591.15 – Community Forests; Short Title.

591.15 Community forests; short title.—The short title for ss. 591.16-591.26 shall be the “Florida Community Forest Law.” History.—s. 2, ch. 20902, 1941.

591.16 – Community Forests; Purposes.

591.16 Community forests; purposes.—The general purposes of this law are: (1) To encourage counties, cities, towns, and school districts to utilize idle lands for productive forest purposes. (2) To encourage reduction of taxation through producing income from wise use of such lands. (3) To encourage development and make available, in community forests, areas having desirable recreational features. (4) To encourage […]

591.17 – Community Forests; Definitions.

591.17 Community forests; definitions.—The terms hereinafter used, unless the text clearly indicates a different meaning, shall be as follows: (1) The term “governing board” shall mean county commissioners, city commissioners, town councils, school boards, or any other governing body of counties, cities, towns, or school districts. (2) The term “community forest” shall mean any forest area established under […]

591.18 – Community Forests; Purchase or Establishment.

591.18 Community forests; purchase or establishment.—All counties, cities, towns, or school districts, through their governing boards, are hereby empowered to establish, from lands owned by such county, city, town, or school district in fee simple, or to acquire by purchase or gift, lands at present covered with forest or tree growth, or suitable for the growth […]

591.19 – Community Forests; Tax Delinquent Lands.

591.19 Community forests; tax delinquent lands.—The Department of Revenue, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, counties, cities, towns, school districts, or any other public agency holding fee simple or tax certificate lands are hereby empowered to, and may, upon application to them, transfer title of fee simple lands not in other public […]

591.20 – Community Forests; Forestry Committee.

591.20 Community forests; forestry committee.—The governing board of any county, city, town, or school district desiring to establish community forests after enactment of this law shall appoint a forestry committee, consisting of three members, as follows: one member of governing board, one member from the Florida Forest Service to be designated by the Florida Forest Service, […]

591.21 – Community Forests; Duties of Forestry Committee.

591.21 Community forests; duties of forestry committee.— (1) It shall be the duty of the forestry committee to advise the governing board in acquiring, developing and managing the forest and in making contracts, agreements, and permits for and with the forest, and, if desirable, in hiring a qualified forester and laborers and in making rules and regulations […]

591.22 – Community Forests; Appropriations.

591.22 Community forests; appropriations.—Counties, cities, towns, or school districts in which forestry committees have been appointed may appropriate money from available funds to be used by said committee to carry out the purposes of this law. The forestry committee shall each year make a budget of recommendation for acquisition and operation and management of the forest […]

591.23 – Community Forests; Revenues, Use.

591.23 Community forests; revenues, use.—Revenue from the forests shall be credited to the general fund of counties, cities, towns, or school districts; provided, however, revenues from lands under land use agreements with youth organizations such as chapters of the Future Farmers of America, shall be disposed of subject to the terms of such agreements. When the […]

591.24 – Community Forests; Fiscal Reports.

591.24 Community forests; fiscal reports.—A fiscal year report of expenditures, income, sales, development and management shall be made by the forestry committee to the governing board of the county, city, town, or school district, and a copy sent to the Florida Forest Service. All reports shall be audited by the regular auditor of the county, city, […]

591.25 – Community Forests; Fire Protection, Etc.

591.25 Community forests; fire protection, etc.—All lands entered or acquired under the provisions of this law shall be protected at all times from wildfire and shall be kept and maintained as a permanent public forest except as hereinafter provided. The timber growing thereon shall be cut in accordance with forestry methods approved by the Florida Forest […]

591.26 – Community Forests; Sale Upon Referendum Approval.

591.26 Community forests; sale upon referendum approval.—If it becomes desirable to sell any community forest or portion thereof as determined jointly by the governing board and forestry committee, it shall be put to a vote of the people at any regular election and a majority of those voting must approve the action. Any funds received from […]