Restorations Part III: Techniques

Species Removal

Fire is the natural force for maintaining a longleaf pine ecosystem. Dormant-season fires are used to reduce litter buildup when there is a significant amount of material that has accumulated on the ground which a fire would use for fuel. These fires remove the fuel to help prepare a property for restoration. Once a restoration has been completed, growing-season fires are used to maintain the structure, species composition and function of longleaf pine ecosystems. However, fire is not a practical solution for all properties because of adjacent land use (such as residential or commercial development where fire could pose a danger to settlements or nearby airports where smoke may interfere with visibility).

When fire is not appropriate for the removal of debris and non-native vegetation from a site, roller-chopping or mulching may be a necessary step in the restoration process. This involves using machines to remove large stands of woody vegetation from a property. When a site is less degraded, selective manual removal of vegetation to create canopy gaps or remove distinct stands of invasive species may be appropriate. This can be achieved using hand tools, but herbicide application is sometimes required, depending on the type of species that has colonized a property. The roots of some species are evolved to survive mechanical interference, so chemical methods are used in those circumstances.

Afforestation

While bottomland hardwood and bayhead swamp ecosystems are typically found in the same landscape as longleaf pine ecosystems, it is the restoration of a more natural hydrological regime that is key to their rehabilitation. Particular attention must be paid to soil type, nutrient availability and moisture. While flood-tolerant species are well-adapted to drier sites, they will not survive being planted directly into wet sites. Therefore, while the native ecosystems host a wide variety of mature woody vegetation, it can take significant time to re-establish a functional ecosystem. More tolerant species need to be planted and become established before species with more specific needs can be reintroduced as conditions become favorable. The stabilization of slopes, management of runoff and removal of water control structures must also be done slowly to allow woody vegetation time to adapt.

Planting woody seedlings is a common technique used by the Land Trust in all our restoration projects across all ecosystem types. In recent years, we have planted tens of thousands of woody plants on many properties across the Mississippi coastal plain. Most frequently planted is longleaf pine, but we also plant a dozen other species of woody vegetation that are native to the region depending on the specific conditions of a property. We also frequently plant native grasses and forbs and sow understory seed. Patience is key to restorations – while the removal of species has a sudden visual impact on a property, it takes many years for native species of woody plants to regrow into a forest system.

Stewardship

The natural forces which maintained native ecosystems here on the Mississippi coastal plain no longer function as they once did. Therefore, management of restored ecosystems is critical to ensuring their survival. A restored ecosystem will quickly become overrun with invasive species and revert to a degraded system without management. Successfully restored ecosystems require constant stewardship, but with it, they will thrive and provide habitat for native species. Please support the Land Trust so that we can continue doing this work on the Mississippi coastal plain so that future generations can enjoy the natural ecosystems of this beautiful area.

Restorations Part II

Property during a restoration

Other Common Native Ecosystems and the Case for Restoration

Bottomland hardwoods are forested wetlands that once covered vast acreage in the southeast on the lands adjacent to rivers, which would flood with the overflow from rivers during storms or heavy rains. These ecosystems are both characterized and maintained by the natural seasonal hydrologic regime of alternately wet and dry periods, with some parts of the system remaining more wet than others. Species presence varies depending on the hydrology of a particular area. Bayhead swamps are also forested wetlands, but they are associated with smaller creeks and tributaries. While they are similarly inundated with water, their soils tend to stay saturated most of the time.  

In addition to managing floodwater, these ecosystems are important for helping to improve water quality by filtering nutrients, processing organic waste, and reducing sediment. They also provide significant food for a wide variety of native species. Because the soil of these forest types is typically rich in nutrients as a result of deposits of large amounts of leaf litter from flooding and also from the variety of species that grow there, the vegetation tends to produce a large quantity and variety of fruit and nuts. These ecosystems are also rich habitat for native species because of the variety of vegetation and availability of water.

