ABSTRACT
The desired future conditions of longleaf pine can be described by ecosystem structural characteristics as well as by the provision of ecosystem services. This chapter reviews characteristics of longleaf pine forests in the context of protecting and enhancing water resources in the Southeast and sequestering carbon (C) for climate change mitigation. Although the primary focus is on protecting water resources, it also reviews C sequestration issues and describes the trade-offs between managing lands to mitigate water scarcity while simultaneously promoting long-term C sequestration. The chapter suggests that the societal benefits of protecting water and C resources by restoring longleaf pine are often unrecognized and undervalued, but have the potential to complement goals already established for current restoration programs. Thus, a more complete understanding of how longleaf pine restoration affects fluxes and pools of both water and C could lead to increased incentives for longleaf pine restoration projects and enhanced opportunities for larger-scale restoration efforts.
