Alternative Text Description for Public Pinelands

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the distribution of public pinelands across the State of Florida. The map identifies areas designated for prescribed burning management, representing lands where natural pine ecosystems occur on publicly owned properties. These pinelands are shown as distinct features overlaid on Florida's state boundaries and major cities for geographic reference.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire State of Florida, extending from the panhandle region in the northwest to the southern tip near Miami. Major cities labeled on the map include Pensacola in the western panhandle, Tallahassee in the north-central region, Jacksonville on the northeast coast, Gainesville in north-central Florida, Orlando in central Florida, Tampa and St. Petersburg on the west-central coast, Melbourne and Palm Bay on the east-central coast, Cape Coral on the southwest coast, and Miami in the southeast. The map shows portions of neighboring states including Alabama, Georgia, and the Gulf of America to the west and south. The Atlantic Ocean forms the eastern boundary.

KEY INSIGHTS

Public pinelands are widely distributed throughout northern and central Florida but become notably sparse in southern Florida. The densest concentrations of public pinelands occur in the panhandle region, particularly near the western portion extending from Pensacola eastward. Significant clusters also appear in north-central Florida around the Tallahassee and Gainesville areas, and in northeastern Florida near Jacksonville. Central Florida shows moderate distribution with scattered pineland areas around Orlando and Lakeland. The southern peninsula, including the areas around Miami, Fort Myers, and the southern coastal regions, shows minimal public pineland presence. This distribution pattern suggests that public pine ecosystems are predominantly found in the northern two-thirds of the state.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Public Pinelands

This layer represents publicly owned pine forest lands identified for prescribed burning management in Florida.

Public Pinelands (brown/dark orange polygons)

Appearance:

The public pinelands are depicted as brown or dark orange irregular polygons of varying sizes scattered across the map. The features range from small isolated patches to larger connected areas.

Distribution:

Pinelands are distributed primarily across northern and central Florida, with the highest concentration in the panhandle region and north-central portions of the state. They extend southward through central Florida but diminish significantly in the southern peninsula.

Notable locations:

Major concentrations appear near Pensacola in the western panhandle, throughout the region between Tallahassee and the Gulf of America coast, around Gainesville in north-central Florida, near Jacksonville in the northeast, scattered through central Florida around Orlando and Lakeland, and in isolated patches along both the Atlantic and Gulf of America coastlines.

Spatial patterns:

The pinelands display a clustered pattern in northern Florida, particularly along the panhandle and near the Georgia border. In central Florida, the distribution becomes more fragmented with smaller, isolated patches. The features often appear in groups or complexes rather than as single isolated parcels. Coastal areas show linear arrangements of pineland patches, while interior regions display more irregular clustering patterns.

Overlapping Patterns

While public pinelands are the primary thematic layer, the distribution pattern shows some relationship to inland areas away from major metropolitan centers, with notable gaps around heavily urbanized regions such as Miami, Tampa, and Orlando metropolitan areas.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a single thematic layer showing public pine ecosystem locations. The focus is on publicly accessible or publicly managed lands where pine forests have been identified, specifically for prescribed burning purposes. Not all pine forests in Florida are shown, only those that meet the criteria of being on public lands and identified within the intersection of Water Management District land use data and Florida Natural Areas Inventory public lands boundaries. Private pinelands are not included in this dataset. The map provides statewide context for understanding where these managed pine ecosystems occur relative to population centers and geographic features.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data represents the intersection of Water Management District Land Use/Land Cover datasets with the Florida Natural Areas Inventory Public Lands boundary dataset. This identifies pine forest areas occurring on publicly owned properties throughout Florida. The source layer is PUBLIC_PINELANDS_NOV25.

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied to this dataset.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a statewide scale appropriate for showing the general distribution of public pinelands across Florida. At this scale, individual small parcels may appear as point features, while the overall spatial pattern and major concentrations are clearly visible.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The dataset represents public pinelands as of November 2025, based on the layer name PUBLIC_PINELANDS_NOV25.

Limitations:

The dataset is limited to public lands only and does not represent all pine ecosystems in Florida. The accuracy depends on the source dates and quality of both the Water Management District Land Use/Land Cover data and the Florida Natural Areas Inventory Public Lands boundaries. For detailed information about source dates and specific inputs, users should consult the full metadata documentation.

Map Coverage:

The map covers the entire State of Florida from the panhandle region in the northwest to the southernmost Keys. Portions of neighboring states (Alabama, Georgia) and surrounding water bodies (Gulf of America, Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Florida) are shown for geographic context.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.