The changes that settlement and urbanization brought to all our native ecosystems on the Mississippi coastal plain has resulted in fragmentation, changes to species composition and loss of biodiversity. One of the biggest challenges to reestablishing native ecosystems are invasive species. These are species that are non-native, but flourish under certain conditions in a new environment.

Before Restoration

Invasive species compete with native species for limited resources, and if conditions are favorable, can outcompete native species resulting in an ecological shift. Whereas native species evolved over time to flourish under the natural conditions alongside other native species, each filling a niche role, invasive species take advantage of favorable conditions and can dominate an area without natural balance. They do not provide the same kind of habitat, food sources or other ecological benefits as native species do.

Restoration of degraded ecosystems that have been overrun by invasive species, due to the fact that the natural forces of fire and flooding are no longer functioning as they once did is possible, but the techniques can be visually drastic. Removing invasive species, especially those which have taken over an area, can leave a property free of vegetation for a period of time until the native species can be re-established. In addition, a restored native system may look very different than it had when it was overrun with invasive species.

During Restoration

After Restoration

Once restored, stewardship techniques must continue to be used to mimic the types of disturbance (like fires and floods) that used to occur naturally to maintain restored native ecosystems, or invasive species will gain a foothold once again.

The next article in this series will detail some of the techniques the Land Trust uses to restore and maintain native ecosystems.

Restoration of Native Ecosystems of the MS Coastal Plain

This is the first part in a series of articles that outline the goals and procedures for the restoration of native ecosystems in southern Mississippi. The Land Trust is publishing these articles to help the public understand periodic actions we take on some of our properties. Please contact us at info@ltmcp.org with questions, comments or concerns – we would love to hear from you!

Part I: The Native Longleaf Pine Ecosystem

The Land Trust often works on the restoration of native ecosystems. The longleaf pine ecosystem is an ecosystem we frequently work to restore, because it was historically very common here on the Coastal Plain. In fact, it covered a huge portion of the southern United States. Comprised of forests and savannas, the ecosystem occurred on sites ranging from wet, poorly drained flats to uplands. Fire would frequently affect the ecosystem, but the native species were adapted to not just survive, but thrive as a result.

Longleaf pines were a keystone species of the native ecosystem. In addition to providing fuel for fire, the growth habits of the longleaf pine tree helped encourage fire to remain at the surface of the ground only, and the trees themselves are uniquely adapted to survive in fire-prone environments.

Prior to settlement, fire would occur every few years, usually started from lightning strikes. The fallen pine needles from longleaf pine trees are highly flammable and would therefore actually facilitate both the ignition and the spread of fire. Fires would stay low to the ground because that was where the fuel was found. These “surface fires” moved through the ecosystem quickly because lightning struck regularly, so there wasn’t ever time for significant amounts of fuel to accumulate.

As seedlings, longleaf pines initially focus most of their energy on root growth. They grow a tuft of needles surrounding a large bud, but don’t grow a stem until their taproot has had time to grow deeply into the ground to reach water. Then they bolt, growing 3-6’ quickly which places the bud and needle tuft out of reach of surface fires. In addition, longleaf pines branch only near the crown, so there simply isn’t fuel in the form of branches for fires to be able to use as fuel to travel up into the canopy.

Herbaceous material thrives in the understory of longleaf pine ecosystems. Many of the perennial grasses that made up the ground story of native longleaf pine ecosystems respond to fire events by flowering more prolifically, resulting in an increase of seed production following a fire. The abundant variety of flora that flourishes in the longleaf pine ecosystem makes them one of most biodiverse plant communities in the world.

Fire helped the native flora maintain site dominance because other species that were less adapted to fire could not become established in the fire-prone ecosystem. This changed with fire suppression, which began as a result of settlement starting in the late 1800s. In addition, vast tracts of longleaf pine were harvested by the commercial logging industry for lumber and pine resin for the maintenance of wooden ships, and the land was replanted with faster growing species or kept clear for crops and cattle. Ultimately, the range of the longleaf pine ecosystem was reduced by about 97%, with the remaining ecosystem fragmented into isolated blocks.

