From The News Service of Florida:
Florida has 17 million acres of forest land, covering nearly half the state, with highly in-demand pines accounting for one-third of the timber, according to the first statewide inventory of the woodlands conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida Forest Service.
“The study indicates that most counties in Florida have highly sustainable forests that meet or exceed the demands of our forest products industry,” Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said in a news release.
Of the state’s 67 counties, 49 had sustainable forests where growth is at or above timber demand, the report said. The inventory also noted that 37 percent of the forest land is government-owned, that there are 65 wood-using mills in the state, and that most of the 5 million acres of forest in South Florida sit in water The report was part of a controversial 2012 energy bill (HB 7117), which offered recommendations for expanding renewable energy and providing energy diversity.