Florida pines and the old timber industry

By Cole Davis Riverbend News Hamilton and its surrounding counties have long been recognized for their natural beauty and this is in no small part due to the Florida pine. With that in mind, this piece is going to survey the history of the old timber industry and how pine tree planting has grown to be one of the best, and most sustainable, southern cash crops today. Before the days of outright tree farming in this area, lumber was gathered after clearing large pieces of land, or by going into the forest with sleds to fell trees selectively. Among the first to identify and write about the pines in this region was the explorer and naturalist William Bartram who came to this area in th