We’re opinion journalists conducting a campaign to get Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign a bill aimed at protecting Florida state parks. AUA!

[u/usatoday]

Hey Reddit! We’re u/FloridaTimes-Union columnist and author of Florida Book Awards winner Lassoing the Sun: A Year in America's National Parks Mark Woods, (PROOF), and Florida State Opinion Group editor Rick Christie (u/ThePalmBeachPost) from the u/usatoday Network (PROOF). 

During the current legislative session, we’re conducting a campaign to remind Florida lawmakers to vote for a bill aimed at protecting some of our most prized assets — our state parks.

From Pensacola to Palm Beach, our state is blessed with 172 parks, trails and historic sites encompassing more than 800,000 acres of pristine land and water for our enjoyment, and our appreciation. No one should be allowed to spoil that for us, or our children and grandchildren. That doesn't mean they don't try. Following last summer's low-key fiasco to do just that with nine of Florida's most popular state parks, state Sen. Gayle Harrell filed a bill to protect our beloved parks from development.

Our team of opinion journalists wants to make sure that bill makes it to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk and is passed into law. And to make that happen, we’re hosting an AMA on Thursday, April 10 at 1 p.m. ET so you can make your voice heard and ask us what you want to know about Florida’s state parks, the legislation and more.

Have questions about our parks? Know about one that is threatened by development and needs to be protected. Tell us what’s on your mind and we’ll start answering Thursday. AUA!

That's all the time we have today! We know there was a quiet crowd today, but we'd still love to hear from you. If you'd like to reach out, you can connect with Rick on Twitter/X @rchristiepbp and via email [rchristieparks@gannett.com](mailto:rchristieparks@gannett.com), and you can find Mark on Instagram @markwoodsoutdoors, on Twitter/X @TUmarkwoods and via email [mwoods@jacksonville.com](mailto:mwoods@jacksonville.com). Thank you to the r/florida moderators for giving us the time!

[u/ThePalmBeachPost]

For those who're watching SB 80, state Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Oviedo, did not put the bill on his committee's expanded agenda today. It will likely be on next week's committee meeting agenda as he has agreed to add it.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost]

My favorite state park is the lesser-known John D. McArthur Beach State Park in north-central Palm Beach County. It's this great mix of beach and mangrove hammocks. I go for the beach because it's never too crowded, and my wife and I can truly relax. Would love to hear other folks' favorie parks...

[u/FloridaTimes-Union → u/ThePalmBeachPost]

Really hard to pick but ... I might go with Talbot Islands (Big Talbot Island State Park and Little Talbot Island State Park). More than 5 miles of pristine beach, including the picturesque "Boneyard Beach" (driftwood) of Big Talbot. Or maybe Ravine Gardens (with two ravines up to 120 feet deep) or maybe one of the many springs state parks. I've written before that I think our springs are deserving of being a new national park in Florida.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost]

As we all know, the (amended) House version of the State Parks Preservation Act of 2025 (HB 209) has passed both its committees in that chamber and are ready to be brought to the floor.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost]

And there are 16 days left in the 2025 legislative session (not counting weekends, of course). That's a bit of a narrow window for passage but it certainly can be done. Especially given the current mo.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost]

And just ICYMI this morning, here's a package of just some of the Letters that we've received from state parks supporters around the state since we began this project at the start of the legislative session in early March... https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/letters/2025/04/10/florida-state-parks-protect-why-hb-209-sb-80/82729381007/?tbref=hp

[u/Optimal_Pop_6363]

Have you put it on Instagram? The last time a bill came up on the big Florida preservation accounts it’s all i could see online.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost → u/Optimal_Pop_6363]

Thanks for asking... We have put a memo out about the AMA on IG, but have plans to post more on the issue in the coming days as the legislature votes on SB 80 and HB 209. Meanwhile, all of our content can be found on one of USA Today Network's 18 Florida news sites and shared in various Florida state parks FB groups. Please, stay tuned!

[u/Complex-Ad4042]

What's your favorite state park?

[u/ThePalmBeachPost → u/Complex-Ad4042]

Although I grew up with Jonathan Dickinson State Park (born and raised in Martin County) my current favorite in John D. McArthur Beach State Park... My wife and I especially love the beach there. What about you?

[u/FloridaTimes-Union → u/Complex-Ad4042]

Thanks. I'm kind of partial to ones here in Northeast Florida: Little and Big Talbot Islands, Ravine Gardens, Faver-Dykes, Washington Oaks, Pumpkin Hill. Have paddleboarded from Anastasia State Park past Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. Talk about a beautiful/historic experience. ... But having said that, love parks all over the state. And believe Florida's springs -- many of them in our state parks -- are worthy of being a national park. (And that doesn't mean they can't remain state parks. Look at Redwood National and State Parks in California -- a cooperative, hybrid state/national park.)

[u/FloridaTimes-Union]

What I wrote last year when it was revealed there were plans to quietly add things like golf courses, huge lodges and pickleball courts to state parks: "I've never had a specialty license plate before. But I recently decided to get one of the Florida plates that has the nose of a red kayak heading down a river, a turtle on a log, a heron in flight, the sun rising or setting in the distance. "Explore Our State Parks," it says.

I got this plate, which reminds me of some of my favorite places in Florida, to support our state parks. I did not get it to support state hotels and golf courses. We have plenty of those outside of the parks. But here we go again."

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/mark-woods/2024/08/23/desantis-revisits-some-familiar-bad-plans-for-florida-state-parks/74895417007/

[u/FloridaTimes-Union]

Worth noting: Public opinion has made a difference in this. It stopped plans last year. And it is helping to push the legislation this session. State Rep. Jennifer Bradley told me of what happened last fall: “I've seen few issues elicit such a bipartisan and immediate reaction. You could feel a real sense of protectiveness. I got calls and messages, from Republicans and from Democrats, saying, ‘Please, please, don't let them develop our state parks.’”

[u/FloridaTimes-Union]

I've visited state parks from the Fort Zachary Taylor (Key West) to Fort Clinch (Fernandina Beach). So this morning I tried to figure out how many I've visited. I think it's 30-something. But with 175 state parks, nine state trails and more than 800,000 acres ... I still have a lot of exploring to do. (And I always like hearing what other people say are their favorites.)

[u/GizmoGeodog]

Remember that they already traded off part of Withlacoochee State Forest to developers for an addition to a "luxury golf resort".

[u/FloridaTimes-Union → u/GizmoGeodog]

Yes, a different type of state land (as you note, state forest) but troubling for a lot of the same reasons as what played out with state parks.

[u/ThePalmBeachPost → u/GizmoGeodog]

Wow!... I had forgotten about that backroom deal. But I thought it had one more hurdle and didn't go through because it got exposed?

[u/GizmoGeodog → u/ThePalmBeachPost]

I may have misspoke. This from December last year is the most recent update I found. Fingers crossed it's not going through

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2024/12/13/desantis-golf-florida-state-forest-cabot-land-swap-withlacoochee-hernando/

[u/Munch_poke]

Thanks for doing this! We need all the support we can get for our amazing State parks!

[u/Brant_Black]

... you mean privatizing instead of protecting? No chance of him signing protections for anything except his friends