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The longleaf pine ecosystem, once one of the most extensive ecosystems in North America, has been reduced over the past few centuries to approximately 2.2% of its original size. Despite this devastation, the range of the longleaf still extends from Florida and the Carolinas to Texas, and through combined efforts of organizations such as the USDA Forest Service, the Longleaf Alliance and the Nature Conservancy, extensive programs to conserve and restore the trees are now underway.§The pines are valued not only for their aesthetic appeal, but also for for the habitats they provide, as well as for the quality of their lumber. Longleaf pines have a natural resistance to fire and some insects, and their ecosystems support more than thirty threatened or endangered plant and animal species, including the red-cockaded woodpecker and the gopher tortoise.§This book unites a wealth of current information on the ecology, silviculture and restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem. It also includes a discussion of the significant historical, social and political aspects of longleaf pine ecosystem management, making it a valuable resource for students, land managers, ecologists, private landowners, government agencies, consultants and the forest product industry.
