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TALLAHASSEE – In honor of state-owned land and parks, the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) will celebrate National Public Lands Day on
September 29. A national leader in land conservation, DEP is recognizing
National Public Lands Day across 160 state parks, thousands of miles of trails
and millions of acres of conservation land.
“Florida’s renowned state-owned land and parks are an ideal place for
citizens and visitors of Florida to exercise, spend time with family and learn
more about Florida’s environment,” said DEP Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard.
“National Public Lands Day is an opportunity for Floridians to recognize and
give back to the public lands we enjoy.”
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort
to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2006, 100,000
volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash
and invasive plants.
Events are taking place at state parks and trails statewide, including:
Blue Spring State Park
2100 West French Avenue
Orange City, Florida 32763
(386) 775-3663
7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
To celebrate National Public Lands Day, the park is hosting the second annual
three-mile canoe/kayak race.
Blackwater River State Park
7720 Deaton Bridge Road
Holt, Florida 32564
Marshall Shaw, (850) 983-5363
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Volunteers will work on trail maintenance on the Chain of Lakes Trail.
Crystal River Preserve State Park
3266 North Sailboat Avenue
Crystal River, Florida 34428
Nicholas Robbins, (352) 563-0450
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Volunteers will be asked to participate in weeding, construction of benches,
trimming trees, installing a rope railing, constructing a fire pit and laying a
small foundation for a puppet stage.
Colt Creek State Park
16000 State Rd 471 Lakeland, Florida 33809
(863) 815-6758
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Volunteers will be involved in one of three projects: pulling exotic plants,
removing barbwire from fence posts or marking horse/hiking trails.
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
550 Wakulla Park Drive
Wakulla Springs, Florida 32327
Jeff Hugo, (850) 224-5950
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Volunteers will help make improvements to the park trails.
Hillsborough River State Park
15402 U.S. 301 North
Thonotosassa, Florida 33592
Patrick Potts, (813)
987-6771
8:30 a.m.
Volunteers will be weeding, mulching, trimming bushes and laying a brick
border.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
16450 S.E. Federal Highway Hobe Sound, Florida 33455
Martin Morse, (561) 744 9814
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Volunteers will aid in invasive plant removal and bike trail maintenance.
Orman House
177 5th Street
Apalachicola, Florida 32325
(850) 927-2111
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Activities will include trail maintenance, fence line repair and trash
removal, pruning, trimming and weeding of flower beds.
Oscar Scherer State Park
1843 S. Tamiami Trail
Osprey, Florida 34229
(941) 483-5956
8:00 a.m.
Join park staff, volunteers and The Friends of Oscar Scherer Park, Inc. in a
morning of volunteer service followed by a picnic lunch.
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
100 Savannah Blvd.
Micanopy, Florida 32667
(352) 466-4100
8:00 a.m.
On this guided Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail ride, visitors will learn
about the natural and cultural resources of the park and stop at two areas to
bag trash for removal.
River Rise Preserve State Park
410 SE Oleno Park Road
High Springs, Florida 32643
(386) 454-4201
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join staff and volunteers at O'Leno State Park to clear and trim the
horseback riding trails in River Rise Preserve State Park. Wear appropriate
clothing and bring gloves.
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
148 Old Fort Road St. Marks, Florida 31355
Bill Boydston, (850) 922-6007
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Volunteers will participate in efforts to preserve three endangered sites
along the banks of the St. Marks River that date back to the 1670’s.
Silver River State Park
1425 NE 58th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34470
(352) 236-7148
7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Volunteers will be assigned to work crews for exotic plant removal in the
park.
Terra Ceia Preserve State Park
130 Terra Ceia Road
Terra Ceia, FL 34250
Robyn Hanke, 1-800-423-1476 ext. 4770
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Volunteers will participate in one of the largest volunteer marsh planting
efforts in the history of Tampa Bay.
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
2925 Airport Blvd
Key West, FL 33040
Cristina Lindley, (305) 293-7658
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail will be working with Just 4 Kids, a
community outreach program of the Monroe County School System, to paint trash
cans for use on the Overseas Heritage trail and bridges. The colorful designs
will bring art to the trail.
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail Tallahassee, FL
Rick Halvorsen, (850) 245-2052
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Boy Scouts of America Troop 121 and the Young Women’s Organization will be
removing litter on Florida's 16-mile Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad
State Trail.
For more information on Florida’s state parks and trails, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us.
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