Florida's state forests are state forests overseen 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]

The sign for Pine Log State Forest
Sign for Pine Log State Forest

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]

Florida state forests

edit

[3]

Name Location
(of main entrance)
Belmore State Forest Clay County
Big Shoals State Forest Hamilton County
Blackwater River State Forest Milton
Carl Duval Moore State Forest Putnam County
Cary State Forest Bryceville
Charles H. Bronson State Forest Christmas
Cottage Hill State Forest Escambia County
Deep Creek State Forest St. Johns County
Etoniah Creek State Forest Florahome
Four Creeks State Forest Nassau County
Goethe State Forest Dunnellon
Holopaw State Forest Osceola County
Indian Lake State Forest Ocala
Jennings State Forest Middleburg
John M. Bethea State Forest Sanderson
Kissimmee Bend State Forest Okeechobee
Lake George State Forest DeLeon Springs
Lake Talquin State Forest Tallahassee
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest Frostproof
Little Big Econ State Forest Geneva
Matanzas State Forest St. Johns County
Myakka State Forest Bradenton
Newnans Lake State Forest Gainesville
Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest Felda
Plank Road State Forest Cody
Picayune Strand State Forest Collier County
Pine Log State Forest Ebro
Point Washington State Forest Santa Rosa Beach
Ralph E. Simmons Memorial State Forest Hilliard
Ross Prairie State Forest Marion County
Seminole State Forest Leesburg
Tate's Hell State Forest Carrabelle
Tiger Bay State Forest Daytona Beach
Twin Rivers State Forest Live Oak
Wakulla State Forest Wakulla County
Watson Island State Forest St. Johns County
Welaka State Forest Welaka
Withlacoochee State Forest Brooksville

References

  1. ^ a b c State Forests Florida Forest Service
  2. ^ Historical Timeline Archived 2014-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Florida State Forests Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  3. ^ Current State Forest Management Plans Archived 2014-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Florida Forest Service website

edit

See also

edit