National Park Week
In 1991, President George Bush declared the last week in August to be the inaugural National Park Week, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service. Now, National Park Week is in April so it can be observed in tandem with Earth Day!
The goal of National Park Week is to celebrate our national parks and educate the public about environmental stewardship and the preservation of natural resources and cultural heritage. With different events and themes for each day, there are many ways to celebrate National Park Week.
Visit a national park in Florida
Want to celebrate this week by visiting a park? Here is a list of the 11 national parks Florida has to offer.
- Everglades National Park
- Biscayne National Park
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Big Cypress National Preserve
- Canaveral National Seashore
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
- De Soto National Memorial
- Fort Caroline National Memorial
- Fort Matanzas National Monument
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve
Practice conservation at home
Small actions can stack up to have a big impact! Things you do at home can help with the conservation of national, state, and local parks.
Some simple things you can do to help conserve our natural resources are planting native flowers, choosing green transportation, using a reusable water bottle, and limiting fertilizer use.
Recreate responsibly
When recreating in any park, it is important to do so in a responsible and sustainable manner. Here are some things to remember:
- In parks that allow pets, keep them under control and pick up after them
- Be mindful of the wildlife and keep a safe distance
- Respect the other visitors
- Come prepared
- Leave no trace
Get outside
Even if you cannot make it to a national park this week, make the effort to enjoy the outdoors anywhere you can!
Information from NPS and NPF.