Florida Forest Service Opens 2025 Applications for Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service announced that applications are being accepted for the 2025 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program for non-industrial, private forest landowners through November 14. The program includes 44 northern Florida counties - the known range of the southern pine beetle.

"These pine forests are one of Florida's most valuable commodities, economically and environmentally," said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "By helping our private landowners battle the threat of the southern pine beetle, we're improving the health of our forestlands and the state's timber resources."

The southern pine beetle is one of the most economically devastating forest pests in the southeastern United States, with periodic outbreaks destroying thousands of acres of pine timber. Although Florida has not experienced widespread losses since 2002, a major regional outbreak is currently affecting parts of Alabama, Georgia, and other southeastern states, with over 13,000 infestations recorded during the 2024 season.

"The recent outbreaks in neighboring states show that southern pine beetle still poses a serious threat to our region. Our private landowners need to be prepared," said Rick Dolan, Director of the Florida Forest Service. "The good news is that preventative practices can greatly reduce the risk of loss from SPB, even during an outbreak."

The Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program, supported through a grant by the U.S. Forest Service, provides incentive payments for landowners who have overstocked pine stands and need to conduct a first thinning. It also offers partial cost reimbursement for activities that can mitigate southern pine beetle activity, such as prescribed burning, mechanical underbrush treatments, and the planting of longleaf or slash pine rather than loblolly pine - the beetle's preferred species. All qualifying applications received during the submission period will be evaluated and ranked for approval.

Since it was first offered in 2005, this program has been implemented on more than 220,000 acres and helped thousands of landowners. Some of the reimbursement rates are being increased this year to account for the rising costs experienced by landowners.

To obtain an application or to learn more about the Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program, visit: FDACS.gov/SPBPrevention.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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