"In years to come, members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas won’t have to travel far to gather the treasured longleaf pine needles used to make their traditional handmade baskets.

Tribal council members have enrolled upwards of 400 acres of suitable longleaf pine production land into the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This is the first time the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas has signed a contract with NRCS as part of a Farm Bill program.

A partnership focused on reforesting longleaf pine on Tribal lands has grown over the years between the Tribe, NRCS and the Texas Forest Service. Wildlife in the area also will enjoy improved habitat due to reforestation efforts."

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Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Begins Longleaf Pine Restoration Efforts (USDA Blog 8/3)