 Overview |
| Conservation Incentives |
Pine Ecosystem Conservation for the Gopher Tortoise
Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi
Background and Summary Ideal conditions for the gopher tortoise can be created through active forest management that is compatible with saw-timber and pole production. Longleaf pine is preferred, but loblolly and slash pine can also provide suitable habitat. Starting in 2008, CCS expanded this initiative to include the non-listed range (Florida, Georgia and Alabama). Read more about our work in Florida and Georgia. Partners: Starting with a grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Center for Conservation Solutions is now working with the American Bird Conservancy, Environmental Defense, Longleaf Alliance, Mississippi Fish & Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to improve pine habitat for the gopher tortoise and other species associated with the historically open forests of the South. This Center for Conservation Solutions initiative generates and coordinates habitat improvement projects for the gopher tortoise on family-owned forestlands and leverages their impact through a variety of outreach methods. It has two components:
Our Results Our Strategy Outreach and Education Activities 1. Demonstration Field Days for Landowners
2. Pine Ecosystem Conservation Handbook for the Gopher Tortoise:
4. Forest Conservation Awareness Sign  Family forest owners who incorporate recommended management practices outlined in the handbook can receive a 12” x 18” aluminum sign to post on their property. Family forest owners are proud of their efforts to conserve their forests, and awareness signs provide them public recognition of their efforts to conserve and create wildlife habitat. If you are a forest owner following recommended conservation practices, let your neighbors know that you are making a difference and helping wildlife! To receive a Gopher Tortoise Habitat Conservation sign, complete an application form that provides details of your conservation forestry practices. Technical and Cost-share Assistance Achieving conservation for gopher tortoise and other imperiled wildlife species requires landowners to undertake proactive measures such as restoring natural vegetation, controlling invasive species and using prescribed fire. These activities are often expensive and demand technical expertise that landowners may not have. Center for Conservation Solutions encourages forest owners to work with their foresters, state agencies, local conservation groups and natural resource professionals who can provide technical assistance in developing conservation and forest management plans. There are a number of cost-share programs that can help landowners with some of the costs associated with restoring and conserving wildlife habitat. These state and federal programs are designed to provide financial incentives for landowners willing to participate voluntarily in conservation efforts. The process of seeking cost-share funds can be complex, but for more information and help in getting started select your state from our drop down menu. Safe Harbor – Regulatory Assurances for Landowners Some landowners worry that managing their forest in ways that benefit rare wildlife may result in increased regulation under the federal Endangered Species Act. Such concerns should not be an issue. The Safe Harbor program, crafted by Environmental Defense and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, allows landowners to restore endangered species habitat without fear of increased regulation under the Endangered Species Act. Mississippi family forest owner Dr. John Lambert was the first to sign a Safe Harbor agreement for gopher tortoise. He talked about enrolling in Safe Harbor when he hosted the first Forested Flyways field day for this initiative on his property in September 2003. |
This easy-to-understand, 48-page guide is written for family forest owners and foresters interested in improving pine habitat for the gopher tortoise and other wildlife species. Filled with color photographs, it provides family forest owners with practical information on management strategies, prescribed burns, invasive species, regulatory assurances for landowners, and wildlife species that benefit from pine ecosystem management.
3. Forest Conservation Education Trail
A conservation education trail highlighting forest management practices that benefit the gopher tortoise is under construction.
