Created 24-Sep-20
Modified 16-Aug-23
The pine rocklands are South Florida's most endangered plant community. Historically occupying the highest ground (up to 20' elevation) on a relatively narrow Coastal Ridge of limestone rock from the Miami-Dade / Broward County line south following US Highway 1 to Florida City then arcing west through the Redlands and finally following the main road in Everglades National Park to Mahogany Hammock. Because this land did not flood, it quickly became settled and farmed. The wood of the dominant plant species, Dade County Slash Pine, was so hard that it was insect resistant - thus adding to its demise from overharvesting. The understory of saw palmetto and hundreds of herbaceous plants represents the most biologically diverse community anywhere south of the Florida Panhandle.
Today, only 2% of pine rocklands remain but almost all them are in Miami-Dade County Parks/Preserves or in Everglades National Park. Despite this protection, pinelands face the threat of a lowered water table due to climate change (longer, warmer, drier dry seasons) and increased demands for pumping water out of the aquifer to meet the demands of a growing human population. These changes in hydroperiod seem to reducing populations of some of the more endangered plant species. Although the remaining pine rocklands are well protected, unless they burned on a 3-5 year wet season cycle, ecological succession results in the establishment of hardwood hammock species to the detriment of pineland species.
I enjoy making photographs here because this community is rich in textures, patterns, shapes and colors. Pineland landscapes also offer dramatic sunrise and offer dramatic sunrise and sunset subjects. Photographs in this Gallery were made in Everglades National Park: Long Pine Key and around Mahogany Hammock and in Larry & Penny Thompson Park, Miami.
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All images © Christopher P. Migliaccio
