This program offers landowners cost-share funding for site preparation and tree replanting on classified agricultural lands.
The Hurricane Idalia Silviculture Recovery Program is designed to ensure the long-term viability of Florida’s forest lands and restore the ecological and economic value of timberland damaged by Hurricane Idalia. The program offers landowners cost-share funding specifically for site preparation and tree replanting on classified agricultural lands. It is administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service and funded by the state of Florida.
To be eligible for the program, practice sites must have been forested on August 30, 2023, and experienced significant timber damage that impacted the future viability of the stand as a direct result of Hurricane Idalia.
Qualified applicants are limited to timber landowners in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee and Taylor counties, whose timber experienced significant damage from Hurricane Idalia. This funding is specifically for site preparation and tree replanting on lands classified as agricultural lands under Section 193.461, Florida Statutes (F.S.).
The program is currently open for applications at the online portal or by mail. Please visit https://IdaliaTimberRecovery.FDACS.gov to apply. Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2024.
Successful applicants will be required to submit a completed application, including a project budget worksheet (Attachment A), a stand/practice map that describes the site preparation and pine tree replanting practices that will be implemented, and verification of submission of a Florida Substitute W-9 form.
These funds can be used on lands classified as agricultural lands under Section 193.461, F.S., in the identified counties significantly damaged by Hurricane Idalia and forested on August 30, 2023, for the following:
Payment will not exceed $250,000 per agreement. Payments for practices have a maximum reimbursement limit, or the landowner will be reimbursed for 75% of the actual cost, whichever is less.