The Longleaf Alliance (TLA) is announcing a project with Samsung Electronics to restore native longleaf pine forests in South Carolina, supporting the company's global water stewardship goals while delivering measurable benefits for biodiversity, water resources, and local communities.
The project represents one of the first investments through The Longleaf Alliance's Longleaf Biodiversity Impact Fund, an innovative conservation finance initiative launched in 2025 that enables corporations to support landscape-scale restoration and species recovery while advancing their sustainability commitments.
In South Carolina, where Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America has maintained a longstanding manufacturing presence in Newberry County, the company is partnering with The Longleaf Alliance to restore native forests that improve watershed health and strengthen ecological resilience. The investment builds on Samsung’s long-term commitment to South Carolina, where its Home Appliance Manufacturing Campus has been part of the state’s manufacturing community for nearly a decade.
"This partnership demonstrates how corporate sustainability investments can create meaningful environmental outcomes while supporting the communities where companies operate," said Carol Denhof, President of The Longleaf Alliance. "By investing in longleaf pine restoration, Samsung is helping restore one of North America’s most significant ecosystems while generating measurable and lasting water, biodiversity, and climate benefits."
The project will restore over 200 acres of unmanaged forestland to native longleaf pine habitat on privately owned forestland through ecological thinning, longleaf pine establishment, and prescribed fire. These restoration activities will improve forest health while increasing water yield by reducing evapotranspiration and restoring the open-canopy structure characteristic of healthy longleaf pine forests.
“Our collaboration with The Longleaf Alliance reflects Samsung’s commitment to advancing meaningful, science-based solutions that help protect South Carolina’s natural resources and the communities that depend on them,” said Cordell Hull, Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics America. “South Carolina has been an important part of Samsung’s manufacturing story for nearly a decade, and we’re proud to build on that longstanding commitment through investments that strengthen the environment and support local communities.”
TLA collaborator Milliken Advisors will oversee the forest restoration implementation and forest inventory and monitoring throughout the project. For more than 75 years, landowners have trusted Milliken Advisors to guide them with the right tools and tailored, proven strategies to help them make the most of their land investments. In addition to measurements of forest structure, the project will also monitor biodiversity through forest assessments and acoustic recording technology to document improvements in wildlife habitat over time.
Private landowners play an essential role in conservation across the Southeast, where approximately 87 percent of South Carolina's forests are privately owned. Through initiatives like this, The Longleaf Alliance is creating new opportunities for private investment to help landowners restore forests that provide clean water, wildlife habitat, climate resilience, and sustainable economic value.