The Land Trust works on restoration of longleaf pine ecosystems in order to reestablish some of the amazing biodiversity that flourished in these systems.

Stay tuned for our next post about the restoration of native ecosystems!

Meet Board Member, Jackie Parker

Meet LTMCP Board Member Jackie Parker!

One of the first things you notice when you meet Jackie is that her accent is not from here! Jackie was born and raised in England, but has lived all across the United States, from California to New York, for 30 years. When she first crossed the Ocean Springs Bridge almost a decade ago and saw the amazing trees, she fell in love and decided it was time to make a permanent change, settling in the beautiful city. 

Passionate about the environment, animals, and social justice, Jackie is the president and co-founder of Harvest Trends, a data analysis organization assisting marketing departments to maximize potential. When not hard at work, Jackie enjoys kayaking, gardening, painting, reading, and building random projects out of wood. Her favorite outdoor space is the south side of Horn Island “holding a cold beer in one hand and a garbage bag in the other” to help keep our beautiful landscape pristine.

In 2017, Jackie’s friend Beth asked if she would donate some of her art to the annual Land Trust fundraising event.  She donated two items, one acrylic painting and one oil painting, both with trees as the focal point.  In late 2018, again at Beth’s recommendation, Jackie joined the Land Trust Board of Directors as the Treasurer.  She wanted to help protect the beautiful trees and waterways that caused her to fall in love with the area.   

One of her favorite things about joining the Board was learning about the work the Land Trust does to make protected spaces available for environmental education and public access.  Every parcel of conservation land acquired by the Land Trust which can be safely and sustainably adapted for public access is enhanced with trails and educational signage.  She thinks more people should be involved with the Land Trust to help preserve the beautiful landscape that inspires artists, provides water quality, and connects the community to the land.

So, what’s a “blueway”?

And why has the Land Trust been helping people get out onto the water here in southern Mississippi for over 20 years?

Blueways are defined as “a stretch of river, a shoreline, or ocean that has been mapped out with the intent of creating an educational, scenic, and challenging experience for recreational paddlers. The Land Trust has been involved in increasing access to local blueways for many years.

We have established and improved blueways, protected the land along the banks of blueways and provided access to blueways. We’ve cleaned up blueways, removing truckloads of litter and debris and downed trees to make blueways navigable and enjoyable! We even helped to create and publish a Design Guide for others to establish new blueways and tell the public about it!

There are so many great blueways on the Gulf Coast; see the list here: https://gis.dmr.ms.gov/Blueways/. You can print individual maps by clicking “Download PDF” under the heading of the blueway you’re interested in.

Paddling on the blueways is good for your health and it’s super fun! Kayaking the blueways is a great way for people to socialize at a distance, enjoy nature, do some birdwatching or fishing, or help clean up our coast by picking up litter while enjoying the water.

And that’s why we do it! It’s what the Land Trust is all about! Protecting and enhancing what makes the Gulf Coast special, so that you and I, our friends and future generations can all enjoy it. See you on the water!

Let’s get ready for Kayak Season!

Kayaking is a low impact activity that can improve your endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness and increase strength. Plus, it’s a fun way to get outdoors, spend time fishing, bird watching, or be socially distant but still hang out with friends and family. Kayaking is also a great opportunity to help clean up our waterways — take a bag with you to collect trash!

Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, native trees and flowers and the many different species of birds who inhabit or migrate through the region.

A few of the good kayaking waterways located in coastal Mississippi include Red Creek, Old Fort Bayou, Wolf River, Turkey Creek and the Tchoutacabouffa River. While paddling these waterways you’ll glide past some of the properties protected by the Land Trust, including Twelve Oaks, Schwan, Ramsay Springs and Cedar Lake Island!

