Georgia Conservancy Field Representative Janet Sheldon pointed out that longleaf pine and wiregrass are native to Georgia and covered much of the state 100 years ago.

“The remaining longleaf pine and wiregrass ecosystem is one of the most endangered in the entire world, and it also has higher biodiversity, even over the rainforests of Brazil,” Sheldon said.

The native trees grow further apart than other species, which allows for better wildlife habitat.

“This is a banner day for wildlife conservation, and it’s a banner day in particular for bobwhite quail restoration,” said Georgia Department of Natural Resources Private Lands Program Manager Reggie Thackston. This is one of the most diminished ecosystems in the country, and this is a major step forward in restoring that system.”

Clay Sisson, project coordinator for the Albany Quail Project, said CP 36 will “turn the corner” in his work. The Albany Quail Project is a 13-year-old research project that has successfully repopulated quail in the region.

“Between this and CP 33, it’s going to benefit wildlife in the Southeast big time where we’ve been missing out in the past,” Sisson said. “If we had had this in the 1980s when people started planting pine trees all over the state — hundreds of thousands of acres — we’d be in a lot better shape.”