VIRGINIA BEACH — An important piece of Virginia’s natural and cultural history will get a new lease on life Thursday when 150 new longleaf pines trees will be planted in two parks in Virginia Beach.
The tree planting project is a combined effort of the Nature Conservancy, Virginia Natural Gas, Virginia Beach Department of Parks & Recreation, and the Virginia Department of Forestry aiming to restore a vital part of Southeastern Virginia’s ecosystem.
“The Nature Conservancy is committed to seeing longleaf pine thrive once again in Virginia, and to restoring the unique ecosystem and rare species it supports,” said Bobby Clontz, land steward for The Nature Conservancy in Virginia.
The longleaf pine is known as the “pine that built Tidewater.” Prior to colonization, the longleaf pine could be found sprawled across 90 million acres of coastline from Virginia, down to Florida, and over to Texas. Since the trees towering form was easily fashioned into building frames, flooring and in shipbuilding, the longleaf pine was near extinction in the late 1980s.
Currently, the pine only occupies 3 percent of its original acreage in the Southeast, and the Nature Conversancy reports that less than 200 mature trees remain in Virginia.
All parties involved hope this will all begin to change on Thursday. Numerous volunteers are ready to get deep in the dirt to plant seedlings and tree plugs at Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area and Mount Trashmore Park at 12:15 p.m.
Later that day, a public ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area. Though it may take decades to fully restore the forest, those involved say this is a vital starting point.
“Our hope is that the longleaf pine will grow and thrive here,” said Jim Kibler, president of Virginia Natural Gas. “With the help of our company and others, it will.”
