The Tate’s Hell State Forest and the Blackwater River State Forest have now been certified through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative

The Tate’s Hell State Forest and the Blackwater River State Forest have now been certified through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative program certifies how forests are being managed; it looks at issues like protection of biodiversity, species at risk and wildlife habitat; sustainable timber harvest levels; protection of water quality; and recreation.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard is based on measures that were developed nationally by professional foresters, conservationists and others with the intention of promoting sustainable forest management in North America.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam made the announcement Tuesday and praised the Florida Forest Service for its work in overseeing the forests.

He said “Thanks to certification programs, such as SFI, the public can remain confident that our state forests are managed in line with some of the highest standards in the nation and will remain healthy and productive for generations to come.”

Tate's Hell State Forest is located on over 202 thousand acres in Franklin County, between the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers.

The Tate’s Hell and Blackwater River state forests together cover over 413,000 acres across Northwest Florida.

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