Chapter 589 — Chapter 589

The Florida Forestry Council, hereinafter called the “council,” is hereby created in the Florida Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The council shall be composed of five members appointed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services f…

(1) If authorized by a land management plan approved pursuant to chapter 253 or by an interim assignment letter which identifies the interim management activities issued by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to chapter 259, the Florida Forest Service of the Depar…

The Friends of Florida State Forests Program is established within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Its purpose is to provide support and assistance for existing and future programs of the Florida Forest Service. These programs must be consistent with the Flor…

The official headquarters of the council shall be in Tallahassee, but it may hold meetings at such other places in the state as it may determine by resolutions or as may be selected by a majority of the members of the council in any call for a meeting. The council shall annually …

(1) The Florida Forest Service shall cooperate with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other persons to:(a) Promote and encourage forest fire protection, forest environmental education, forest land stewardship, good forest management, tr…

Upon the presentation to the Chief Financial Officer of any accounts duly approved by the Florida Forest Service, accompanied by such itemized vouchers or accounts as shall be required by her or him, the Chief Financial Officer shall audit the same and draw a warrant for the amou…

(1) There is created a Florida Forever Program Trust Fund within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to carry out the duties of the department under the Florida Forever Act as specified in s. 259.105(3)(f). The trust fund shall receive funds pursuant to s. 259.105…

The Florida Forest Service, on behalf of the state and subject to the restrictions mentioned in s. 589.08, may acquire lands, suitable for state forest purposes, by gift, donation, contribution, purchase, or otherwise and may enter into agreements with the Federal Government, or …

The Florida Forest Service on behalf of the state may adopt rules to control ingress, egress, and all other movement of motor vehicles, bicycles, horses, and pedestrians, as well as all other types of traffic, within a state forest or any lands leased by or otherwise assigned to …

(1) The Florida Forest Service shall enter into no agreement for the acquisition, lease, or purchase of any land or for any other purpose whatsoever which shall pledge the credit of, or obligate in any manner whatsoever, the state to pay any sum of money or other thing of value f…

All lands acquired by the Florida Forest Service on behalf of the state shall be in the custody of and subject to the jurisdiction, management, and control of the Florida Forest Service, and, for such purposes and the utilization and development of such land, the Florida Forest S…

The Florida Forest Service, with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund and the Governor, may sell, exchange, lease, or otherwise dispose of any lands under its jurisdiction by the provisions of this chapter when in its judgment it is adva…

Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 253.51-253.61, the Florida Forest Service is hereby expressly granted the authority to lease its 25-percent interest in oil, gas, and other minerals within the boundaries of the Blackwater River State Forest; provided, however, that grants sh…

Each person leasing land within the Blackwater River State Forest shall confine all grazing animals upon the area covered by the lease.

(1) The Florida Forest Service is designated and authorized as the agent of the state to cooperate with the United States Secretary of Agriculture under the provisions of “ss. 4 and 5, Chapter 348, 43 Statutes 654, Acts of Congress, June 7, 1924, known as the Clarke-McNary Law,” …

The Florida Forest Service may make rules and regulations and do such acts and things as shall be reasonable and necessary to accomplish the purposes of ss. 589.07-589.11.

Liens prior in dignity to all others accruing thereafter shall exist in favor of the following persons, boards, firms, or corporations upon the following described real estate, under the circumstances hereinafter mentioned:(1) The Florida Forest Service, the United States Governm…

The Florida Forest Service, United States Government, or other governmental authority shall be entitled to subject said real estate in equity for the value of such expenditures made by it in pursuance of any such agreement, and may, at any time after the expenditure thereof and a…

The said notice shall be substantially as follows: It shall be in writing and shall be sworn to by the duly authorized agent of the Florida Forest Service or governmental authority filing same. It shall state the name of the owner of said property, the nature and character of the…

The notice of lien may be filed prior to the filing of a complaint brought to enforce said lien; provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the filing of such notice at any time after the contract or agreement has been entered into and default made by the landowner in p…

The general laws of this state with reference to the acquisition and enforcement of statutory liens shall be applicable to the lien created by ss. 589.13-589.16 insofar as the same may be consistent with and pertinent hereto.

The Florida Forest Service shall conduct investigations and make surveys to determine the areas of land in the state which are available and suitable for reforestation projects and state forests, and may recommend to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, a…

(1) When the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, any state agency, or any agency created by state law, authorized to accept reforestation lands in the name of the state, approves the recommendations of the Florida Forest Service in reference to the acquisiti…

The Florida Forest Service may cooperate with other state agencies, water management districts, municipalities, and other government entities in the designation and dedication of lands that are suitable for forestry purposes. Lands designated and dedicated by a state agency, wate…

All state forests and reforestation projects mentioned in this chapter shall be managed and administered by the Florida Forest Service in the interests of the public. If the public interests are not already safeguarded and clearly defined by law or by regulations adopted by the s…

Whenever the Florida Forest Service shall find it necessary to acquire private property for state forests or rights-of-way for state forest roads, or for exercising any of the powers and duties authorized and prescribed by law to be exercised and performed by the Florida Forest S…

It is the intent of the Legislature to partially restore the character of the original domain of Florida by planting native trees on state lands, and to this end all state lands shall have a portion of such lands designated for indigenous trees, to be established and maintained b…

(1) The Florida Forest Service shall administer federal, state, and privately sponsored tree planting programs designed to assist private rural landowners and urban communities.(2) Contributions from governmental and private sources for tree planting programs may be accepted into…

County commissions or municipalities are authorized to cooperate with the Florida Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in providing assistance in forestry and forest-related knowledge and skills to stimulate the production of timber wealth through…

Any advice and assistance provided under ss. 589.28-589.34 shall be the responsibility of the State Forester and the Florida Forest Service and shall be conducted under the supervision of a professional forester in an efficient and competent manner by personnel who have the requi…

It shall be the duty of the district or center manager to direct all work in accordance with the law and regulations of the Florida Forest Service; gather and disseminate information in the management of commercial timber, including establishment, protection and utilization; and …

Before any assistance is provided under this law, the county or municipality and the Florida Forest Service, through their duly constituted representatives, shall enter into a mutually satisfactory cooperative agreement covering the specific duties, and set up a budget for any fi…

The cost of county forestry assistance provided under the provisions of ss. 589.28-589.34 shall be jointly determined and paid by the Florida Forest Service and the county commission or municipality and shall be not less than 40 percent of the cost of the equivalent of 1 person-y…

Any money budgeted for a fiscal period shall be expended by the Florida Forest Service during the period for which it was budgeted and amounts not expended or specifically obligated by contract or other legal procedure during that period shall be available for the next fiscal per…

Any agreement or revision thereof entered into by the Florida Forest Service and a county or municipality under the provisions of this law shall continue from year to year, unless written notice is given to the other party 30 days prior to July 1 of any year of the intention to d…