Commissioner Putnam Recognizes Florida’s Responsible Forest Owners During National Arbor Day

Randall Weiseman Florida, Forestry, General, Industry News Release

From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

FDACSTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In honor of National Arbor Day today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service are recognizing Florida’s forest owners for their commitment to the protection of Florida’s forests and wildlife. Through a new voluntary program, Florida’s forest owners have pledged to protect endangered wildlife on more than 1.1 million acres of forests.

“Florida’s forest owners are some of the nation’s finest stewards of the land, helping to protect wildlife and natural resources while sustaining forests and the forest products industry,” Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam said.

Florida’s Wildlife Best Management Practices were developed by the Florida Forest Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to help protect wildlife species in Florida. Forest owners who volunteer to participate are helping to protect 16 imperiled species, such as the Bluenose Shiner, the Gopher Tortoise and the Southeastern American Kestrel.

For National Arbor Day, the Florida Forest Service is encouraging all Floridians to adopt a conscientious approach toward the protection of Florida’s forests. Some of the many ways citizens can celebrate trees and promote good land stewardship include:
• Choosing forest products that come from sustainable sources.
• Planting a tree.
• Cleaning up a local park or public area.
• Organizing a tree identification hike.
• Supporting good land stewards within the local community.

For more information about National Arbor Day, visit ArborDay.org. To enroll a forest in Florida’s voluntary Wildlife Best Management program, more information is available here.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages 37 state forests on more than 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.