Photographic History of our Tree Farm on a Phosphate Mining Clay Settling Pond Area

Common Purpose InstituteUniversity of Florida/IFASOctober, 2003

Prior to 1940’s, Site was a Cypress Forest.

Phosphate Mining Clay Settling Pond Site created in the 1940’s.

Heavy clay soils at our Site reach depths of 30 to 60 feet.

As Clay Settling Pond De-watered(over 10 to 15 years),

Site was invaded by Cogongrass.

Our CSA Site After Herbiciding Prairie of Cogongrass(tree line in distance is old CSA Bern/Dam)

Site Prep Tree Bedding

Eucalyptus Trees in Nursery

Eucalyptus Trees 10 Weeks Old At Site

Same Area (Of Previous Slide) At 9 Months

Eucalyptus Trees 2 1/2 Years Old At Site(notice that Cogongrass has been controlled)

(1) Native Cypress Upland

(2) ClaySettling

Pond

(3) CogongrassPrairie

(4) Tree Farm Bridge Crops

Using Energy Crop Trees as Bridge Crops To return CSAs to Native Uplands --

Creating a “Market Cash Flow Engine” to Fund Restoration

Our Bridge Crops stabilize Sites by controlling Cogon (shading) and also build Soil Quality to support Natives

8 month-old Cypress Tree at Our Site(When cogongrass controlled, cypress trees grow ~ 6 feet per year)