Where are the Trees?

While driving through Hernando County, I have noticed hundreds of missing trees on state and federal lands. These areas are designated as "sensitive lands" due to the natural, environmental make-up of these areas for the trees, wetlands, wildlife, etc. Some of these lands are under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Forestry while others are governed by SWIFTMUD. The trees which are being systematically removed from all these areas have become most notable on SWIFTMUD land on US 19 by Weeki Wachee and north US 41 which is Florida Department of Forestry land. Both of these agencies have stated many reasons for the removal of trees, which range from the restoration of a sand hill, to restoring scrub areas for birds and wildlife and the elimination of the dreaded pine beetle, etc. Wildlife has been abandoning the state forestry area in the northern portion of our county because the trees are being eliminated at a rapid pace, leaving no foliage for the animal life to survive without cover or food. This abandoned wildlife can be seen on our highways and is commonly know as road kill. Take a real hard look at the forestry areas for yourself and you will discover that most of the trees that have been left in these areas are scrub pines. The hardwoods have been stripped from these forest areas leaving little but that the look of devastation to these sensitive lands. The hardwoods that have been stripped consisted of many majestic oaks that were hundreds of years old, along with many specimen trees. For the preservation our "Nature Coast" Hernando County created ordinances to protect trees on private property, from unnecessary stripping of the land during development, but can do nothing to stop the state and federal government agencies from destroying our local environment. Two questions need to be asked of our state and federal agencies which are, "Why did you strip our forest areas of these beautiful trees, leaving these lands barren, and what did you do with the money that was generated by harvesting all the hardwoods?