Sandhills Ecological Institute (SEI) is a non-profit research organization established in April 1998, located in Southern Pines, North Carolina.  SEI was created for the following purposes:

• Conduct research and monitoring studies of the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and related ecosystems in North and South Carolina.

• Promote study and education regarding the longleaf pine and related ecosystems.

• Engage in scientific studies and education regarding the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and its habitats.