KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) -- A species of woodpecker that has not been seen in Tennessee since the 1990s may soon return to the state.
In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency announced a plan on Wednesday. to reintroduce the red-cockaded woodpecker.
The species was once native to upland mature pine and oak-pine savannas in Tennessee, but fire suppression, logging of old-growth pines, and habitat fragmentation led the red-cockaded woodpecker's population to be eliminated from the state. While the last time a red-cockaded woodpecker was spotted in Tennessee was in 1994 in the Cherokee National Forest, the last time the bird was seen in the western side of the state was 1967, according to the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).
"The return of the red-cockaded woodpecker is not just a biological milestone -- it's a triumph of collaboration for all Tennesseans," said Governor Bill Lee. "From land acquisitions in the 1990s to recent restoration efforts, I am proud this project reflects the power of shared vision and long-term commitment that benefit the Volunteer State. This is conservation at its best, and a promise kept to the land, the people, and future generations of Tennesseans."
The species was listed as endangered in 1970, but with increased scientific understanding of habitat needs and reintroduction, the red-cockaded woodpecker's status was upgraded to threatened in 2020.
The project to reintroduce red-cockaded woodpecker to the state started when the TDEC's restoration of land in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area to protect the federally threatened white fringeless orchid. When biologists realized the large tracts of land could potentially support the red-cockaded woodpecker, the project expanded to include the species. Federal and state funds have been used to initiate habitat restoration over approximately 1,200 acres of land.
"Some don't understand the significance of restoration. The analogy of a house that has partially collapsed is a relative comparison. Some things can still thrive in the house, mice, insects, and a cat can find shelter. Flowers can grow through cracks, and water is still available for use. However, a main character meant for the house is missing. This partnership is bringing back the main character in this ecosystem," said John Doresky, a red-cockaded woodpecker specialist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The plan to reintroduce the bird to Tennessee involves crews setting up cavity nests in living pine trees and habitat management SWAP said. Since Shortleaf Pine ecosystems are fire-dependent, the plan also involves controlled burns for better habitat quality. The agencies involved have a goal to for the project to be complete and release red-cockaded woodpeckers back into the state in 2028. Those birds will need to be acquired from other states through a federal process.
According to SWAP, the non-migratory species historically were common throughout the mature pine ecosystems across the Southeastern U.S. SWAP said that of approximately 90 million acres of original pine habitat that was once available to the species, only around 3% of that area still exists. Because of this, SWAP said the species populations have declined by approximately 99%.
The red-cockaded woodpecker excavates roosting cavities in living trees and a majority of their diet comes from the insects living in and around the bark of pine trees. There are estimated to be about 30 populations left in the wild, which are made up of only 19,000 individual birds.
SWAP said the conservation plan for the red-cockaded woodpecker won't just benefit one species. It will also help a multitude of other species, such as the northern pine snake, the monarch butterfly and the white fingerless orchid.