Monarchs are a fascinating species of butterfly, migrating 1000s of miles every year. With a lifespan of just a few weeks, it takes many generations to complete the trip back and forth from the U.S. North to Mexico! Monarchs often roost in pine trees, whose thick canopies moderate the temperature and humidity. Adults feed on nectar from flowers, while their larvae eat milkweed. You can read more about why pollinators thrive in working forests here.

A keystone species, gopher tortoises play an incredibly important role in the forest: more than 300 other species seek shelter in their burrows. They prefer dry, sandy soils and enjoy the vegetation that naturally grows among the trees in our Southeast forests, including wiregrass, prickly pear and various berries. Our foresters mark, protect and build their planting and harvest plans around gopher tortoise burrows. The gopher tortoise is federally listed as a threatened species in some parts of the U.S.

Named for its deep blue color, the indigo snake is the largest native snake in North America, reaching lengths of 8 feet. This federally-threatened snake is one of many species who seeks shelter in gopher tortoise burrows. Its diet includes small mammals, reptiles, eggs and even small alligators! They prefer to live in pine flatwoods, hardwood forests and areas near cypress swamps. Male indigo snakes can have an extremely large range of as much as 3825 acres.

Although it has become a signature flower of the Southern U.S., Jasmine is actually native to Africa and Southeast Asia. Known for its beautiful smell and climbing ability, jasmine is a prolific, shrub-like vine. It provides nectar to many pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Jasmine also provides shelter for birds and insects.

Found in flocks ranging from just a few to two dozen or more, wild turkeys will surprise you with their speed: they can run 18 mph and fly up to 50 mph! They prefer open forests and forest edges, where they eat a wide variety of leaves, grasses, seeds and berries as well as insects, worms, snails and small reptiles. At night, they sleep in the trees. A mature turkey can have up to 6,000 feathers!

This perennial legume was once believed to be extinct—then someone found it growing on Rayonier land! The endangered plant is now found in three counties in Georgia, growing in open pine flatwoods. It’s recognizable by the dense cobweb-like hairs that cover it, which is how it got its name. Some of the land where it grew in Rayonier forests has now been placed in conservation: Georgia’s Conservation Fund purchased just over 6,000 acres of its habitat in 2021.

The largest venomous snakes in North America, these snakes inject venom into prey like birds and small mammals by biting them with curved fangs. They’re named for the diamond patterns on their backs and also classified as “pit vipers” because of facial pits they use as heat sensors to locate prey. They prefer to live in pine forests, which provide the animals they eat and the shelter of palmetto thickets and gopher tortoise burrows.

This slow-growing evergreen shrub is a part of the holly family. It thrives in pine flatwoods. It serves as an excellent source for pollinators, including honeybees and butterflies. Many species also eat its fruit, including bobwhite quail, wild turkey and small mammals. White-tailed deer and rabbits eat its leaves. It also provides a place to hide for mammals. Honey produced from gallberries is highly rated for its flavor. Native Americans used gallberry leaves to make a black tea.