Keep Our Florida State Parks Wild.
We do not need golf courses, pickleball courts, or disk golf in our state parks - the county parks have more than are needed and are seldom full. Building 300+ room lodges will only take away from local businesses and stress the resources within the parks. Already we are paying more for campsites to cover electric usages what happens when there is no water left in the wells, septic and sewer spills and overflows, herbicides and insecticides floating into our rivers? We need to stay strong and fight for these remaining natural places before they are all paved over.
Florida’s state parks have long been a model of how to balance nature-based recreation with resource protection. It is no coincidence that Florida’s state park system is the only one in the nation to have earned the prestigious gold medal for state parks four times. Our parks protect some of Florida's most scenic landscapes, safeguarding invaluable resources not just for wildlife but for vital ecological services, including water quality, fire protection, flood control, and the supply of drinking water. These parks often shelter the last remaining examples of rare habitats and views that are increasingly disappearing in our rapidly urbanizing state.
State Parks Targeted for Additional Development:
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Martin County)
- Anastasia State Park (St. Johns County)
- Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Walton County)
- Camp Helen State Park (Bay County)
- Grayton Beach State Park (Walton County)
- Hillsborough River State Park (Hillsborough County)
- Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County)
- Dr. Von Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (Broward County)
- Oleta River State Park (Miami-Dade County)
Today, with only one week's notice and a day after local elections, FDEP announced public meetings throughout the state scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27th. The meetings will consist of a presentation and an opportunity for public comment, but with only an hour allotted, they do not appear to include a question-and-answer period. Meeting information
Florida State parks are not just another venue for recreational development; they are sanctuaries of natural beauty and biodiversity. To introduce commercial recreational facilities within these parks is to undermine their purpose and diminish the unique experiences they offer. Our parks are treasures that future generations deserve to experience in their full, unspoiled glory.
Florida boasts over 1,100 golf courses
As of April 2023, Florida had 770 pickleball courts
Only 175 state parks including historic sites and trails!
Many of these parks are already operating at peak visitation, situated in communities with ample amenities such as lodging, golf courses, and pickleball courts. Florida has no shortage of venues where one can swing a golf club, enjoy a continental breakfast, or try their hand at pickleball. What is becoming increasingly rare, however, are the opportunities to spot the deep blue feathers of a Florida Scrub-Jay, witness the miracle of neotropical bird migration, or experience the untamed beauty of Florida’s natural landscapes.
Your Help is Needed
I urge you to stand up to any plans to build such facilities within our Florida State Parks. Instead, let us continue to honor and protect the natural heritage that makes Florida a truly unique and beautiful place to live and visit.