Today we planted 20,050 more longleaf seedlings. These seedlings were planted on a tract of land we harvested in the winter of 2018. It was a mature stand of hardwood that had started to die and there were some pines mixed in the tract. We had one native longleaf pine growing on the property that we left. It was a 12" diameter tree.
These guys that plant the trees are the hardest working people I have ever been around. I enjoy trying to communicate with them. Two in the crew planted longleaf for me two years ago and they were glad to see the results of their labor as they came into our property. Most of the time they don't get to see where they had planted trees in previous years and it gave them motivation to do a good job seeing the results of their previous labor.
This tree is off to a good start with all of this wet weather we are having. 30 years from now this seedling will be a part of beautiful longleaf pine forest. My family will be able to walk through it and hear the special music the needles make when the breeze blows through them.