Always be prepared for your kayaking trip by making sure you have the correct paddle, flotation devices, drinking water, first aid kit, sunscreen and proper clothing. Springtime is a great time to kayak, so get your paddles out, your kayak cleaned up and your life jackets ready and you might see us out there enjoying the rivers ourselves!

Keep your eyes peeled for an exciting opportunity to help the Land Trust out by kayaking! We’ll be posing about it next week!

Meet Board Member, Russell Evans

In 2008, Lucedale Mayor Dayton Whites was serving as a board member for the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain. Mayor Whites approached fellow Lucedale resident Russell Evans to join the Land Trust as part of its advisory board. Russell began working with Land Trust members, and staff and was inspired by their passion for the organization and its mission. When Mayor Whites’ term on the board expired in 2001, Russell stepped in and filled the role on the LTMCP board as a representative of George County.

Russell attended Mississippi College in Clinton Mississippi where he earned his degree in Business Administration. In 2010, Russell opened R Evans Realty, LLC in Lucedale as a Broker/Owner with a vision of offering a service to property and home buyers and sellers that would be above board at every turn. His commitment to integrity and the environment has made Russell a valuable board member for the past 9 years. He loves to spend time outdoors especially at Ship Island and exploring inland waterways like Wolf River. 

Russell is a lifelong resident of George County, and has been instrumental to LTMCP in protecting and taking care of Lucedale’s Depot Creek Greenway. When Russell found out the trails at the Greenway needed to be closed due to damage, he began working with the Land Trust, members of the City of Lucedale, civic organizations, and community leaders to raise funds to fix the trail and re-open the popular nature area.

Terms for LTMCP board members expire after completing three 3-year terms. Russell is currently finishing up his last term on LTMCP’s board of directors. He will continue to be a part of the Land Trust’s Internal Affairs committee assisting in land stewardship and management. The Land Trust is grateful to Russell for volunteering his time to help make LTMCP a strong and successful organization dedicated to land conservation and is looking forward to working with him well into the future.

Forest Bathing

View fullsize

There is no doubt; we are living in turbulent times. But we have such opportunity here in southern Mississippi to take advantage of our beautiful natural environment to soothe ourselves during times of stress and upheaval. I took a lovely hike on New Years Day and enjoyed the serenity of a longleaf pine forest.

The soft sounds of the wind moving through the trees and grasses, the distinct smell of the pines, the grasshoppers and birds flying about and the warm sun all combined to provide me with a sense of calm and serenity. There isn’t just one place that can meet the need – find a place that suits you! It may be the sound of moving water, or the smell of the Gulf, or the rustling sound of deciduous trees in the breeze that really brings you peace. Try different places that appeal to different senses.  

The Japanese have a term for this practice – forest bathing. It does not need to involve a hike through the woods, it can come from simply being there. Spending time in nature; connecting to place with your senses. You might find a picnic, yoga, meditation or bird watching help to connect you to nature more, bringing you more comfort and relaxation.

Numerous studies have shown that forest bathing has significant health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression. And these days, we can all use a little less stress. Seek nature.

Reaccreditation

View fullsize

The Land Trust is happy to report that we were recently reaccredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Accreditation is a mark of distinction, recognizing land trusts that meet the national quality standards established by the land conservation community. As of October 2020, we are one of 442 accredited land trusts in the United States.

Accreditation is a rigorous process, and takes a significant amount of time and effort for staff. So, why bother? According to a recent study, 85% of public agencies and foundations say accreditation increases their confidence in land trusts, and 79% said it factors into their decision-making. In addition, 83% of landowners said accreditation increased their confidence that their land would be protected in perpetuity. We think those are compelling reasons!

We are grateful for the accreditation process, which gives us the opportunity to review our own procedures and policies, so we can make sure we are operating at the highest level. Because we want you to believe in us!

