The Longleaf Forest: Our History and Our Future
Mural Project – Buena Vista, Georgia
In Buena Vista, Georgia a beautiful mural at the corner of North Broad Street and Fifth Avenue tells the story of the longleaf pine forest. This majestic forest once dominated the landscape across Marion County and much of the Southeast. Historically, these trees provided wood for construction, gum for the turpentine industry, and habitat for all types of wildlife including bobwhite quail and gopher tortoises. Today, only a small percentage of the longleaf pine forest remains. However, its future is bright because many landowners are replanting longleaf forests on both public and private land.
A Closer Look at Mural Details
Gopher Tortoise
The gopher tortoise is the State Reptile of Georgia. They live on the land and use their powerful legs to dig burrows 8 feet deep and up to 40 feet long underground. Over 300 other kinds of animals including lizards, crickets, snakes, and frogs use gopher tortoise burrows as important habitat as well!
Pitcher Plants
Pitcher plants thrive in wet, boggy sites within the longleaf pine forest. They are “carnivorous” plants — luring insects into their tubular leaves and then digesting them for nutrition. They rely on bright sunlight and frequent fire to thrive.
Turpentine Industry
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the abundant longleaf pine forests made Georgia “the turpentine capital of the world.” Gummy sap was collected from the trees and distilled into turpentine, rosin, and other products collectively referred to as “naval stores.
The Artist and the Project
Christoph Johnson, originally from Roberta, Georgia, designed and painted the mural. Johnson is an award-winning artist who has painted more than 100 murals across the Southeast. This mural, showcasing the longleaf pine forest, was made possible through Flint Energies’ Rural Mural Program and the vision of Buena Vista residents Jay and Fay Wells.