30th Anniversary Timeline

The Foundation teamed up with Duke Energy Florida for a new collaboration to fund the installation of 121 water bottle refilling stations at 85 Florida State Parks. These stations encourage environmental sustainability by reducing single-use plastic bottles.

On March 28, 2022, the “Explore Our State Parks,” specialty license plate became available at local tag agencies. These plates were authorized during Florida’s 2021 Legislative Session, and the presale process began in October 2021. The Florida State Parks specialty plate reached 3,000 presales in just 34 days was the first plate from the 2021 Legislative Session to meet all design, development, manufacturing and presale requirements established to begin the distribution process.

The 2022 Florida Legislature massively increased funding for Florida State Parks, with a record $232.9 million allocated in the budget for maintenance, repair and park improvements.

The Foundation was awarded a $933,500 grant from the Florida African American Cultural and Historical Grants Program to construct a representation of the historic 1738 Fort Mose in St. Augustine. The site of the fort, now Fort Mose Historic State Park, is designated as a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fort Mose was the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States.

Fifty-two state parks along Florida’s coast received a beach-accessible wheelchair through a partnership between the Foundation and Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation.

The Foundation commissioned the design of a 37-foot accessible boat, which includes a flat deck and spacious aisles for easy and convenient access for mobility assistive devices. The boat is also equipped with an induction-loop system that helps passengers using hearing aids to listen to the captain’s narration. In keeping with the tradition of naming the glass-bottom boats at Silver Springs after Seminole tribal chiefs, the new boat was named Chief Potackee – Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, after the only woman to serve as chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

The Foundation offers small grant opportunities state park citizen support organizations (CSOs), as well as to parks that do not have a CSO. The program allocates up to $50,000, in increments of $5,000, toward park improvement projects.

After unanimous support for the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate in the Florida House and Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law, authorizing the new plate that supports Florida’s award-winning state parks.

The Foundation created the Bonnie Lizer Endowment to honor the generous benefactor. Through this endowment, the Foundation created and installed interpretive birding panels were installed at Sebastian Inlet State Park.

On Earth Day 2020, the Foundation announced a goal to plant 100,000 native longleaf pine trees in state parks by Earth Day 2021. Through grassroots support and corporate sponsorship, the initiative was a success and exceeded its goal. Since 2020, the program has funded the planting of nearly 200,000 trees.

Sen. Rob Bradley was the first recipient of the Foundation’s Park Champion of the Year award. This award recognizes and honors an individual deemed to have made the most outstanding contribution to help sustain, protect and preserve Florida’s award-winning state parks.

Recognizing the generous endowment benefactor, the Foundation created the John Kerschner Scholarship Fund to provide annual professional development and training for park professionals.

John Kerschner made a bequest of nearly $17 million to the Foundation.

Friends of Florida State Parks rebranded and established as the Florida State Parks Foundation.

Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) is a model for science-based environmental education on public conservation lands. The LIFE Program is a process for reinforcing and enriching the existing curriculum through hands-on field labs facilitated by park rangers and volunteers who are educators, scientists and land/resource managers.

Florida State Parks offers excellent educational opportunities designed specifically for school field trips. However, bus field trip transportation costs may not be within reach for many schools and summer camps. Yellow Buses in State Parks was created to assist with these costs so that no child misses out on these valuable educational experiences.

The Foundation launched the Access for All fundraising campaign to increase accessibility at Florida State Parks. This program focuses on garnering gifts that enhance accessible features at state parks. For example, through charitable partnerships, the Foundation has funded beach- and trail-accessible wheelchairs, floating wheelchairs, an accessible glass-bottom boat and an accessible fishing pier, among many other projects over the years. Accessibility remains a major focus for the Foundation.

Looking to enhance cross promotional opportunities, the Foundation began connecting with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) toward common goal of encouraging visitation to Florida’s premier destinations.

Seeking to advocate for the economic benefits offered by state parks, the Foundation creates annual economic impact sheets for each state park with specific data on visitation numbers, jobs supported and staff, among other factors.

In 2009, the Foundation organized and sponsored the first CSO workshop. Held in Fort Myers, the three-day meeting featured a variety of speakers, seminars and networking opportunities related to parks, outdoor recreation, public lands and support organizations. The workshop has since become an annual highlight.

The Foundation funded the reprinting and supply of educational booklets and certificates for the Florida State Parks Junior Ranger Program, which allows young park visitors to learn more about state parks and our state’s natural, cultural and historical resources.

This habitat restoration work at one of Fort Lauderdale’s most loved parks removed invasive plant species and replaced them with native plants to help with native plant recovery.

The Foundation began hosting legislative tours to help our state’s lawmakers learn more about our parks and enjoy their natural, cultural and historical experiences.

The Foundation organizes and funds the Florida Park Service’s annual awards program, which recognizes volunteers and their invaluable contributions to state parks.

The Foundation helped to advocate for Kissimmee Prairie to become a state preserve. Today, Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is one of Florida’s largest parks and offers amazing night-sky views.

The project focused on renovating the lighthouse keeper’s cottage at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne.

Following natural disasters, this fund provided assistance for projects in state parks affected by hurricanes.

Legislative advocacy and education efforts started with contacting budget conference members and helping to obtain the best budget for the Florida Park Service in many years.

Early Foundation activity involved outreach and education to Florida businesses with the goal of creating partnerships that would benefit Florida State Parks.

To enhance and perpetuate the Florida state park system for residents and visitors, the Friends of Florida State Parks, a statewide citizen support organization, was established in 1993. On Nov. 12, a ceremony was held at Wekiwa Springs State Park to install the new organization.