The National Recreation and Park Association ( NRPA ) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals as a catalyst for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being.
22-607: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a Florida State Park located in Fort Lauderdale , on East Sunrise Boulevard ( SR 838 ), between the Intracoastal Waterway and SR A1A . Birch State park's roots began in 1893 when Chicago attorney Hugh Taylor Birch visited South Florida in search of a secluded area to build a home. Ultimately, he chose a small village in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that included just
44-407: A few homes, old army posts, and a store. He purchased the oceanfront property for approximately a dollar an acre, ultimately owning a 3.5 mile stretch of beachfront. At age 90, in 1940, he built an Art Deco home on his 180-acre estate naming it "Terramar" or "land to the sea" and maintaining it until his death in 1943. This is now home to the park's visitor center. Among the wildlife of the park are
66-491: A mile-long freshwater lagoon , two short trails, a beach , picnic areas, and a group/youth campground. In recent years, an outdoor restaurant and bar joint, Park & Ocean, was built on the outskirts of the park overlooking the ocean. The Terramar Visitor Center is located in the Mediterranean and Art Deco style home of Hugh Taylor Birch, an attorney for Standard Oil who built his home in 1940. The visitor center
88-508: A much smaller extent charitable contributions. Many state parks have an associated local non-profit corporation. Most parks charge an entrance fee. Residents can purchase an annual entrance pass that is valid at any of the parks. Camping is available in campsites in some of the parks. All reservations for park facilities are handled through the private corporation ReserveAmerica . The Florida State Parks website (floridastateparks.org) provides an updated online guide to all parks. On 19 August 2024
110-656: Is a fishing pier and one is a recreation area. Seven parks are mostly undeveloped with few or no facilities; 10 parks are accessible only by private boat or ferry; and 13 parks contain National Natural Landmarks . Additionally, there are eleven national parks and service sites in Florida locations under control of the National Park Service . Florida State Parks are supported by tax dollars (document stamps), user fees, and to
132-511: Is a mostly nominal admission to nearly all Florida's state parks, although separate fees are charged for the use of cabins, marinas, campsites, etc. Florida's state parks offer 3,613 family campsites, 186 cabins, thousands of picnic tables, 100 miles (160 km) of beaches, and over 2,600 miles (4,200 km) of trails. The Florida Park Service is the division of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection responsible for
154-543: Is open from 9:00am until 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Terramar features exhibits about Hugh Taylor Birch, the history of Fort Lauderdale, Florida ecology and wildlife of the park's ecosystem. Florida state parks are open between 8 a.m. and sundown every day of the year (including holidays). This Florida State Park related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Florida State Parks [REDACTED] There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in
176-445: The U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than 800,000 acres (320,000 ha), providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists. Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, often styled, "Friends of { park name } State Park, Inc.". In 2015, some 29,356 volunteers donated nearly 1.3 million hours to enhance the parks for approximately 31 million visitors. There
198-562: The gopher tortoise , eastern indigo snake , butterflies , and turtles . Visitors also can see gray squirrels , marsh rabbits , and opossums , as well as more than 200 species of wading birds , hawks , and ducks . In 2015, gray foxes had returned to the area after being absent in the area for almost a decade. Activities include canoeing , bicycling , fishing , swimming , Segway tours and group camping . Visitors can also enjoy inline skating , hiking , picnicing , and wildlife viewing. Amenities include kayak and jet ski rental,
220-405: The state legislature to increase conservation land, said: "Our vision did not contemplate the addition of golf courses and hotels, which in my view are not in-line with the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of nature. From what I know at this time, the proposal should not move forward in its current form." Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, said that he had learned from media reports about
242-542: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced plans to build golf courses and 350-room lodges on state park lands. In statements to the Tampa Bay Times and in posts to social media, the agency claimed that the construction of a golf course on vulnerable scrub habitat will be done in a way to "minimize habitat impacts". A spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis, Jeremy Redfern, defended
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#1732776487004264-671: The National Recreation and Park Association. The history and heritage of the public park and recreation field is preserved by the Joseph Lee Memorial Library and Archives located in NRPA's headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia . The National Recreation and Park Association believes parks and recreation is used to improve a person's potential by providing them with facilities, services, and programs that meet
