FAQ: Land Stewardship

How do I report suspicious activity (i.e., dumping) that may be affecting the environment?

Dial #DEP on a cellphone or call 877-2-Save-FL. Appropriate law enforcement offices will be notified.

How can I determine if there are conservation lands in a particular area?

Visit FNAI. In the menu bar under Conservation Lands, click on Conservation Lands Map. A separate window will open with an interactive map of Florida's conservation lands.

When are land management plans due?

Management plans are required to be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Division of State Lands (DSL) within 12 months of a fully executed lease. Once the plan is received and approved, it should be updated every 10 years.

Will a land management review team ever visit the property I manage for conservation purposes?

Yes. If the managed land is owned by the Board of Trustees (BOT), a land management review team may visit. If the managed land is owned by the BOT and is greater than 1,000 acres, it must be reviewed every five years. If the managed land is owned by a water management district, a land management review team might visit it as well.

How well are state-owned conservation lands being managed?

The Office of Environmental Services within DSL coordinates the review of state-owned conservation lands by establishing teams of experts from state agencies and the general public that evaluate management practices on state lands.

Each park, forest or management area has a management plan describing the resources and recreational activities. Team members review each site plan to see if it adequately addresses management needs. The team also visits each site to evaluate whether the property is being managed for the purposes of acquisition and in accordance with the approved management plan.

The Office of Environmental Services compiles the team members responses and prepares a report for each site reviewed. The Acquisition and Restoration Council and the BOT receive the review team reports and recommend management changes to improve resource protection or recreation opportunities.

Who are the primary managers of Florida’s conservation lands?

Most of the state’s conservation lands are managed by the following state agencies:

• DEP's Division of Recreation and Parks.
• DEP's Florida Coastal Office.
• DEP's Office of Greenways and Trails.
• Florida Forest Service.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In addition, Florida’s five water management districts collectively own more than 1.5 million acres, which are managed to protect drinking water supplies and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.