Be Smart

Manage ... to be smart.

Protect your investment. Manage to avoid mistakes (fragmentation, disease, non-aesthetic results, etc.) that reduce values.

Secure your legacy. Manage to preserve the Florida heritage and environment you and your family value. Consider adding native "legacy" tree and plant varieties now threatened or endangered. (Property taxes on forest land are based on current use, not potential value, encouraging families to keep large tracts of land in forest and agricultural uses.)

Maintain your forest's health.

• Manage to protect water quality by keeping streams and lakes clean.
• Manage to control debilitating disease and pests that ravage trees.
• Manage to control invasive, non-native plants that destroy valued trees.
• Manage to reduce fire-fuel brush buildup or competing vegetation in timber stands with prescribed burning.
• Manage to renew your forest by cutting old growth and planting new trees.

Establish an interesting habitat. Manage to create or protect habitat that will attract particular wildlife, perhaps one of Florida's many threatened or endangered species.

Create a recreation facility. Manage to establish or maintain horse trails, attract wildlife for sport, or support the kinds of sports and recreation activities you enjoy.

Think aesthetics. Manage cutting and growth to preserve maximum visual appeal.

Maximize your proceeds. Manage cutting, harvesting and reforesting for maximum, ongoing financial return.

Let income offset costs. Manage your forest so that proceeds offset management costs.

Manage … to be dynamic. Contact a forester and/or expert consultants:

• For assistance with identifying management issues, including pests, diseases, invasive non-native plants, hydrology.
• For assistance or advice on developing a management plan.
• For assistance or advice on management tools and practices.