Secondary forests formed by deforestation have a more open canopy with an understory dominated by Comocladia dentata; grasses, lianas and epiphytes are poorly represented.

Ferritic soils in Pinar del Río, such as in the Cajálbana plateau, are home to Pinus caribaea var.

Mixed pine forests develop over oligotrophic quartzitic yellow soils in northern Pinar del Río province and Isla de la Juventud.

Some accompanying species in these forests are the griñapo (Dracaena cubensis), Eupatorium spp., Myrtus spp., Baccharis spp., Jacaranda arborea and Eugenia pinetorum.

[2] The Cuban ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis bairdii) may remain in eastern pine forests, but is probably extinct.