Stretching from far East Texas to the southern edge of Virginia, open canopies of longleaf pine once dominated the landscape. At the time of European colonization, it covered nearly 90 million acres of the southeast, but only 3 million acres remain today. The slow-growing, fire-dependent species was decimated by settlers’ clear-cutting timber operations by the 1920s. Today, organizations like the Texas Longleaf Team (TLT) work to promote restorative land management practices to bring back this iconic species.

In episode 11 of The Land Steward Podcast, we met with Jenny Sanders, coordinator of the Texas Longleaf Team (TLT), to discuss her role in the effort. TLT is a group of individuals, organizations, and agencies that share a passion for restoring the longleaf pine ecosystem. Texas represents the western edge of America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative (ALRI), which comprises 18 different implementation teams across the historic range. Sanders works to establish partnerships and collaborate with landowners in East Texas, many of whom are dependent on the timber industry to support their livelihoods. Establishing working relationships with landowners enables her to share the historical appearance of the land and explain how restoring it to its biodiverse, open-canopy forests can benefit their operations.

Sanders, who grew up with a wildlife biologist father and built a career in wildlife education and outreach, is passionate about working with landowners to create strong partnerships. As one of the part-time employees on a team driven by the generosity of volunteers, she can connect landowners with the resources and natural resource experts their property needs. “It's the beauty of why I love this so much, but also why I think the team is effective and why landowners really feel comfortable,” shared Sanders, “because regardless of what your ultimate goal is, we can find the person, the team member, the resource, the financial backing to help you get done, what you need to get done.”

Currently, TLT is working on reorganizing their conservation plan for the next five years. Their goals align with those of the larger network, aiming to establish 1,000 acres per year of new longleaf stands and maintain an additional 5,000 acres per year through fire, mid-rotation practices, thinning, herbicide, and mechanical management techniques. One of Sanders’s roles is to administer grants and identify new funding opportunities, enabling TLT to continue investing in local landowners. Through outreach and education, she shares the societal benefits of this healthy ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, clean water, and support for wildlife. Much of their funding comes from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which pools dollars from public and private entities, including large corporations such as International Paper and Microsoft. Texas Longleaf Team also participated in Texan by Nature’s Conservation Wrangler program, where they were able to build a framework that amplified their conservation goals and was seen by large companies like Google and Coca-Cola, who aim to fulfill certain philanthropic goals by investing in conservation.

Through the Texas Longleaf Conservation Assistance Program, TLT can reimburse landowners up to 50 percent of their expenses put into restoring the ecosystem. The assistance program enables landowners to opt for a shift away from traditional timber management and toward management for longleaf pine. Sanders emphasized that even if a landowner does not receive funding through TLT, they are still always looking for ways to meet the needs of landowners and connect them with the right experts. Community connection and learning from one another are among the most important tools for ecosystem restoration, and landowners often express their gratitude for being part of a bigger picture and trying a new way of management. Landowners with any interest in Texas Longleaf Team and their restoration work can learn more at txlongleaf.org or contact Jenny Sanders at jennyreneesanders@gmail.com.

Listen to the full podcast episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.