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2012 Florida Statutes

Title XXXV AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND ANIMAL INDUSTRY
Chapter 589 FORESTRY Entire Chapter
SECTION 19
Creation of certain state forests; naming of certain state forests.
F.S. 589.19
589.19 Creation of certain state forests; naming of certain state forests.—
(1) When the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, any state agency, or any agency created by state law, authorized to accept reforestation lands in the name of the state, approves the recommendations of the Florida Forest Service in reference to the acquisition of land and acquires such land, the board, state agency, or agency created by state law may formally designate and dedicate any area as a reforestation project, or state forest, and where so designated and dedicated such area shall be under the administration of the Florida Forest Service, which is authorized to manage and administer such area according to the purpose for which it was designated and dedicated.
(2) The first state forest acquired by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund in Baker County is to be named the John M. Bethea State Forest. This is to honor Mr. John M. Bethea who was Florida’s fourth state forester and whose distinguished career in state government spanned 46 years and who is a native of Baker County.
(3) The state forest managed by the Florida Forest Service in Seminole County is to be named the Charles H. Bronson State Forest to honor Charles H. Bronson, the tenth Commissioner of Agriculture, for his distinguished contribution to this state’s agriculture and natural resources.
(4)(a) The Florida Forest Service shall designate one or more areas of state forests as an “Operation Outdoor Freedom Special Hunt Area” to honor wounded veterans and servicemembers. The purpose of such designated areas is to provide special outdoor recreational opportunities for eligible veterans and servicemembers.
(b) The Florida Forest Service shall limit guest admittance to such designated areas to any person who:
1. Is an active duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces and has a combat-related injury as determined by his or her branch of the United States Armed Forces; or
2. Is a veteran who served during a period of wartime service as defined in s. 1.01(14) or peacetime service as defined in s. 296.02 and:
a. Has a service-connected disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or
b. Was discharged or released from military service because of a disability acquired or aggravated while serving on active duty.
(c) The Florida Forest Service may grant admittance to such designated areas to a person who is not an eligible veteran or servicemember for purposes of accompanying an eligible veteran or servicemember who requires the person’s assistance to use such designated areas.
(d) Funding required for specialized accommodations shall be provided through the Friends of Florida State Forests Program created under s. 589.012.
(e) The Florida Forest Service may adopt rules to administer this subsection.
History.—s. 2, ch. 16030, 1933; CGL 1936 Supp. 4151(10-b); s. 2, ch. 61-119; ss. 14, 27, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 35, ch. 2001-279; s. 33, ch. 2008-256; s. 1, ch. 2011-116; s. 42, ch. 2012-7; s. 43, ch. 2012-190.