The Shortleaf Pine Initiative

https://youtu.be/X6RWm3Hbngg

We’re excited to highlight this new partnership video: "Restoring Shortleaf Pine: A Legacy of Stewardship and Renewal.”

This story beautifully captures the essence of shortleaf pine restoration—stewardship, resilience, and a long-term commitment to the land. We’re especially proud to see our very own board member, Clint Harris, and his family featured in this effort. Their work exemplifies what it means to faithfully care for and restore this remarkable ecosystem.

A special thank you to Jason Milks, Director of the U.S. Reforestation Program at The Nature Conservancy, and Dan Lambe, CEO of Arbor Day Foundation, for their leadership and partnership in educating, inspiring, and advancing shortleaf pine restoration across its range.

Restoring Shortleaf Pine: A Legacy of Stewardship and Renewal Once a dominant species across the Ozarks, the shortleaf pine has faced decades of decline due to land‑use changes, wildfire suppression, and habitat loss. T...

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 7th from 2 to 4 PM when SGI's Dwayne Estes will be joining a panel discussing the culture and ecology of Alabama’s Black Belt Prairie at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. The featured artist is good friend of SGI Philip Juras, who will be showcasing paintings of the Black Belt Prairie at the event. 🌾 🎨

This Land Then & Now is a panel presentation exploring the Black Belt from three distinct perspectives: visual artist Philip Juras reimagines Southern grasslands, inviting viewers to look beyond the natural world; Dwayne Estes, the “Prairie Preacher,” will root us in the ecology, history, and biodiversity of Southeastern Grasslands; and Jasmyn Story will inform the audience of how they can support Native land stewardship through case studies of their work with the movement called Life Comes From It. Moderated by Mark Wilson, the Director of the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, this event will forge the connections between land, history, and culture.

Click the following link to learn more! This event is free and open to the public. https://mmfa.org/event/this-land-then-now-conversations-about-the-culture-and-ecology-of-the-black-belt/

We’re excited to begin sharing photos from the recent 6th Biennial Shortleaf Pine Conference over the next few days!
What an incredible group and an unforgettable week.

Feel free to tag yourself, your colleagues, or your organization in any of the photos. Today's post is mostly of speakers from our two day sessions. More images, highlights, and resources are on the way—stay tuned!

Thank you again to everyone who helped make this year’s conference such a success.