Near Canton in Madison County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Southern Pines

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

1. Southern Pines Marker

Inscription. Pine forests of the south played a major role in the growth of the Nation and have become a southern economic mainstay along with soybeans, cotton, and other agricultural products. Today, through reforestation and management as a crop, pines produce timber yearly and still maintain a growth which is in excess of the harvest.
A 10-minute walk around this trail will acquaint you with the southern pines, their life history and enemies.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry. In addition, it is included in the Natchez Trace series list.

Location. 32° 38.574′ N, 89° 47.78′ W. Marker is near Canton, Mississippi, in Madison County. Marker is on Natchez Trace Parkway (at milepost 128.4), 6.6 miles south of Mississippi Highway 16, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Canton MS 39046, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Choctaw Boundary (a few steps from this marker); Pearl River (approx. 5½ miles away); Tupelo–Baldcypress Swamp (approx. 6.1 miles away); Robinson Road (approx. 7 miles

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away); Forest Grove Presbyterian Church (approx. 7.7 miles away); Red Dog Road (approx. 10.9 miles away); Natchez Trace at Madisonville (approx. 13.3 miles away); Branch School (approx. 14.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Canton.

Also see . . . Natchez Trace Parkway. Official National Park Service website. (Submitted on August 21, 2015.)

Marker next to Nature Trail Head image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

2. Marker next to Nature Trail Head

Southern Pines and Choctaw Boundary Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

3. Southern Pines and Choctaw Boundary Markers

View to Northeast from Natchez Trace Parkway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

4. View to Northeast from Natchez Trace Parkway

Marker is on left (west) side of parkway

Beginning of the Southern Pines Nature Trail image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

5. Beginning of the Southern Pines Nature Trail

Beetle Enemies Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

6. Beetle Enemies Interpretive Sign

Southern pines have two major enemies, southern pine beetle and black turpentine beetle. Both bore into the bark, leaving pitch tubules. The larvae burrow along eating the inner bark. If enough beetles infest one tree, it may be girdled and die.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

7. Pine Forest

Pine Forests Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

8. Pine Forests Interpretive Sign

Pines grow much more rapidly than hardwoods. The fast growing forest can begin to produce pulpwood size trees with 5" diameters in as little as 10 years and will reach sawlog maturity of 18" - 20" diameter in about 25 years.

130 Year Old Pine image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

9. 130 Year Old Pine

About a Pine Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

10. About a Pine Interpretive Sign

This pine tree is approximately 90 years old (1975), and is 19 inches in diameter and 80 feet tall. If it were made into pulpwood it would produce enough paper to print 30 text-books each 550 pages in length.

Shortleaf Pine Tree image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

11. Shortleaf Pine Tree

A Shortleaf pine tree is located to the right of the trail interpretive sign

Shortleaf Pine Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

12. Shortleaf Pine Interpretive Sign

Shortleaf pine endures disease and drought better than other pines and even grows back from burned out stumps. Needles, mostly in bundles of 2, are 3 to 5 inches long. Cones are very short up to 2 1/2 inches long. Look up and you can see the difference between the Shortleaf and Loblolly trees.

Trail at Fire Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

13. Trail at Fire Interpretive Sign

Fire Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

14. Fire Interpretive Sign

Pines are not as shade tolerant as hardwoods and their seed require a mineral soil for germination, preferably disturbed. When fire occurs it kills the less fire tolerant hardwoods and burns leaves and grasses down to mineral soil. These conditions permit the regeneration of a pine forest.

Trail at Succession Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

15. Trail at Succession Interpretive Sign

Succession Interpretive Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, August 5, 2015

16. Succession Interpretive Sign

Without occasional fires, or clearing, pine forests will not reproduce. If you look around you will see no pine seedlings, only hardwoods. When these mature pines die they will be replaced by a hardwood forest unless a fire occurs or man interferes to permit pine regeneration.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 337 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 21, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. submitted on October 23, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.