TexMark Timber Treasury (TTT), managed by Forest Resource Consultants (FRC), has over 9,000 acres Longleaf Pine in 7 East Texas counties, and through the service of SFI Manager, Don Dietz, is an active member of the TLIT Steering Committee. Being certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)*, requires, among other things, protecting and managing G1, G2, and G2 & G3 species and communities. Longleaf Pine communities are one of the most diverse communities in the world and their acres have been drastically reduced over the past several decades.
TTT and FRC are committed to protecting and managing their existing longleaf stands as well as planting longleaf where longleaf makes since. There are three Conservation Forestry Legacy Easements on the property. Longleaf Ridge Phase One and Two, Roy E. Larson Sandylands, and Turkey Creek. All three of these have managed longleaf forests. However, on the area known as Longleaf Ridge, TTT/FRC also manages hundreds of acres of longleaf that are not under such easements. These G1 & G2 longleaf communities are required to be protected by SFI.
During a third party SFI audit last April, the auditor was shown several of the longleaf stands on Longleaf Ridge, and as a result, issued a rare “Notable Practice” for the Longleaf efforts of TTT/FRC.
"TTT demonstrates a commendable effort to the restoration of the Longleaf Pine ecosystem. The company has enrolled in a number of conservation easements focused on longleaf. It is not just planting Longleaf Pine, but is maintaining the longleaf ecosystem with frequent prescribed burning. The company is doing this while still extracting some value from longleaf stands, done in a way to promote natural regeneration."
We too commend TTT/FRC for their dedication, and encourage other groups to follow their lead in prioritizing restoration and management of these important Longleaf landscapes!
*The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a sustainability organization operating in the U.S. and Canada that works across four pillars: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI is the world's largest single forest certification standard by area. The SFI Forest Management Standard covers key values such as protection of biodiversity, species at risk and wildlife habitat; sustainable harvest levels; protection of water quality; and prompt regeneration. All SFI certifications require independent, third-party audits and are performed by internationally accredited certification bodies.