14th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Altered Images
Scrub Oak Bone Yard Chassahowitzka National Wild Life Refuge

Scrub pine forest survival once depended upon natural fires caused by lightening strikes for survival when they were prevalent in Florida. Because of fragmentation of watersheds and the flat woods crumbling the states wilderness, what is left of the natural forests need to go through controlled burns to maintain a normal growth pattern. Either way I'm not sure it's a good idea to let so many of the scrub live oaks fall victim to these staged burns by state and federal forestry programs. Especially when they allow logging in many of these areas considered a sustainable source. I would also think after they remove the trees from an area they would be replaced right away with seedlings.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2016
Date Uploaded: 06.2016
Photo Location: Centralia, Florida, United States of America
Copyright: © Treble Hook