Dr. Jodi Forrester and Dr. Tom Wentworth are working to rejuvenate a rare 16-acre longleaf pine ecosystem for use as a teaching space.

The site at NC State’s Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratories, which has more than 20 mature longleaf pines, recently experienced its most significant ecosystem restoration yet through conscientious stand thinning and a ‘controlled burn’ to support longleaf pine growth.

VRPlants has supported this project by filming a series of 360° videos documenting the restoration process post-burn. Recording of forest spaces in the aftermath of controlled burn is often overlooked and such 360° recordings are invaluable teaching tools- allowing students to conduct ‘walking tours’ of an ephemeral learning space with subject matter experts pointing out key features.