Bayou Boulevard, Suite 103, Pensacola, FL 32503 Tel. If it is an eyesore, you're lucky. Far too often, abandoned and neglected cemeteries pose problems that are far greater. Families suffer from the loss of respect being shown to the final resting places of their loved ones. Deterioration of memorial markers results in the loss of valuable historical, archaeological, and genealogical data.
Remote cemeteries attract vandals and even criminal activity.
Media reports about old cemeteries have become commonplace, but until now, no permanent solution has been sought. We occasionally hear of a volunteer group cleaning up a cemetery here and there. But, until the 1998 Florida Legislature created the Task Force on Abandoned and Neglected Cemeteries, there had not been a concerted statewide effort to address and correct this disturbing problem, nor any official avenue for the public to offer concern or assistance. To put this issue in perspective, there are over 170 cemeteries in Florida which are licensed by the state. Most of these are fully compliant with state regulations and are not part of the problem.