Florida's state forests are managed by the Florida Forest Service. There are 38 state forests in Florida covering more than 1,058,000 acres.1 The first state forest in Florida was Pine Log State Forest, established on 6,960 acres in 1936. Cary State Forest was established in 1937.2 Blackwater River State Forest and Withlacoochee State Forest were added in the late 1950s and early 1960s.1
Florida began large land purchase and preservation efforts in the late 1970s and management focus shifted from timber and wildlife focuses to a "multiple land use management ethic" including "conservation of natural and cultural resources, wildlife management, protection of water resources, and outdoor recreation."1
Agency name
The agency responsible for Florida's forests was established as the Florida Forest Service in 1927. It was renamed the Division of Forestry within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in 1969 following the Governmental Reorganization Act. It was later renamed back to the Florida Forest Service in 2011 to emphasize its role in history.3
Florida state forests
References
References
- State Forests Florida Forest Service
- Historical Timeline Archived 2014-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Florida State Forests Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Scanlan, Dan. "State agency back to basics with new, old name - Florida Forest Service". jacksonville.com. Florida Times Union. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- Current State Forest Management Plans Archived 2014-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services