June 10, 2021 – Increased law enforcement presence will be noticed on Point Washington State Forest due to forest road damages and illegal dumping. Abuse to the forest damages wildlife habitat and hinders Florida Forest Service management practices. Chipola Forest Service Manager, Mike Mathis says “We encourage everyone to enjoy recreational opportunities on the forest, but illegal activities are
destroying habitat and hindering our management practices.”
Entering the Forest is only permitted by using designated public entrance and exit points. Deviating from existing maintained roadways destroys the natural habitat of plants and animals within our State Forest.
Misuse of conservation land will result in citations, fines, and trespass violations. Recent citations issued include illegal dumping, road closure violations, and high-speed travel. The Florida Forest Service and The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission are committed to resolve the situation and willing to takeadditional measures in protecting conservation land.
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 on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at www.FDACS.gov\FLFloridaForest.