Shortleaf pine forests and associated habitats once covered a vast area of the continent – from eastern Oklahoma and Texas, to the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey down to Florida – and helped fuel industrial expansion into the region. Early settlers and Government Land Office surveys describe many of these pine- dominated and mixed pine-oak forests as open woodlands where enough sunlight reached the ground to support a diverse assortment of native wildlife species.
These resilient and adaptive forests, spanning parts of twenty-two states, represent an extraordinary diversity of cultural, ecological, and economic values, yet are being displaced. With millions of people depending upon the benefits this under-appreciated species provides, including wildlife and recreation, water quality and high-value wood products, the need to conserve and better manage the shortleaf pine ecosystem is more compelling than ever.
Species on Poster
Plants
Shortleaf Pine
Northern Red Oak
Mockernut Hickory
Downy Serviceberry
American Beautyberry
Little Bluestem
Birdfoot Violet
Animals
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Evening Bat
Ozark Emerald Dragonfly
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
American Black Bear
Woodland Vole
Woodhouse's Toad
Species profiles coming soon!
All photographers generously donated their work for this project
Bruce Leander
Craig Marquardt
Thomas L. Muller
Kory G. Roberts
John Rutter
Funding for this poster was provided by:
Oklahoma Biological Survey, Oklahoma Forestry Services, U.S. Forest Service, Oklahoma Natural Areas Registry, and University of Oklahoma
The Biodiversity of Oklahoma poster series is a project of the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the University of Oklahoma.
For more information contact the Priscilla Crawford, at prill@ou.edu or 405-325-7658.