Thanks to you…

• We have protected 2,973 acres of land through fee ownership

• We planted 8,500 trees (including 12 different species) along Turkey Creek in Gulfport

• 3 critically endangered Mississippi sandhill crane chicks were born on Land Trust property

• Over 500 acres of land have been restored using prescribed burns

• Nearly 200 young people have gained work experience by working on Land Trust property through Corps service

• We have protected 7,682 acres of land using conservation easements

• About 200 critically endangered dusky gopher frogs live on Land Trust property

We are so grateful for your support!

Giving Thanks!

2020 has had its share of ups and downs, but one thing that has remained constant is the great outdoors. Amid COVID, hurricanes, elections, and whatever else this year has thrown at us, it is good to know there are places of beauty and solace protected today and for future generations thanks to the generous support of our members, sponsors, donors, and volunteers. I hope you and your family have been able to get outside and enjoy one of the beautiful trails or blueways this year and find a little bit of peace and calm to help you through this roller coaster of a year. Just being outside has the ability to improve your mood, lower your blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep.

It is our members, sponsors, donors, and volunteers who help preserve these treasured places. So during this time of gratitude, we wanted to say a big Thank You to each and every one of you for providing peace of mind to the community through your support of our programs. To learn more about how you can be a part of the land trust, please click on the link below or use the DONATE button above to provide a tax free donation.

Partnerships with Corps Groups

The Land Trust has been working with various Corps groups for over ten years. The Land Trust provides restoration projects for the Corps volunteers to do, so that the young adults in the program can gain valuable training and work experience. This will enable them to have increased opportunity to secure meaningful, full time employment in a similar field once they leave the Corps. And, it is beneficial for the community because the restorations they do increase habitat for native species. It’s a win for Land Trust, the young people, and native ecosystems! If you are interested in gaining training and work experience through a Corps, please let us know and we’ll get you connected.

Members have a multitude of reasons for joining the Conservation Corps, from just being employed and receiving certifications , to a love of local habitats and the outdoors. Climb CDC facilitates the opportunity for “at risk” youth to gain structure, confidence, and leadership traits in their life to help to get them on the right track.

The Next Twenty

2020 marked our twentieth anniversary! And, in what we have all come to recognize as typical 2020, it also marked the year our founder retired which brought a new Executive Director to the helm plus major changes to our Board. These changes have brought with them some questions about where we are going and how we’re going to get there.

An August 2019 report by the Center for American Progress stated that we need to protect 30% of land and oceans in the US by 2030 to stem the worst impacts of climate change and wildlife extinction. While about 26% of the oceans have been protected to date, we have only saved 12% of the land. AND — the south is losing land at a faster rate than the rest of the country. We have a LOT to do.

We need your help to help us succeed with our conservation efforts! Please donate today.

Volunteer Spotlight: Clara

If you have noticed an uptick in activity across our social media pages, that is largely the work of the Land Trust’s newest volunteer Clara. She has been volunteering with the Land Trust for the past several months after stumbling across us on a Facebook page for Navy Spouses. She has been visiting several of the Land Trust’s holdings to produce photographs and drone footage to contribute to the content on the Land Trust’s social media pages and website.

Although she volunteered throughout her youth at local museums in her home state of Virginia, Clara shifted her focus when she entered high school to working at a restaurant in order to pay for gas and hang out with friends. Her father pushed her to rediscover volunteering in fields that she was interested in during college in order to gain experience. Fast forward to today, where she is a graduate with a BA and little experience in her field of study. She began looking for a cause that she wanted to support discovered the Land Trust.

She looked into the Land Trust’s website and became more intrigued by the trails we offer and the mission of saving green space and waterways. She stated, “They encourage people to enjoy the properties and be in nature and that was something I’d lost touch with but is absolutely essential for me. The Land Trust is an underrated organization that has been around for 20 years and has some really cool people at its bones. It’s easy and fun to work with everyone and there are some really beautiful properties to be discovered. I think the Land Trust has an incredible mission and can be spectacular for everyone to get in on!”

The Land Trust has multiple volunteer opportunities across the entire organization, and encourage anyone who is interested to reach out.