5 Southeastern forests safer from logging

A recent collaboration between industry and environmental groups resulted in Georgia-Pacific announcing that it would not buy wood fiber from areas recognized as environmentally sensitive or where slow-growing hardwood forests have been cleared in order to plant quick-growing pine.

In a press release, American Bird Conservancy lauded Georgia-Pacific's new policy, which affects 11 sites, and pointed out that five sites are globally Important Bird Areas. When a site receives the IBA title, it's recognized as significantly important habitat for one or more bird species.

The five IBA sites are
* Francis Marion National Forest (8,000 acres) in South Carolina, known for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches and Prairie Warblers;
* Congaree Swamp (26,000 acres) in South Carolina, known for Barred Owls, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Prothonotary Warblers and Swainson’s Warblers;
* Alligator River region (213,000 acres) in North Carolina, known for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers as well as several thousand wintering ducks and swans;
* Great Dismal Swamp (180,000 acres) in Virginia, known for Swainson’s Warblers, Chuck-will’s-widows, Wood Thrush, and Kentucky, Prairie and Worm-eating Warblers;
* Croatan National Forest (40,000 acres) in North Carolina, known for carnivorous plants as well as Peregrine Falcons, Bachman’s Sparrows, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (62 clusters) and Swallow-tailed Kites.

To learn more about IBAs, click here for an incredible 15-page PDF that includes maps, graphs, pictures and details.