State Implementation Team Update

1. State Implementation Team Update Bonnie Stine Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting Mobile, Alabama April 25, 2013

2. Current State Teams • North Carolina • South Carolina • Georgia • Florida • Alabama • Mississippi • Texas/Louisiana • Virginia

3. North Carolina Team Leads Susan Miller – US Fish and Wildlife Service Kim Shumate – NC Forest Service Activities • The NC Longleaf Coalition held a meeting on March 19. • The NC Sandhills and Onslow Bight both received LSF grants in 2012, with increasing fire central to both efforts. • Cooperative efforts are underway near Camp Lejeune with USMC related to RCW recovery. • A joint meeting of the Onslow Bight and Cape Fear partnerships is being planned.

4. South Carolina Team Lead Russell Hubright – SC Forestry Commission Activities • The first State Implementation Team meeting will be held in May. • The SCFC is utilizing a competitive grant to host a LLA academy 201. • The NWTF has helped write 120 landowner management plans that will result in 7,000 acres of longleaf establishment on private lands.

5. Georgia Team Leads Reggie Thackston – GA DNR Wildlife Resources Division Scott Griffin GA Forestry Commission Activities • There are 10 different organizations involved in the Georgia state team. • NRCS reports that $1.5 million expended in EQIP longleaf and $4.5 million in WHIP Working Lands for Wildlife. • Longleaf Alliance 101 and 102 academies are planned in Georgia. • GFC is utilizing USFS S&P grants to monitor how effective past longleaf restoration work has been.

6. Florida Team Lead Bonnie Stine – FL Forest Service Activities • A significant land acquisition totaling 1,041 acres was recently completed west of Eglin AFB. • The Okefenokee/Osceola Local Implementation Team has formed and submitted a LSF grant proposal for 2013. The proposal includes hiring of coordinator, implementation of prescribed fire and longleaf establishment, private landowner education/outreach, and engaging large industrial landowners. The next meeting is in May. • Florid Forest Service Foresters are conducting a longleaf pine ecosystem rapid assessment that includes condition of overstory, mid-story and ground cover. This assessment protocol was developed by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory and will provide the first qualitative geospatial information regarding current statewide longleaf conditions.

7. Alabama Team Leads Tim Albritton – USDA NRCS Ad Platt – Longleaf Alliance Activities • The ALERT (Alabama Longleaf Ecosystem Restoration Team) met on March 20 and has now grown to 14 TSPs representing 13 different organizations.   A proposal was submitted to the LSF to expand and extend this team . • A successful field day was held at Saloom properties in Conecuh County on April 18th. Also planning field days in Baldwin County and elsewhere. • NRCS is obligating $2,000,000 to longleaf in 2013, and recently funded 132 contracts covering approximately 13,300 acres, mostly for establishing new stands.  The majority of funds went to the longleaf range in south Alabama. Next will be ranking and funding some $4,000,000 in WHIP for the Gopher Tortoise Habitat Improvement Landscape Initiative.  Interest remains strong, with some 358 applications for over $7,000,000, with the majority of these also in south Alabama.  • AL Presc. Fire council planned for this fall in Eufala; the theme is Rx fire, are we getting the job done.  Includes DoD participation in development. Also planning a wildlife school for landowners.  AWF is currently conducting NWSG Field Days demonstrating successful establishment on four sites across the state. 

8. Mississippi Team Lead Jim Hancock – MS Forestry Commission Activities • The Mississippi State Coordination Team has organized workgroups that includes Media/Outreach, Economics, Reforestation, Ecosystem Implementation, and Research. • The American Forest Foundation submitted a LSF grant proposal for the Piney Woods region of SE Mississippi. A landowner field day is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 and will provide focus to underserved landowners. • The state fire council will take the lead on fire workshop. Tamara Campbell is very active in providing technical assistance to landowners. • Through the accelerated longleaf restoration effort (national priority funding), the DeSoto NF received $2.6 million in 2012 resulting in 86,000 acres of longleaf improvements, including 70,000 acres of prescribed fire and 4,000 acres of planting. Stewardship contracting is being utilized as part of this project.

9. Texas/Louisiana Team Leads • Todd Nightingale – Texas Co-Chair, TX Forest Service • Rick Jacob Louisiana Co-Chair, The Nature Conservancy • Luke Lewis – National Wild Turkey Federation • Roel Lopez – Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources Activities • Landowner workshops will be taking place on May 21 in Texas and May 23 in Louisiana. Training to be focused on prescribed burning and smoke management. • TNC has applied for a LSF grant to provide funding for a a part-time coordinator for the Longleaf Ridge and Big Thicket SGAs. The proposal includes the completion of archeological surveys on the NFs in Texas and includes work on the Sandy Lands Preserve near the Big Thicket. • The West Central Louisiana Steering Committee remains active and work is underway to implement the LSF project from 2012.

10. Virginia Team Leads Todd Edgerton – VA Division of Forestry Brian Van Eerden – The Nature Conservancy Activities • Current estimates of the team indicate there are approximately 4,200 acres of longleaf in Virginia. • Forest Legacy funds totaling $1 million leveraged to purchase of 2,500 acres of priority lands; some of last remaining longleaf in Virginia.

11. Range-Wide Accomplishment Reporting All state implementation teams are developing methodology for collecting public and private land accomplishments by practice acres and dollars. This process was outlined by conference calls hosted by Glen Gaines and Clay Ware on April 2 and 9.