Will, So pine straw is the needles that have fallen off the tree? What is the impact of baling this straw on the soil? Does it lead to increased water run off after a rain? What about the wildlife that depends on the dead needles for some part of their life cycle? Does it effect the trees because the "mulch" of needles is now gone, ie. insulating the surface roots, retaining moisture, providing enrichment by decomposing back into soil? Sorry about all the questions but until today I never heard of pine straw. I live in the hardwoods, Oak-Hickory forest type of eastern central Ozark area of Missouri. When I look at my guide to Missouri trees it shows that short-leaf pine (Pinus echinata) is native to my area but I haven't seen it nor have I been looking for it. I guess I will now. The other pines it mentions, Loblolly (P. taeda), Eastern White (P. strobus) and Virginia (P. virginiana) are escapees from cultivation. Of course we have Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) Beth
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