Florida Resources
Below is a list of resources in your state. Topics covered include land management assistance, wildlife habitat, special sites, best management practices, and more. Click on each topic to see more.
Florida Woodland Owners Resources
The Florida Forest Service works to protect and manage the forest resources of Florida, ensuring that they will be available for future generations. They manage 1 million acres of state forests for multiple public uses, including timber, recreation and wildlife habitat. They provide technical information and grant programs to landowners to help them improve their forestland. Through wildfire prevention and suppression we work to protect homeowners from the hreat of damage in a natural, fire-dependent environment.
Florida Forest Service Prescribed Fire Program - FFS manages one of the most active prescribed fire programs in the country. In an average year the Florida Forest Service will issue approximately 88,000 authorizations allowing landowners and agencies to prescribe burn an average of over 2.1 million acres each year. Burning in Florida is governed by Florida Statutes Chapter 590 and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5I-2. Your local municipality may also have rules or regulations for burning, so please check with them and your local Florida Forest Service office.
Florida Forest Service Hydrology Section: Best Management Practices for Silvicuture provide the minimum standards for the protection of the state's water resources in association with silviculture activities. On this page you will also find Florida's Wildlife BMPs: guidelines to protect imperiled wildlife species during silvicultural operations.
Florida Land Steward Partnership is your connection to land management assistance and programs in Florida. Florida Land Steward partners include the Florida Tree Farm Program, Florida Forest Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, University of Florida IFAS, USDA Natural Resources Conervation Service, and others.
The quarterly Florida Land Steward Newsletter is published by the University of Florida IFAS in cooperation with Florida Land Steward partners to provide the latest information on management techniques and strategies, updates on programs and opportunities, recognition of landowners certifiied in the Tree Farm and/or Forest Stewardship Program, timber prices trends, and upcoming events.
The Florida Forestry Association is forestry and advocacy professionals committed to promoting the responsible and sustainable use of our state's forest resources. Join to get connected to advocacy, education, and networking opportunities.
The Longleaf Alliance works to ensure a sustainable future for the longleaf pine ecosystem through partnerships, landowner assistance and science-based education and outreach.
- Calendar and News - updates on assistance programs and opportunities, landowner recognition, timber prices trends, ongoing programs and initiatives, and upcoming events and webinars.
- Directory - consultants, contractors, nurseries, Government agencies, NGOs, and more
Wildlife
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's Landowner Assistance Porgram provides a "one-stop-shop" for landowner's needing habitat management assistance.
Florida Forestry Wildlife Best Managemet Practices to Protect State Imperiled Species are minimal standards to enhance silviculture’s contribution to the conservation and management of freshwater aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species in the state.
Pesticides
The University of Florida IFAS Pesticie Information Office provides training programs, certification opportunities, and continuing education units (CEUs) in conjunction with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the USDA. Get information about the courses and materials offered for professionals working with pesticides in Florida.
Remember to check your local Extension office for additional CEU and training opportunities in your county.
Integrated Pest Management
UF/IFAS Integrated Pest Management provides the latest resources on reducing pesticides to manage insect and weed problems.
Special Sites
Forests of Recognized Importance (FORI)
Forests of Recognized Importance (FORI) represent globally, regionally, and nationally significant large landscape areas of exceptional ecological, social, cultural, or biological values. These forests are evaluated at the landscape level, rather than at the stand level, and are recognized for a combination of unique values, rather than a single attribute. FORIs may include landscapes with exceptionally high concentrations of one or more of the following:
- Protected, rare, sensitive, or representative forest ecosystems such as riparian areas and wetland biotopes.
- Areas containing endemic species and critical habitats of multiple threatened or endangered plant and animal species, as identified under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or other recognized listings.
- Recognized large-scale cultural or archeological sites including sites of human habitation, cities, burial grounds, and in situ artifacts.
- Areas containing identified and protected water resources upon which large metropolitan populations are dependent.
- Areas containing identified unique or geologic features including geysers, waterfalls, lava beds, caves, or craters.
While landowners are encouraged to contribute to or support
the values that led to the FORI designation of the area, the FORI designation
does not compel the landowner to take any actions.
FORI Designation within Region
In the United States, because of their significance, FORIs have generally been identified and protected by federal or state governments or are under conservation easement by an environmental nonprofit organization. There is currently no state or federal agency that regulates FORIs on private forestlands in the United States. Several conservation organizations have identified areas that they believe are of exceptional status, yet there remains no single central clearinghouse of information regarding such forested landscapes.
