The mission of the Florida Forest Service is to protect and manage the forest resources of Florida, ensuring that they will be available for future generations. The Forest Service manages over one million acres of state forests for multiple public uses, including timber, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The Forest Service offers technical information and grant programs to landowners to help them improve their forestland, and through wildfire prevention and suppression, works to protect homeowners from the threat of damage in a natural, fire-dependent environment.

• Forest Management oversees forest management programs for both public and private lands. 
• Forest Protection oversees the agency's aviation, communications, federal equipment, fire prevention and mitigation, meteorology, prescribed fire, safety, standards, and training programs.
• Field Operations oversees the Florida Forest Service's 15 districts and is considered the "boots on the ground" that executes the plans and guidance developed by the other bureaus in achieving the Florida Forest Service's mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Forest Logistics and Support provides the Florida Forest Service's critical infrastructure and services, overseeing the agency's facilities and construction, equipment/fleet, and informational technology sections.

The Forestry and Resource Protection Program manages 38 state forests and the Babcock Ranch Preserve, which collectively encompass 1,167,787 acres. In addition, the Florida Forest Service provides technical forest management assistance to other land management agencies. During Fiscal Year 2021-22, the Florida Forest Service provided 18,553 hours of service to other public land management agencies, 59,989 hours of forest-related technical assists to non-industrial private landowners, and hosted 21,852,748 visitors on Forest Service lands.

In Fiscal Year 2021-22, the Florida Forest Service suppressed 2,202 wildfires. Of these, 1,812 had human causes, as opposed to natural causes, such as lightning. Additionally the Forest Service helped protect 26,679,830 acres of wildlands from wildfires. The Florida Forest Service's website provides the public with daily fire reports and other statistics, including an interactive map displaying current fire conditions.

Land Acquisition. The 2023 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-20, Laws of Florida, which directs the Florida Forest Service and the Department of Transportation to coordinate and facilitate land acquisition efforts with the Florida Greenways and Trails Council for the development of regionally significant trails on the Florida Shared-Use Nonmotorized Trail Network.

Other Reports
Florida’s Forest Action Plan 2020 Update, Florida Forest Service
Florida Conservation Lands Acreage Summary Report, Florida Natural Areas Inventory 

Websites of Interest
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in Florida
Friends of Florida State Forests
Florida Natural Areas Inventory

Performance Information

Florida Forest Service, 850-681-5800
Website