National Park Service
A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States
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FLORIDA

THE STATE'S RESIDENT POPULATION is principally located along the east coast from Jacksonville to Miami, in the central lake section, on the west coast around Tampa and across the northern end of the State. It is 70 percent white and 52 percent urban in character. The trend is distinctly urban. It is estimated that the State's population more than doubles during the winter by the influx of tourists and vacationists.

Its extensive beaches, mild climate, and abundant Vegetative growth constitute outstanding recreational resources.

It now has under development a system of 10 State parks, each of which possesses distinctive and outstanding character. The State Recreation Plan recommends the acquisition of additional scenic areas and of several ocean beach parks. There is also a need for local areas of the type being developed by the Dade County Park System to handle the daily recreational wants of the State's residents and its visitors. The need for Negro recreational areas is indicated by the fact that there are at present no outlying parks dedicated to the recreational use of this race. The State's wealth of flora and fauna, its exceptionally fine beaches, and its importance as a winter vacation resort which attracts people from all over the United States, warrant extensive Federal participation in the provision of several ocean and gulf beach parks.

map
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)



FEDERAL

National park project: Existing
acreage
Proposed
additions
67. Everglades
1,454,092

National monuments:
1. Santa Rosa Island9,500
24. Fort Jefferson86.82
48. Fort Marion18.51
49. Fort Matanzas18.34
     Total
9,623.67



Proposed national memorial:
74. Spanish War


National forests:
3. Choetawatchee309,504
10. Apalachicola537,226
43. Osceola156,182
53. Ocala314,103
     Total
11,317,015



Soil Conservation Service land development project:
36. Withlacoochee112,000

National wildlife areas:
14. St. Marks Migratory Bird Refuge76,260
18. Cedar Keys Bird Refuge378.61
20. Indian Key Reservation191.4
21. Passage Key Bird Reservation36.37
22. Palma Sola Reservation1.5
25. Key West Reservation1,215
26. Great White Heron2,007
27. Matlacha Pass Reservation10
28. Pine Island Reservation31
29. Island Bay Reservation11,100
30. Caloosahatchee Migratory Bird Refuge40
37. Chinsegut Hill Migatory Bird Refuge2,033.07
50. Matanzas Reservation267.2
54. Brevard Reservation12.39
60. Pelican Island Reservation16
75. Fort DeSoto Refuge421
76. Anclote Refuge155
     Total
94,175.54




STATE

State parks:
6. Florida Caverns623311
11. Torreya520500
16. Suwanee River1,621
32. Myakka River8,300
33. Highlands Hammock3,800
35. Hillsborough River720170
40. Gold Head Branch1,08080
46. Fort Clinch98060
52. Volusia Hammock5251,100
63. Pan American300
66. Royal Palm4,000
     Total
22,469

2,221

Proposed State parks (1,000-4,000 acres):
4. Walton County

8. Jackson County

13. Leon County

17. Levy County

19. Pineilas County

23. Sarasota County

34. Hillsborough County

45. Duval County

47. St. John County

55. Lake County

56. Orange County

58. Polk County

59. Brevard County

62. Broward County

63. Palm Beach County

64. Dade County

     Total ±


21,000

State monuments:
7. Battle of Marianna

9. Port St. Joe

15. Natural Bridge

38. Dade Masscre80
42. Olustee


State forests:
2. Pensacola Cooperative Land Use Project2196,487
5. Pine Log6,960
31. Myakka River18,610
39. Austin Cary Memorial Forest2,083
41. O'Leno1,410
44. Cary2,733.5
51. Walaka Cooperative Land Use Project22,049
     Total
230,332.5




LOCAL

County parks:
12. Gadsden County (1 area)

57. Orange County (7 areas)337
65. Dade County (10 areas)2,054.3
     Total
2,391.3



Municipal parks:
68. Pensacola (1 area)130
69. Fernandina (1 area)20
70. Jacksonville (2 areas)24
71. Tampa (3 areas)177
72. West Palm Beach (1 area)160
73. Miami (1 area)200
     Total
711


1 Area under Federal administration June 1938.

2 Soil Conservation Service areas leased to the State for administration.



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park-recreation-problem/florida.htm
Last Updated: 18-May-2016