The Florida Forestry Association reminded me that this week is Florida Forestry Week, and it would be a good idea to write about the subject, not only because it is important to our area, but also because we have so many new residents who are unfamiliar with Florida’s largest industry. That’s right folks, the forestry business is larger than tourism and citrus now.
When you think about forests or woods, there are four primary ownership patterns. First is industrial ownership, where companies like Georgia Pacific own timberland. Second are ownership trusts, where pension funds and the like make investments. Third is the government, which owns state or national forests. Lastly are private landowner,s such as my family. East of the Mississippi River, where we live, two-thirds of all the forests are owned by private landowners.