The Sandhills of North Carolina are home to Longleaf Pine. The original growth trees were exploited for masts of sailing ships and the naval stores industry. "V" shaped cuts into the tree produced a large quantity of sap which was collected and used for various products in sealing naval ships. Distilled sap was made into turpentine and used as an illuminate.
By the 1850s, North Carolina was producing one third of the naval stores needs of the British navy. Union blockades of southern ports during the Civil War, ended this trade. Most of the trees were harvested for timber after the war. The lumbering accelerated the growth of railroads in the area, leading to other development.
In the early 1900s a large tract of this land was acquired by a conservationist. His widow donated 403 acres to the state of North Carolina in 1963. It became the first natural area in the state park system. Today that tract is known as the Boyd Tract and is part of Weymouth Woods State Natural Area.
Today, Weymouth Woods is surrounded by developed areas. You are never far from someone's yard. As a result, many people walk and run through the myriad trail system. It is also an excellent bird habitat and home to the Red-cockaded Woodpecker.
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