American Southeast

Once covered by dense forests, the landscape of the American Southeast fell victim to clearcutting decades ago. The longleaf pine ecosystem, native from Virginia all the way down to Texas, now covers just 3% of its natural range. The bottomland hardwoods that used to span 25 million acres of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley have been reduced to only 30% of their original splendor. And the hundreds of unique plant and animal species that rely on these forests — including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker — have been left without the habitat they need to survive. A massive conservation effort is underway to bring these forests back, and the Arbor Day Foundation is working with landowners and public entities alike to further this reforestation work.