Pine Flatwoods
At Dinner Island, the pine flatwoods consist of open stands of
south Florida slash pine with an understory of mainly bahia
grass with cabbage palms and occasionally paw-paw, runner oak,
and broomsedge. Due to fire exclusion by previous landowners,
oaks, wax myrtles and other hardwoods have grown up beneath the
slash pine canopy. Of the three flatwoods types found in
Florida, slash pine flatwoods have the highest species
diversity. They are dependent on fire to reduce competition from
hardwoods as well as to maintain species diversity. Fire will be
the primary tool used to achieve desired plant communities. A
forest management plan is being developed to address natural
flatwoods restoration. Both overstory and understory plant
species (including native grasses and forbs) will be planted
and/or restored within pastures to create forested wildlife
corridors that connect smaller, isolated pine stands.
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