Sources of Assistance for Forest Landowners

A bewildering array of federal, state and private programs are available to assist non-industrial private forest landowners in forest vegetation management efforts.  Their availability differs by geographic location and time period. Three types of programs are available: those that provide technical management advice, those that provide physical on-the-ground assistance with management activities, and those that provide financial assistance with development and implementation of forest management plans.  Some programs consist of a combination of these elements. 

 Brief overviews of many of the forestry and wildlife assistance programs in Florida can be found on the Florida Forest Service (FFS) web site and the Habitat Conservation Scientific Services (HCSS) web site compiled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Financial Incentive Programs for Non-Industrial Private Forest Owners web site developed by the US Forest Service Southern Research Station enables searches for federal, state, and private financial incentive programs according to state.  [Note that some of the links provided on this site may not work properly because the Florida Forest Service (formerly the Florida Division of Forestry) website has recently moved.]

 Eligibility requirements for financial assistance programs are based on factors such as geographic location and landowner management objectives. Representatives of the agency offering each program can assist in determining which one is most suitable, once you have determined your forest management objectives.  Many programs are periodically open for applications, so it is important to find out the specific dates for a program of interest. Your local county FFS or USDA Farm Service Agency office can usually provide information about enrollment periods. Please follow the links on the right to learn more about different programs.