FORESTRY IN FLORIDA AND LEON COUNTY
Forests are the dominant land use in Florida. They cover almost half of Florida’s 34 million acres of land. Three quarters of Florida’s forests are in private ownership. There are an estimated 300,000 private forest landowners in the state, ranging from large corporate timber companies to small farm woodlots. Forests and the forest products industry are also important to Florida, contributing over $8 billion annually to the economy. There are over 150,000 forest related jobs in Florida, with payroll receipts exceeding $1.25 billion annually.

How important is forestry in Leon County?
 
Leon County has 426,800 acres of land. Forests are a major land use in covering 71% of the area. Private landowners own the largest amount of forest area (45%).
What is the value of forest products to Leon County?
 
Value of standing timber: 

Value of harvest (1996): 

Direct employees: 

Indirect employees: 

Payroll receipts: 

Forest manufacturing & forest value added: 

  

Total sale value of agriculture products (crop, animals, orchard) 

 

 $288 million 

$ 5 million 

100 

190 

$2 million 

$12 million 

  

$ 4 million

 This list of the forest products in 
Leon County does not include 
recreation, or other non-timber
products and environmental 
services forests provide. 
Products include revenues from 
hunting leases, pine straw, and
ecotourism. Services forests 
provide include greenspace, 
landscape diversity, visual
aesthetics, water quality, and soil
conservation.
 
For more information contact the Leon County Extension Office: 615 Paul Russell Road Tallahassee, Fl 32031-7099 (904) 487-3003
or visit their web site at:<http://gnv.ifas.ufl.edu/www/county/leonop.htm

Compiled by Dr. M. Jacobson and John Vericker, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida

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