LEAFLET 14 7
Some marine animals are intensively destructive to the limestone islands, and a significant portion of modern erosion on the rock coasts of the Keys has been attributed to the direct action of organisms that bore and burrow into the rocks. Marine animals whose growth and feeding requirements are destructive include certain sponges, worms, barnacles, clams, echinoids, and chitons. Many of these animals can be seen by exploring along the rocky shorelines of the islands. The pinnacles and pits of the limestone should be examined closely, however, because some of the animals' camouflage blends with the rocks.
Hurricanes and tropical storms are agents of destruction, altering exposed shorelines by erosion, salting the land by storm-surge flooding, and damaging the coastal marshes that act as buffer zones between high land and sea. While rains associated with them bring large amounts of fresh water to the region, from man's viewpoint they tend to be more destructive than useful.
STATE PARKS
The Florida Keys are geologically and botanically unique in North America. The vegetation of the Keys is of West Indian, or Caribbean, origin. Extensive mangrove swamps fringe the Keys, while tropical hardwood hammocks cover upland areas. A great variety of trees and shrubs are found in the hammocks, including species with exotic sounding names, such as gumbolimbo, Florida poisontree, mahogany, mastic, Jamaica dogwood, pigeon plum, strangler fig, and lignumvitae (Figures 6 to 13). During Florida's colonial period, many stands of these tropical trees were felled to supply commercial and shipbuilding demands of various countries. In order to preserve and protect the remaining populations of plants and animals, Florida's state park lands are managed to appear as they did when the first Europeans arrived. Consumptive uses, including hunting, livestock grazing and timber removal, are not permitted. Florida's state parks fulfill an important purpose as representative examples of "Original Natural Florida."