the range-wide conservation plan that is being developed.
“The Uwharrie region of North Carolina is a place where shortleaf is still hanging on and there is a lot of opportunity for restoration,” said Kelly Douglass, a wildlife biologist for the Commission. “We encourage all private landholders to attend the workshop who have an interest in learning about the benefits of shortleaf pine and how to incorporate shortleaf pine into forestland.”
The first day of the workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and will include presentations and a panel discussion on managing shortleaf pine to accomplish forest management and wildlife habitat objectives. A catered lunch will be provided, free of charge, to all registered attendees.
Day two of the workshop will provide an opportunity to visit shortleaf stands on the Uwharrie National Forest. The field trip, which will run from 9 a.m. until noon, will provide an opportunity to see first-hand how this native species can be integrated into a forest management program.
The workshop is limited to the first 150 people on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pre-registration is required by April 28. Interested participants can register online or contact Brooke Massa, the Commission’s piedmont land conservation biologist, at 919-630-3086 or brooke.massa@ncwildlife.org.
The Greater Uwharrie Conservation Partnership comprises 14 wildlife and habitat conservation organizations that work for the long-term conservation and enhancement of biological diversity and ecosystem sustainability throughout the greater Uwharrie landscape. In addition to the Wildlife Commission, other partners are: Environmental Defense Fund, Land Trust for Central North Carolina, North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, N.C. Natural Heritage Program, N.C. Plant Conservation Program, N.C. Zoological Park, Piedmont Land Conservancy, Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Central Park North Carolina and N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
For more information on the partnership, visit the website. For more information on wildlife in North Carolina, visit the commission’s website.
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