Applications Open For Pine Beetle Assistance And Prevention Program

September 15, 2026

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program for non-industrial, private forest landowners Applications will be accepted through October 9 from 44 northern Florida counties, the known range of the southern Pine Beetle. The area includes Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Small, private forest landowners are the backbone of our state’s forest industry,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “By providing assistance to forest landowners to strengthen their pine timber against this destructive pest, this program helps protect Florida’s natural resources and economy.”

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. Recent outbreaks in Alabama, Georgia, and other neighboring states have resulted in devastating timber losses.

“Southern pine beetle activity has remained relatively low in Florida in recent years,” said Rick Dolan, Director of the Florida Forest Service. “Active forest management can both protect individual stands and reduce the risk of widespread outbreaks.”

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. In addition, it 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.

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

Applications and more information are also available from Escambia County Forester Cathy Hardin at (850) 587-5327 or by email Cathy.Hardin@FDACS.gov. In Santa Rosa County, contact County Forester: Ashlee White at (850) 626-3028 or email at Ashlee.White@FDACS.gov.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT FEATURE