Pine Ridge

The eastern pine ridge forms the eastern border to the Everglades system.  A slight rise in elevation allows the slash pines to dominate the landscape and the sawgrass and wet prairies to subside.  The ridge is not one continuous high point but rather a series of high sections separate from each other.  Areas of this habitat are known as “keys” because of their resemblance to the islands farther south.  These keys are one of the most threatened environments in the entire system.  As Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and other development on the east coast have moved west, almost the entire pine ridge has been destroyed.  Today, the last remaining stand of slash pine forest is found in Everglades National Park at Long Pine Key. 

This is a unique habitat that is dependent on wildfire in order to maintain the integrity of the landscape.  With the absence of wildfire, hardwoods are able to grow and eventually out compete the slash pines.  If fire sweeps the landscape on a regular basis then the slash pines are able to dominate.  Throughout most of this community slash pines form the canopy with almost no under story trees.  Palms and palmettos that are also fire tolerant stand about head height and make hiking through this region very difficult.  The herbaceous plants that cover the ground are of interest to scientists because many of them are of tropical origin. Isolated from their parent populations, many have become separate species and are now considered endemic to this area.  If the entire Everglades region was completely destroyed tomorrow, this region would have the highest number of species that would become extinct.