Florida’s state parks have won another award for excellence. For many Gainesville residents, however, recognizing the beauty of local state parks is nothing new.
The Florida Parks Service won its third National Gold Medal for Excellence in October, according to a state press release. No other state has received more than one of the same award.
“With more than 25 million visitors at our parks last year, it’s clear that Florida’s state parks are among the best in the world,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement. “These parks provide families with incredible opportunities to enjoy our natural treasures, and they create jobs for Florida families.”
Mark Jamison, director of the public utility research center and a UF economics professor, agreed the parks contribute to a healthy state economy.
He said they “attract money into the state, which employs people and builds our economy, so we can have our successful education system.”
The parks broke attendance and economic impact records, producing $1.2 billion in revenue in the past fiscal year and attracting about 26 million visitors, according to the release. The revenue primarily comes from tourism and park entry fees.
The success supports 19,104 jobs, and “for every 1,000 people who visit a Florida state park or trail, the total direct impact on the park’s local community is almost $47,000,” according to the release.
Lorna McCallister, a 20-year-old UF wildlife ecology junior, said she enjoys visiting state parks in the Gainesville vicinity.
“Going to them is like a mini vacation from campus,” she said. “I always see interesting wildlife on every trip, and they are peaceful areas that are good for stress relief.”
Matt Bledsoe, the assistant park manager at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, has been a ranger at the park for four years. He said people are attracted to the park for its wildlife viewing.
"People want to see the gators, the bison, the horses and all other Florida wildlife in their natural habitats," Bledsoe said.
Jeannie Bobroff, the house mom at Sigma Kappa sorority, has been volunteering at Paynes Prairie for 14 years. She said it’s a place she can go to recharge when she’s had “absolutely the worst week.”
“When I drive through that gate, everything just kind of disappears, and this peace and calm comes over me,” she said. “I just know I’m in a different place, and it’s beautiful.”
A version of this story ran on page 5 on 11/18/2013 under the headline "Florida State Parks recognized for attendance, economic impact"
