About National Forests

National Forest are simply forest protected under U.S. law. These forest are commonly confused with National Parks, yet are very different. National Parks are strictly regulated to preserve historical and natural areas with little or no impact. National Forest, on the other hand, are "multi-use" lands that serve many demands like timber production, mineral extraction, hunting, or off-road vehicle recreation, which are prohibited in National Parks.


A forest is a community of organisms, dominated by trees, that undergo constant change. A tree, in case you don't know, is a perennial plant with a well-defined woody stem. In North America Forest occupy roughly 32% of the area. Trees are divided into 2 categories:

• Angiosperms-Flowering trees with encased seeds. These are the most diverse and abundant. Commonly called "Hardwoods" or "broadleafed".


Examples include: Oak, maple, magnolia, dogwood, and hickory.
• Gymnosperms-No flowers, but cones with embedded seeds and needle-like leaves. Oldest and tallest, commonly called "Softwoods".


Examples include: Pine, spurce, and cypress.

In Florida the forest are a mixture of Southern Pines and Oaks. These are the dominant species found in much of the southern states. In Gainesville the most valued tree is the Live Oak, which you can see all over campus. Live oaks are consistently found in the forest of Florida, but economically the live oak is weak, hence the abundance of pines. The pine tree at one time was the dominant species in Florida, but through the years hardwoods, like hickory and oak, started to emerge. Today, pines are what supply the timber and paper industries in the United States. This is why many National Forest plant and harvest pines;they grow fast and make good paper.

The National Forests of Florida are: Ocala, Apalachicola, and Osceola.