Management

Box-R will be managed for a diversity of wildlife species through timber management (thinning and reforestation), prescribed burning and hydrological restoration. Wildlife openings will be maintained and enhanced to attract deer, turkey, rabbits, quail, dove and snipe. Selective openings will be planted with native or non-invasive agricultural crops to provide wildlife viewing opportunities, dove hunting, and high quality forage for deer, turkey, dove and quail. In cooperation with the Division of Forestry, the FWC is restoring the forests on selected upland sites. Existing slash pine and loblolly pine plantations will be grown out to harvestable sizes, commercially thinned and converted to longleaf pine where appropriate. The slash and longleaf pine flatwoods communities will be managed with selective thinning and regular growing season burns to promote an open and grassy understory, with scattered saw palmettos and gallberry. Regular burns will reduce hardwood competition, enhance pine seed germination, recycle nutrients and provide a diverse groundcover community for a variety of wildlife species. The growth of hardwoods and woody shrubs in existing clearcuts will be controlled through herbicide treatment and prescribed fire and replanted in longleaf pine or slash pine.

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