Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner    -    James R. Karels, Director
Forestry HOME > Forest Management >

Land Acquisitions
The Land Acquisition Section (LAS) oversees essential functions of acquisition and management of state lands managed by the Division of Forestry as well as providing support functions to other state agencies in their efforts to acquire and manage forested timberlands. Establishment of timber cruise and timber appraisal specifications for all state land acquisitions is the function of the LAS as well as the review and approval of the timber cruise and timber appraisals for compliance with those specifications for state land acquisitions. The LAS comments, from a land manager’s perspective, on the pre-closing and closing information (survey, title work, environmental assessment) associated with those CARL projects where the Division of Forestry is designated the lead managing agency. The LAS acts as staff to the Division of Forestry’s representative seated on the Florida Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC). ARC is a seven member committee, appointed by the Governor, that selects and ranks Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) acquisition projects, reviews land management issues, and provides input to the Governor and the Florida Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

ARC is responsible for reviewing and approving the land management plans required to be prepared for all state-owned lands meeting the statutory requirements of Chapter 259, Florida Statutes. The LAS provides team members and coordination for the statutorily mandated land management review process associated with state forests, parks, wildlife management areas, and other state-owned lands to ensure that such lands are managed for the purposes for which they were acquired and in compliance with approved management plan.

The LAS is responsible for all aspects regarding the implementation of the Department’s inholdings and additions land acquisition program, which is funded through the Florida Forever Program. This program is specifically designed as a tool to aide in the management of state forests by acquiring those essential ownerships that were not acquired in the initial phases of the project. These parcels have now been identified as integral to the successful management of the forest by allowing the introduction of prescribed fire to previously inaccessible areas, providing additional public access, and affording additional protections to environmentally areas.

The Federally funded Forest Legacy program and the state sponsored Rural and Family Lands Protection Act are coordinated through the LAS. In addition, through the Department’ s Relocation and Construction Trust Fund program, the LAS conducts sales of those lands associated with towersites and work centers that have been determined to be surplus to the needs of the Division as well as acquiring those sites that have been identified as necessary to the mission.

Contact Us

Division of Forestry Shield
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Download Document Viewers