Longleaf Pine Trees Give Us More than Just Wood
2021-05-04
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1The longleaf pine tree has deep connections with the history and life of the eastern part of America.
2Forests of these trees once covered two-thirds of the southeastern United States.
3About 95 percent of those forests were lost in the past 100 years.
4Many of the forests were cut for their wood, but now they are returning, with the help of government programs that build ties with private landowners.
5The wood of the tree is very strong.
6Most buildings built in the southern U.S. from the 1800s contained longleaf pine wood.
7Today, after a building made with longleaf pine is no longer wanted, people are re-using the wood because it is still good and resists water and insect damage.
8The longleaf pine also captures carbon dioxide in the air.
9It stores the substance in its wood.
10So, the tree is valuable to the environment as a way to store carbon.
11In addition, the pine forests are places for animals to live.
12The U.S. government has several programs to protect and expand longleaf pine forests.
13One is the Safe Harbor Program.
14It uses voluntary agreements with private landowners to help endangered animals.
15One such agreement protects the red-cockaded woodpecker and also lets landowners use their land, as long as the birds and other related animals can safely live on it.
16Now, farmers and landowners in the Southeastern U.S. are growing new longleaf pine trees.
17Instead of cutting the trees to use as building materials, they are finding ways to make money from the forest of living trees.
18One way to get income is by selling the leaves, or needles, of the trees as a ground cover.
19Farmers can gather the pine straw by hand or with use of a machine.
20Pine straw can be used instead of wood pieces or bark as a ground cover.
21It lasts a long time, is light weight and stays in place because the needles connect to each other.
22The straw is high in nitrogen, a nutrient that helps plants grow.
23And, it does not attract harmful insects!
24Native American tribes, such as the Choctaw and Cherokee nations in Louisiana, make coiled baskets from the long needles of the longleaf pine.
25A basket made of the pine needles by Native American artists can sell for as much as $750.
26Another way forests can produce income is to sell hunting rights.
27Wild boars - a kind of pig - live in some forests.
28Their population has been growing out of control in recent years.
29The animals can damage the young longleaf pine trees, so landowners want to reduce their numbers.
30Hunting boar is a popular sport in the southern U.S. and the right to hunt on land can cost from $200 to $1,000 a day.
31The Kisatchie National Forest in west central Louisiana contains most of the remaining longleaf pines in that state.
32In the past, Native Americans burned the forest every two to four years, if lightning did not cause fires naturally.
33Fire helps the young pine trees to grow by clearing away the other plants on the floor of the forest.
34Recent debate has centered on the value of letting some parts of the forests burn for this purpose.
35I'm Jill Robbins.
1The longleaf pine tree has deep connections with the history and life of the eastern part of America. 2Forests of these trees once covered two-thirds of the southeastern United States. About 95 percent of those forests were lost in the past 100 years. Many of the forests were cut for their wood, but now they are returning, with the help of government programs that build ties with private landowners. 3Strong, long-lasting wood 4The wood of the tree is very strong. Most buildings built in the southern U.S. from the 1800s contained longleaf pine wood. Today, after a building made with longleaf pine is no longer wanted, people are re-using the wood because it is still good and resists water and insect damage. 5The longleaf pine also captures carbon dioxide in the air. It stores the substance in its wood. So, the tree is valuable to the environment as a way to store carbon. 6A place for birds and animals 7In addition, the pine forests are places for animals to live. The U.S. government has several programs to protect and expand longleaf pine forests. One is the Safe Harbor Program. It uses voluntary agreements with private landowners to help endangered animals. One such agreement protects the red-cockaded woodpecker and also lets landowners use their land, as long as the birds and other related animals can safely live on it. 8Now, farmers and landowners in the Southeastern U.S. are growing new longleaf pine trees. Instead of cutting the trees to use as building materials, they are finding ways to make money from the forest of living trees. One way to get income is by selling the leaves, or needles, of the trees as a ground cover. 9Many uses for the forest 10Farmers can gather the pine straw by hand or with use of a machine. Pine straw can be used instead of wood pieces or bark as a ground cover. It lasts a long time, is light weight and stays in place because the needles connect to each other. The straw is high in nitrogen, a nutrient that helps plants grow. And, it does not attract harmful insects! 11Native American tribes, such as the Choctaw and Cherokee nations in Louisiana, make coiled baskets from the long needles of the longleaf pine. A basket made of the pine needles by Native American artists can sell for as much as $750. 12Another way forests can produce income is to sell hunting rights. Wild boars - a kind of pig - live in some forests. Their population has been growing out of control in recent years. The animals can damage the young longleaf pine trees, so landowners want to reduce their numbers. Hunting boar is a popular sport in the southern U.S. and the right to hunt on land can cost from $200 to $1,000 a day. 13The Kisatchie National Forest in west central Louisiana contains most of the remaining longleaf pines in that state. In the past, Native Americans burned the forest every two to four years, if lightning did not cause fires naturally. Fire helps the young pine trees to grow by clearing away the other plants on the floor of the forest. Recent debate has centered on the value of letting some parts of the forests burn for this purpose. 14I'm Jill Robbins. 15Jill Robbins wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 16________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18needle - n. a long, thin leaf of a pine tree 19bark - n. the outer covering of a tree 20pest - n. an animal or insect that causes problems for people especially by damaging crops 21bale - n. a large amount of a material (such as hay or wool) that is pressed together tightly and often tied or wrapped 22What do you think of the longleaf pine tree? Is there a similar tree where you live? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.