ABSTRACT
Operation of forests for commercial products is a major use of environment in Florida. In Florida, slash pine is the predominant species used in forest. Pine plantation harvests provide lumber and pulpwood for paper, packaging, paper-diaper filler, and even the thickening ingredient in milkshakes. To maximize height, trees are initially planted close together so the tops will shade out the lower limbs. In the plantation there are few consumers, and much of the photosynthesis of the trees goes into wood which is later harvested. The plantation may require fertilizer to replace nutrients lost in the harvested wood. The mature forest gets its nutrients from recycle after microbial action on the litter. Pine plantations are denser than natural pine forests and more of a monoculture, which is a uniform population of a single species which is normally susceptible to epidemics of insects and disease. Numerous state and federal agencies own land within Florida that are being managed for timber yield.
