The Division of State Lands acquires and manages lands as directed by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. The division provides oversight for more than 12 million acres of public lands, including lakes, rivers, and islands. The division also assists landowners who want to sell land to the state, buy land from the state, or gain access to public lands.

The Division of State Lands includes several programs.

• The Bureau of Appraisal supports land acquisition, disposition, and management activities of the division by contracting with independent appraisers throughout the state for appraisal services.
• The Bureau of Public Land Administration manages the leases, subleases, easements, use agreements, deed restrictions, reverter revisions, and other approvals for all activities on state-owned lands, title to which is or will be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
• The Bureau of Real Estate Services is responsible for activities related to negotiation, acquisition, disposition, exchange, donation, and closing of real property.
• The Bureau of Survey and Mapping maintains a repository of land records, determines the location of land and water boundaries, delineates the boundaries of state-owned lands, issues opinions of title, and defends the state's title and ownership interests.
• The Office of Environmental Services administers the Florida Forever Program and oversees the land management of all conservation lands owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
• The Office of the Director - State Lands provides real estate and land management services to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
• The Florida State Owned Lands and Records Information System (FL-SOLARIS), developed in collaboration with the Florida Department of Management Services, records and maintains a catalogue of real estate properties (including land and facilities) owned, leased, rented, or otherwise occupied by any state government entity.  
• The Land and Recreation Grants program encourages and forms partnerships to improve and maintain Florida's natural and cultural resources, including increasing outdoor recreational opportunities. 

Florida Forever is the state's main conservation and recreation land acquisition program. Florida Forever funding is distributed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to a number of state agencies and programs, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Florida's five water management districts based on a formula. Funds are used to purchase public lands in the form of parks, trails, forests, wildlife management areas, and more, which are held in trust for the residents of Florida.

Since its inception in July 2001, the Florida Forever Program has spent approximately $3.2 billion to acquire more than 869,477 acres of land.

Other Reports

2021 Florida Forever Five-Year Plan, Department of Environmental Protection. 

2021 Florida Forever Priority List, Department of Environmental Protection.  

Disposition of State Lands and Facilities Annual Report, 2020, Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Management Services.

State of Florida Land Management Uniform Accounting Council (LMUAC) 2020 Annual Report (FY 2019-20), Department of Environmental Protection.

Annual Land Management Review Team Report, Department of Environmental Protection.

State-Owned Lands Public Access Report, Department of Environmental Protection.

Websites of Interest
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Forest Service
Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Communities Trust
Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks
Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Greenways and Trails
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Florida Natural Areas Inventory
Florida's Water Management Districts
Performance Information

Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Sections 216.0153, 253, 258.43, 259, 373.59, and 375.031, Florida Statutes.

 

Division of State Lands, 850-245-2555

Website