Sponsored by the Southern Fire Exchange

Presented by Kevin Robertson, Ph.D., Tall Timbers Research Station

It has long been observed that longleaf pine juveniles (between the “grass stage” near the ground to about head-high) tend to become established in dense clusters limited to open areas away from canopy trees. Recent detailed fire history mapping efforts at the Wade Tract in south Georgia, have shown that longleaf pine regeneration tends to occur within canopy gaps that experience lower fire frequency and severity. This research has implications for fire management for longleaf pine regeneration, suggesting that burning under conditions that allow for some patchiness following longleaf mast years (abundant seed production) is important for natural recruitment.