Forestry has a rich heritage as a primary player in Florida business. In the 18th century, our forests provided oak for building European ships and later for naval stores. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, heavy harvesting of virgin timber produced a vast supply of lumber and pulp and paper products.

Veteran timber growers have replanted the finite resource to keep our forests economically viable and environmentally healthy. Today, Florida’s forests support a thriving $16.6 billion business. Here's a quick snapshot of history that shaped the landscape and image of Florida forestry:

• 1923

  A group of interested citizens form the Florida Forestry Association to protect and develop the great natural resource that lay in the vast forest acreage covering two-thirds of Florida's land area.

  
  
• 1926

  Florida Forestry Association is incorporated.

  
  
• 1927

  Association takes the leading role in securing legislation that created the Florida Board of Forestry. The Board organizes the Florida Forest Service "to gather and disseminate information on forests, their care and management, to prevent and extinguish forest fires, and to enforce all laws pertaining to forests and woodlands."

  
  
• 1928

  Association works with Florida Forest Service to organize replanting efforts with a state program to subsidize the cost of growing and supplying tree seedlings to the public.

  
  
• 1931

  The International Paper Company, Florida's first pulp mill, begins operations in Panama City.

  
  
• 1934

  The Glidden Company, Florida's first gum distillation plant, begins operations in Jacksonville.

  
  
• 1935

  Association sponsors the establishment of the School of Forestry.

  
  
• 1957

  Association organizes and sponsors a series of public conferences in Florida that lead to several legislative acts for fire protection. Forest fire prevention committees are subsequently created in all of Florida's 67 counties.

  
  
• 1959—1962

  Association teams up with other landowners to secure passage of Florida's Greenbelt Law to encourage tax incentives for growing trees.

  
  
• 1975

  Association takes the lead in developing forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control potential water quality problems. These practices will later play a large role in helping forestry activities comply with Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

  
  
• 1992

  The Florida Division of Forestry, along with the Florida Forestry Association, begins a comprehensive review of BMPs. A technical advisory committee is organized, including representatives from the forest industry, state and federal natural resource/regulatory agencies and private conservation organizations. One year later, a BMP revision is completed to reflect scientific, social and economic changes. BMP Compliance surveys have been conducted by the Florida Division of Forestry since 1981. The compliance rate increased from 91 percent in the '80s; to 96 percent in the '90s; to 97 percent in 2001.

  
  
• 1995

  The Association participates in the development of the new ERP (Environmental Resource Permit) rule for permitting certain forestry-related activities through the state's water management districts.

  
  
• 1996

  The Association teams up with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to launch the Florida Forests Forever public awareness initiative. Several media were used to promote the message of sustainable forestry including television, radio, CD-ROM for middle school students, traveling show van and billboards.

  
  
• 2002

  The Association joins the Division of Forestry in hosting the Temperate Forest Foundation's Southeastern Teachers? Tour in northeast Florida.

  
  
• 2003

  The Association recommends to the Commissioner of Agriculture the formal adoption of forestry BMPs.

  
  
• 2005

  The Association conducted a "Goods from the Woods" information campaign to tout the findings of the UF-IFAS economic study. Forestry crowned the top crop of Florida agriculture with an ecomonic impact of over $16.6 million annually.

  
  
• 2006

  The Association begins a new leadership program to recognize individuals 40 years of age or younger who exhibit future leadership potential.

  
  
• 2007

  The Association explores the opportunity for landowners to be paid for carbon credits to help reduce green house gas emissions.