To support and facilitate identification of these resources within this project, the Florida Tree Farm Program coordinated with AFF to develop a list of FORIs within the state while consulting the Florida’s Forest Action Plan and area conservation priorities. The following forest landscapes were identified for the Florida Landscape Management Plan (LMP), by these stakeholders, based on the combination of their unique attributes, consistent with the definition of FORI under ATFS.
Public Lands and Conservation Easements
Due to their recognized conservation priorities for protecting habitat, biodiversity, water resources, cultural sites, and unique geologic features, all area federal and state, as well as county and municipally-protected public lands and private conservation easements are considered FORIs within this LMP. This designation includes state forests, state parks, national forests, national parks, water management areas, wildlife management areas, and wildlife refuges. Some instances of federal or state lands not included under this designation include historical sites, museums, botanical gardens, etc. The state and federal public lands within the region are included in the FORI spatial layer. Appropriate actions to protect and enhance this type of FORI would be adherence to applicable Silvicultural Best Management Practices and Wildlife Best Management Practices.
Forest Lands Bordering Special Waterbodies
As defined by FDEP, an Outstanding Florida Water (OFW) is “a water designated worthy of special protection because of its natural attributes.” This special designation is applied to certain waters within the state with the goal of protecting existing good water quality. The majority of OFWs are already managed by Florida or Federal governments as parks, wildlife refuges, preserves, scenic and wild rivers, or aquatic preserves. These waterbodies are also now identified as “Special Waterbodies” as identified in the Florida BMP Manual, Appendix 4. Other types of waterbodies identified through this Appendix are Class I Waters in Florida, which receive the same level of FORI protection. As protection of the quality of these OFWs is essential to water quality within the state, all forests that border or surround them also should receive the special designation of FORI. Appropriate actions to protect and enhance this type of FORI would be adherence to applicable Best Management Practices.
Forests Surrounding Sinkholes with Connection to the Floridian Aquifer
The main source of water for the majority of northern and central Florida comes directly from underground aquifers, most notably the Floridan aquifer. These aquifers can be made from different types of earthen and natural materials, although the majority form in hollow spaces within limestone (SJRWMD 2019). While saltwater generally composes the deeper portions of aquifers, freshwater from the surface is present in the upper portion of these aquifers. This freshwater is replenished by rainfall from the surface seeping down to the subterranean caverns of the aquifer. Sinkholes with a connection to the aquifer can be found throughout all different habitat types within Florida, notably within forests. Therefore, forests that contain sinkholes with potential aquifer connections are deemed to be FORI due to their potential impact on the quality of aquifer water, a major source of drinking water for the state of Florida. Appropriate actions to protect and enhance this type of FORI would be adherence to applicable Best Management Practices.
Landowner Actions to Protect FORIs
For family landowners, a likely scenario is that their property is adjacent to a state or federally protected area that has been identified as a FORI at a landscape scale. Landowners should consider the impact to a neighboring FORI and opportunities to support consideration of specific values or attributes when planning and implementing activities on their forest property. Given the size and scale of family ownerships eligible for ATFS certification, landowners may be limited in their abilities to significantly impact FORI presence and quality through management at the small scale.
Management activities on or adjacent to an identified FORI should seek to contribute to or support the values that led to the designation of the area. While landowners are encouraged to contribute to or support the values that led to the FORI designation of the area, the FORI designation does not compel the landowner to take any actions.
During the ATFS inspection process, an ATFS Inspecting Forester shall determine whether FORI are relevant to the property. The ATFS Inspecting Forester should also identify any efforts the landowner is making to support the values of the identified FORI within the 004 Form.
Historic and Archeological Site Resources
National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
The Florida Public Archaeology Network promotes and facilitates the conservation,
study and public understanding of Florida's archaeological heritage. They work with forest landowners and others in Florida to help identify and protect histoical resources.
Restoration
The Groundover Restroation Handbook,by the University of Florida's Conserved Forest Ecosystem Outreach &Research (CFEOR) project, provides an overview of of the process of restoring groundcover in forest systems of the Souteastern U.S. Restored habitats can enhance habitat for wildlife, increase biodiversity, and restore ecosystem services and economic activity.
