Alternative Text Description for Timberlands (Parcel Based)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the spatial distribution of Timberlands (Parcel Based) across Florida and portions of the northern Gulf of America coast. The layer identifies parcels classified as timberlands or improved agricultural lands that overlap with tree plantations, representing areas of commercial forestry and managed timber production. The map uses a single symbol to show where these timberland parcels are concentrated throughout the state.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida and extends northward to show portions of southern Alabama and Georgia. Major cities labeled on the map include Jacksonville on the northeast coast, Orlando in central Florida, Tampa and St. Petersburg on the west coast, and Cape Coral in southwest Florida. Additional cities visible include Pensacola in the western panhandle, Savannah along the Georgia coast, Valdosta in southern Georgia, and Montgomery, Columbus, Albany, and Dothan in southern Alabama and Georgia. The northern boundary of the Gulf of America forms the western and southern edges of the Florida panhandle.

KEY INSIGHTS

Timberlands show a pronounced concentration across the northern Florida panhandle, forming a nearly continuous band from Pensacola eastward through the region north of Tallahassee. A second major concentration appears in northeast Florida around the Jacksonville area, with substantial coverage extending inland. Central portions of peninsular Florida show scattered but notably less dense timberland distribution compared to northern regions. The southern half of the Florida peninsula displays very sparse timberland presence, with only isolated small clusters visible near Cape Coral and minimal coverage in the areas around Tampa, Orlando, and the southern coastal regions.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Timberlands (Parcel Based)

This layer represents parcels identified as timberlands or agricultural lands overlapping with tree plantations, indicating areas of commercial timber production and managed forest lands.

Timberland Parcels (solid teal/dark green polygons)

Appearance:

Solid teal to dark green polygons of varying sizes, representing individual property parcels or dissolved parcel groups.

Distribution:

Heavily concentrated in the Florida panhandle region and northeast Florida, with moderate presence in north-central areas and sparse distribution throughout peninsular Florida south of the Tampa-Orlando corridor.

Notable locations:

Spatial patterns:

The timberland parcels form large, interconnected clusters in northern Florida, creating regional zones of concentrated timber production. In the panhandle, the pattern suggests an east-west corridor of forestry activity. The distribution becomes increasingly fragmented moving southward through the peninsula, transitioning from regional concentrations to isolated individual parcels. The pattern reflects a strong correlation with geography, with higher concentrations in the cooler, more temperate northern regions and minimal presence in subtropical southern Florida.

Overlapping Patterns

The timberland distribution shows clear regional differentiation, with northern Florida's panhandle and northeast coast forming distinct zones of high concentration separated by areas of moderate coverage in north-central Florida. The transition from dense northern coverage to sparse southern presence creates a gradient pattern across the state.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents potential timberlands based on property classification and overlap with identified tree plantation areas. The layer focuses specifically on parcel-based timberland identification, meaning the boundaries reflect property ownership patterns rather than continuous forest cover. Individual parcel boundaries have been dissolved in the final version to show the overall distribution pattern. The map is designed to support landscape conservation planning efforts by identifying areas where commercial forestry is the primary land use. Base map features such as roads and administrative boundaries are not the focus of this thematic layer.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

This data layer was created by the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning using a multi-step process that integrated parcel data with land cover information. The source parcels were selected from the Florida Geographic Data Library's PARCELS_2023 shapefile, identifying properties classified as Timberlands (land use codes 053 to 059) and properties designated as Improved Agriculture or Acreage Not Zoned Agriculture that overlapped with Tree Plantations from the Cooperative Land Cover v. 3.8 shapefile (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). These subsets were merged and dissolved to create the final layer. Data source layer name: CLCP_TIMBERLANDS_FEB25.

Definition Query:

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

Scale Information:

The map shows state-level coverage appropriate for regional planning and landscape-scale analysis. The level of detail supports identification of timberland concentration patterns and regional distributions across Florida.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data is based on 2023 parcel information (PARCELS_2023) and Cooperative Land Cover v. 3.8 data, with the final layer created in February 2025.

Limitations:

This layer represents potential timberlands based on parcel classification and overlap with identified tree plantations, not verified current land use. Actual timber management practices may vary by parcel. The data relies on the accuracy of underlying parcel classifications and land cover data. Areas classified as timberlands may include parcels that are no longer actively managed for timber production or may have changed land use since the source data was collected.

Map Coverage:

The map extends across the entire state of Florida and includes portions of southern Alabama and Georgia for geographic context. The primary focus is Florida's timberland distribution, with neighboring states shown to provide spatial orientation.

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