Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

State Lands

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Governor, Cabinet Preserve 1,135 Acres in Northeast Florida -Vote approves acquisition of 1,135 acres through Florida Forever Program-

3/11/08– Continuing a commitment to preserve environmentally sensitive lands, Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet today voted to acquire more than 1,135 acres in Nassau County as part of the Northeast Florida Timberlands and Watershed Reserve Florida Forever project ... more

DEP Names Director for Division of State Lands

3/25/08 – Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet today confirmed the appointment of Deborah Poppell by Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole as DEP’s Director of the Division of State Lands. “Deborah is an asset to our agency and a compelling environmental steward,” said DEP Secretary Sole. “Her strong experience in real estate is a valuable resource as we continue to preserve environmentally-sensitive land, especially with Florida Forever, the largest and most successful land-buying initiative in the nation.” .... more

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection announces a public meeting to which all persons are invited:

DATE AND TIME: July 22, 2008, 9:00 am
PLACE: State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
Conference Room A

TOLL FREE Conference Call: 1(888)808-6959, Conference Code: 3361044

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: Discuss proposed language for adjusting the formula for calculating the fees required to use sovereignty submerged land in Chapter 18-21, F.A.C. in response to the June 12, 2007 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

NOTE: Pursuant to Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the meeting by calling Ms. Vicki Thompson at (850)245-2688. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by calling (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (Voice).

Florida Forever Public Meetings

The Division of State Lands held two public meetings during the month of October on a successor program for Florida Forever. As the landmark Florida Forever program enters its final years, it is time to think about the future of land conservation in our state.

If you were unable to attend the public stakeholder meetings but wish to share your thoughts with us please use our online feedback form.

Summary from the October 8, 2007 Meeting in Tallahassee, Florida. Summary from the October 15, 2007 Meeting in Tallahassee, Florida.

“Important Note: The project lists at the end of this summary came from an exercise that was designed to encourage agencies to think strategically when presented with examples of some very tight parameters under which conservation might need to occur. This exercise was done without the benefit of resource data or maps, so the results are listed for informational purposes only. The lists are not intended to identify any specific conservation projects either for inclusion or exclusion in the future.”

Summaries for the two public workshops held on October 22, 2007 in Tallahassee, Florida and October 29, 2007 in Orlando Florida will be made available as soon as they are completed.

Thank you,
Deborah Poppell, Director
DEP/Division of State Lands
(850)245-2555

About Us

The Division of State Lands acquires and disposes of lands as directed by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. The division administers and maintains the records of all lands held by the Board of Trustees; administers and maintains the geodetic survey requirements for the State of Florida; sets boundary lines for lands owned by the Board of Trustees; identifies and sets ordinary and mean high water boundaries for purposes of sovereignty and land title; administers and disposes of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) properties; and controls aquatic and invasive/exotic plant species on public lands and water bodies.

The Division of State Lands provides oversight for approximately 11 million acres of state lands, including more than 7,000 lakes and 4,510 islands of 10 acres or more in size. The division provides upland leases for state parks, forests, wildlife management areas, historic sites, educational facilities, vegetable farming, and mineral, oil, and gas exploration.