Samsung Partnered to Restore South Carolina Pine Forests

The electronics giant is funding the restoration of 200 acres of private forestland to bolster regional sustainability.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Environmental

Close-up of young longleaf pine saplings and native grasses in a sandy soil forest bed, illuminated by dappled morning sunlight. — Samsung has partnered with The Longleaf Alliance to restore 200 acres of native pine forests near its Newberry County appliance facility in South Carolina. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Samsung has launched a partnership with The Longleaf Alliance to restore native longleaf pine forests in South Carolina. The project aims to improve local biodiversity and water resources near the company's Newberry County appliance facility.

Why it matters

The initiative aligns with Samsung's broader water stewardship and corporate sustainability goals. By managing forest density, the effort aims to improve local water yield through reduced evapotranspiration.

The restoration utilizes forest assessments and acoustic recording technology to monitor biodiversity. Implementation methods include ecological thinning, prescribed fire, and the establishment of new longleaf pines.

The players

Samsung

A multinational technology and appliance corporation that maintains a significant manufacturing presence in Newberry County.

The Longleaf Alliance

A non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of longleaf pine forests across the Southern United States.

Milliken Advisors

A forestry and land management firm tasked with the technical implementation and monitoring of the environmental project.

The details

Milliken Advisors is providing ongoing project oversight, implementation, and monitoring for the 200-acre site. The project, funded through The Longleaf Biodiversity Impact Fund, seeks to convert unmanaged private land into a functioning longleaf pine ecosystem.

September 23, 2026: Samsung announced the restoration partnership.

The Big Picture

This project follows a pattern established by The Longleaf Biodiversity Impact Fund to utilize private-sector funding for forest recovery. It represents a shift toward industrial entities investing in localized ecological infrastructure as part of their sustainability mandates.

The project serves as a pilot for how local manufacturing hubs can directly improve regional environmental resilience. Residents may see changes in land management practices in Newberry County as the forest returns to its natural longleaf pine state.

The takeaway

Restoring native longleaf pine ecosystems provides a natural method for increasing regional water yields. Businesses are increasingly looking to landscape-scale environmental projects to meet their water stewardship commitments.