One thing you might notice hiking the south tract of Yamato Scrub Natural Area is the presence of sand pines in some fairly dense stands and the near absense of the slash pines found on the north tract. Off hand, we can't recall seeing a single slash pine in the south tract. Sand pines are found in scrubby habitats along the old coastal ridge that runs through South Florida. They're smaller than slash pines, their needles are noticably shorter, their bark finer than their scaly cousins and their lifespans are measured in mere decades versus centuries for slash pines. But like their cousins, they play vital roles in the natural scheme of things. Alive, they provide shelter and food for birds and other animals; dead, they still provide shelter — Photo by David Sedore
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