The Ocala National Forest is the second largest Nationally protected Forest in Florida, covering 607 square miles (about half the area of Yosemite National Park). The forest was established in 1908 and is the oldest national forest East of the Mississippi river. The forest boasts over 600 natural lakes and ponds. The forest porous sands, and largely undeveloped lands provide an important recharge for the Floridian Aquifer.

The Ocala National Forest contains the largest concentration of sand pine in the world. A large concentration of black bears, as well as alligators, boars, bobcat, coyote, and white tail deer to name just a few. Compose the forest wildlife.

The United States Navy’s Pine Castle Range, located in the National Forest is the only place on the East Coast where the Navy is allowed to do live impact training. The Navy drops nearly 20,000 bombs per year at this site. The bombing range is fenced in 5,760 acre (about the area of JFK Airport) area.

Each year about 2,500 acres of sand pines is harvested in the Ocala National Forest. This amounts to about 400,000 trees a year. The wood is mostly used for pulp, and horse bedding. The cleared land becomes the perfect habitat for the Scrub Jay, an endangered species. The fastest wildfire in United States history was caused by a lightning strike in the Ocala National Forest in 1935. 35,000 acres (about half the area of Athens, Georgia) were destroyed in less than four hours. Controlled burning is done in the forest each year during the winter months.