Controlled Burning in North Carolina’s Forests

Benefits of Controlled Burning

Fire in the Sandhills and Southeast Coastal Plain

Fire is essential to maintaining the health of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Historically, longleaf pines were the dominant tree species across the southeastern United States coastal plain before European settlement. However, extensive logging in the 19th century drastically reduced their populations. These trees were vital to North Carolina’s naval stores industry, providing tar, pitch, wood and turpentine for shipbuilding—earning the state its nickname, the "Tar Heel State."

In the 20th century, public service campaigns against wildfires shifted public perception, often with unintended consequences for natural ecosystems. While Smokey Bear’s original message discouraged all fires, it has since evolved to distinguish between harmful wildfires and beneficial controlled burns, which are critical to forest ecology.

Today, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is working to restore longleaf pine habitats on its lands using prescribed burns. These controlled fires prevent shrubby species from overtaking the landscape and shading out the understory, allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor and enabling the growth of wiregrass, wildflowers and young longleaf pines. Although longleaf pines are the longest-lived of the southern pines, their early “grass stage” can last up to seven years. During this time, they develop deep root systems that make them exceptionally resilient to drought stress. 

Fire in the Mountains

There is evidence that fire has played a role in the ecology of the Southern Blue Ridge for over 11,000 years. Early accounts describe how Indigenous peoples actively stewarded the land through the use of frequent fires, and scientists have identified fire scars recorded in tree rings and pine and oak charcoal buried deep underground. Much of the Appalachians’ oak-dominated forest was characterized as open and park-like with diverse and abundant flowers and grasses covering the ground—very different from how they appear today.

Like longleaf pines, oaks are a foundational genus. They provide essential food and cover, and habitat for many of the plants and animals found in western North Carolina’s forests. Species such as bobwhite quail, black bears, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys rely on oak-dominated forests with diverse groundcover that provides berries, seeds, insects and nest concealment. Pollinators also depend on these ecosystems. Research indicates that pollinator decline is partly due to fire suppression and the resulting reduction in floral diversity. Just like in a backyard pollinator garden, native plants need abundant sunlight to grow. Forests managed by controlled burning have many wildflowers such as Indian paintbrush, firepink and blazing star, supporting a vibrant and diverse pollinator community.