Pinestraw harvesting removes nutrients from the system and removes microinvertebrate habitat disrupting the nutrient cycle and the food chain for vertebrates dependent on microinverts. Typically harvesting operations do not return nutrients to the soil, unlike farmers. Also large operations do not retain any refugia for dependent species.

Not a big deal if small landowners do it. It IS a big deal when forestry get into it on an industrial scale.

Don't get me started on cypress mulch.