286-690: The Real Florida." Several state parks were formerly private tourist attractions purchased by the state of Florida to preserve their natural environment. These parks include the Silver Springs State Park , Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park , Rainbow Springs State Park , and Weeki Wachee Springs . There are state parks in 58 of Florida's 67 counties . Nine of the 175 parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Four are " conservation areas " (reserve, preserve, or wildlife refuge); three are "Historical/Archaeological sites"; one
308-542: The construction of disc golf courses, pickleball courts, and cabins. Three of the affected parks are in the Panhandle district in Panama City represented by state senator Jay Trumbull (R). He wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that he remains in "strong opposition" and exhorted other lawmakers in the legislature to follow suit. Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, who has lobbied in
330-608: The director of Florida's state parks between 2017 and 2021, stated that it appeared that the agency sidestepped the legal process. The Times also noted that Albert Gregory, the former state chief of park planning, said the state was "hop-scotching some important steps". Note: The table of contents only applies when the list is sorted by park name. National Recreation and Park Association NRPA's network of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals and advocates represents public spaces in urban communities, rural settings and everything in between. NRPA champions and supports
352-476: The emotional, social and physical needs of a community. NRPA values the environment by offering environmental educational programs, and striving for ecologically responsible management. NRPA not only values the community, but it takes a special interest in every individual it affects. It attempts to elevate the quality of life for all citizens of a community by endorsing individual and community wellness. It partners up with many other respected organizations to provide
374-598: The field of parks and recreation through professional development, advocacy, grants and programs, research, publications and more. The mission of the National Recreation and Park Association is "to advance parks, recreation, and conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people." In 1906 the Playground Association of America was founded, which later became the National Recreation Association and ultimately
396-752: The first four-time winner. The parks are open year-round and offer diverse activities beyond fishing, hiking and camping. Many parks offer facilities for birding or horseback riding; there are several battle reenactments; and freshwater springs and beaches are Florida's gems. According to the Florida Park Service website, their goal "is to help create a sense of place by showing park visitors the best of Florida's diverse natural and cultural sites. Florida's state parks are managed and preserved for enjoyment by this and future generations through providing appropriate resource-based recreational opportunities, interpretation and education that help visitors connect to
418-519: The governor and the accelerated process driving state plans to develop golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park . The park, on the Atlantic coast of Florida, contains the largest area of protected scrub jay habitat in southeast Florida. An unusual bipartisan showing of elected officials in the state Legislature, Cabinet and the US Congress expressed opposition to the plans, which include
440-610: The operation of Florida State Parks , and won the Gold Medal honoring the best state park system in the country in 1999 and 2005 from the National Recreation and Park Association . They were also finalists in the 1997 and 2011 competitions. The Park Service was awarded the gold medal again in October 2013, making it the only three-time winner. In 2019, they received the gold medal award again, resulting in them being
462-668: The plans, saying "it's high time we made public lands more accessible to the public." DeSantis, an enthusiastic golfer, controls the Department of Environmental Protection, and has increased his influence over the agency in comparison to former governors. In an unprecedented move that critics said violated state law, he unilaterally appointed its secretary without approval by other members of the Florida Cabinet. The Tampa Bay Times also reported that US Senators Rick Scott (R) and Marco Rubio (R) joined local officials in criticizing
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#1732776487004484-441: The state park development plan, and that he has "serious concerns". He issued a statement saying, "(We) have to be really careful when we talk about building infrastructure on state parks. Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should." Environmental groups and former park officials agreed that the agency was trying to limit the public comment-gathering process. The Tampa Bay Times reported that Eric Draper, who served as
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