Chipola Experimental Forest

The Chipola Experimental Forest is located in the panhandle area of Florida near Clarksville. It is partly in Federal ownership, and partly leased. Its purpose was to restore unproductive dry sandy sites back to healthy forests. The Forest Service conducted valuable research on the Chipola and in the process reforested much of the site with growing productive forests. Over the years priorities and needs have changed. As lands became excess to the needs of the Forest Service, they have been released from the lease leaving the acreage under lease at about 700 acres.

Two major areas of research, genetics of longleaf pine and tests of termite control, remain active on the Chipola Experimental Forest. The genetics studies on longleaf pine are the last remaining ones of their type and thus are very important. These test plots are just now reaching the age of mature growth where differences are going to become more apparent. This information is made more critical by the trend for extending rotation lengths on longleaf pine. The Chipola is the major dry test site for termite control studies started in the late 1950s. New treatment methods are being tested and will be compared to previous treatment methods for effectiveness.