Planting Trees in Florida

Blackwater River State Forest

This is a longleaf pine restoration project in Blackwater River State Forest, which is part of the largest remaining intact longleaf pine corridor in the Southeast. This planting is part of an ongoing project to restore longleaf pine forests in Blackwater River State Forest. Approximately 100 acres in this proposal are portions of stands that were previously planted with longleaf pine; due to low survival in these areas replanting is required. The remaining acres are stands that were recently clearcut to remove planted, off-site, sand pine. Prior to planting, all sites will receive site preparation treatments using a combination of herbicides, drum roller chopping, and prescribed fire. Planting density will be 726 trees per acre to produce high quality timber and good needle cast for prescribed burning.

The project areas include sandhill and upland pine community types. The presence of large sand pine in these areas has limited the use of prescribed fire due to the highly flammable nature of sand pine. These areas must either be burned at such low intensity that burns are ineffective, or they can burn so intense that the health of the forest is diminished. Restoring longleaf pine will allow us to establish an effective prescribed fire regime to increase and maintain biodiversity. It will also reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by reducing fuel loads. Longleaf pine ecosystems are incredibly biodiverse including many pyrogenic plant and animal species, such as wiregrass, gopher tortoise, bobwhite quail, and wild turkey.