BOONE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The longleaf pine was once the dominant tree species in the Southeastern United States, covering more than 90 million acres and supporting nearly 900 different plant species. By the 1970s, the longleaf ecosystem had decreased to less than 3 million acres and included dozens of threatened and endangered species. Through reforestation efforts, the longleaf forest now covers 4.7 million acres, and a new partnership between Appalachian Mountain Brewery (AMB) and The Longleaf Alliance will help restore up to 80,000 more trees across the southeast over the next five years.
Drink a Pint, Plant a Pine
As part of the partnership, AMB and The Longleaf Alliance collaborated on “Drink a Pint, Plant a Pine,” a unique program that unites beer and wilderness enthusiasts in an effort to restore the longleaf pine ecosystem. AMB’s flagship Long Leaf IPA, which takes its name from North Carolina’s state toast, was a natural fit for the program. For every case of AMB Long Leaf IPA sold at retail – or the case equivalent of pints sold at bars and restaurants – The Longleaf Alliance will plant one longleaf pine. To date, sales of Long Leaf IPA have supported the planting of 15,000 longleaf seedlings.
“Long Leaf IPA was born out of the North Carolina State Toast, which celebrates the ‘land of the long leaf pine,’” said AMB Head Brewer Chris Zieber. “Making a positive impact on the local community through our craft beer is AMB’s way of sharing the spirit of the words written in the toast. We couldn’t be happier to partner with a group like The Longleaf Alliance to help restore and protect the landscape that so many millions of people enjoy and inhabit.”
“I commend Appalachian Mountain Brewery for its long history of dedication and commitment to sustainability, community involvement and philanthropy,” said Longleaf Alliance President Robert Abernethy. “AMB is leading the community by example. As a fellow Tarheel, I am proud to add Appalachian Mountain Brewery to our growing list of corporate conservation partners, a partnership that will allow The Longleaf Alliance to plant longleaf seedlings in North Carolina and make significant strides in restoring the longleaf landscape that has been so important to the people of North Carolina since the state’s founding.”
April 27 National Arbor Day Fundraising Event
AMB and The Longleaf Alliance are celebrating the partnership with a special fundraising event on Arbor Day, Friday, April 27th at Sam’s Bottle Shop in Durham, NC from 6-8pm. During the event, representatives from AMB and The Longleaf Alliance will be available to share updates on their partnership and longleaf restoration progress. Proceeds from beer sales during the celebration will go towards The Longleaf Alliance. More information about the event can be found here.
Last year, The Longleaf Alliance worked with partners and landowners across nine states that comprise the Southeastern longleaf range to assist with the planting of approximately 1.8 million longleaf seedlings on 3,220 acres and prescribed burns on 44,000 acres. Throughout 2018, the “Drink a Pint, Plant a Tree” program will support numerous Longleaf Alliance planting events that will allow The Longleaf Alliance to get closer to its vision of eight million acres of longleaf pine by 2024.
About Appalachian Mountain Brewery
Nestled in the High Country of North Carolina, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, LLC, is Boone, NC’s Beer Pioneer. The brewery is dedicated to making seriously delicious craft beer while focusing its business model on community, sustainability and philanthropy. We support the We Can So You Can Foundation, a 501(c)3 started by AMB CEO Sean Spiegelman, and help local nonprofits via our Pints for Non-Profits program in the taproom. These programs are integral to AMB’s commitment to empowering local organizations working to enrich the land, water, air and people of the High Country. Appalachian Mountain Brewery has earned numerous awards for its innovative craft beers and ciders, including Boone Creek Blonde Ale, which won a Gold Medal at the U.S. Open Beer Championships in 2015 and a Gold Medal at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival Competition. The brewery’s core portfolio also includes Long Leaf IPA, Spoaty Oaty Pale Ale, and Porter, which is a gold medal winner at the Great International Beer and Cider Competition.
About The Longleaf Alliance
The Longleaf Alliance is a 501(c)(3) conservation nonprofit. Our primary objectives include: outreach, education, habitat management, protection and restoration. We are the only conservation nonprofit organization solely dedicated to restoring the longleaf ecosystems of the South. Since its origin in 1995, The Longleaf Alliance has used education, outreach, research, direct involvement and hands-on experience to develop and provide the best available information and support to landowners, resource managers, policy makers, educators, scientists and the public. We also connect members of the longleaf community to pertinent research findings that can help them overcome management challenges. Our focus has expanded to include management and maintenance of existing longleaf pine forests, management of prescribed fire and planting longleaf seedlings to start the next forest. With the help of our partners, we allocated 85% of income to programs and services last year, a figure that increases steadily and of which we are quite proud.
