How to apply to lease property for an apiary
Florida’s honey industry is ranked in the top five in the United States. Pollinators, including honey bees, are essential for pollinating agricultural crops, and natural and managed landscapes. However, over the last four decades there has been an overall decrease in honey bee forage in the United States. Thus, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages state land managers, including the St. Johns River Water Management District, to lease small parcels within public lands for apiaries. The district has developed a revenue producing lease program that provides many benefits, including:
- Increased number of pollinators on district lands
- Minimizing district expenses by increasing revenue from non-governmental sources to off-set district management, maintenance and resource protection costs
- Minimizing impacts to the local agricultural economy by keeping viable lands in active agricultural production
New properties suitable for apiary operations are competitively bid by the district pursuant to Florida Statute 373.093. An Invitation to Submit Offer (ITO) is advertised by the district on the district website for available properties. A Notice of Intent to lease will also be published in a newspaper in the county in which said land is situated. Leases will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder with the highest offer per site. Properties already under lease will be reviewed by the district for consideration of opening the property up for bid by region and the current lessee will be given a minimum of 30 days notice to vacate the property prior to new lease award. Current ITOs are identified below. The table displays the most recent “Invitation to Submit Offer” based upon “broadcast date” first. Persons/firms obtaining solicitation documents from this site shall be responsible to visit this webpage for any changes, delays or addenda related to the ITO. Each ITO will provide an Exhibit identifying the location of the property.
| Broadcast Date | Identifier LRS # | Date Offer Due | Property Name/Description of Potential Lease |
Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 22, 2024 | LRS 2495 | March 13, 2024 | Sixteen 0.25-acre sites over a portion of Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area and Ocklawaha Prairie and Sunnyhill Restoration Areas | |
| July 17, 2022 | LRS 2452 | Aug. 16, 2023 by 2:00 p.m. | Eighteen 0.25-acre sites over a portion of Clark Bay, Heart Island and Lake George Conservation Areas Lease Awarded |
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| Sept. 15, 2022 | LRS 2382 | Oct. 12, 2022 | Fourteen 0.25-acre sites over District’s properties known as Pellicer Creek, Moses Creek, Deep Creek, Horseshoe Point, Murphy Creek and Dunns Creek Conservation Areas in Flagler, St. Johns, and Putnam County, Florida, respectively. Lease Awarded |
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| June. 15, 2022 | LRS 2346 | July 28, 2022 | Thirteen 0.25-acre sites over District properties known as Thomas Creek, Bayard, Black Creek and Gourd Island Conservation Areas in Nassau, Duval, Clay and St. Johns County, Florida respectively. Lease Awarded |
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| Feb. 10, 2022 | LRS 2297 | March 9, 2022 | 0.25 acres over SJRWMD Campus Parcels – Egan Ranch Lease Awarded |
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| Sept. 2, 2021 | LRS 2251 | Oct. 6, 2021 | Lake Jesup Conservation Area in Seminole County and Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park in Orange County Lease Awarded |
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| Feb. 25, 2021 | LRS 2123 | March 30, 2021 | Buck Lake and Seminole Ranch Conservation Areas located in Volusia, Brevard and Orange County, Florida. Lease Awarded |
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| Feb. 18, 2021 | LRS 2116 | March 26, 2021 | Micco Water Management Area and Three Forks Conservation Area in the District’s Southern Region in Brevard County, Florida Lease Awarded |
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| Jan. 27, 2021 | LRS 2106 | Feb. 16, 2021 | District’s C-54 and Fort Drum Conservation Areas in the District’s Southern Region in Indian River County, Florida. Lease Awarded |
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| Dec. 14, 2018 | LRS 1532 | Jan. 24, 2019 | District’s West Region Conservation Areas in Alachua, Putnam and Marion counties. Lease Awarded |
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| Dec. 14, 2018 | LRS 1531 | Jan. 21, 2019 | District’s North Central Region Conservation Area in Lake County and Marion County, Florida. Lease Awarded |
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| April 10, 2018 | LRS 1403 | May 17, 2018 | District’s North Central Region Conservation Area. Lease Awarded |