Florida Senate - 2024                            (NP)    SR 1808
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-02067-24                                           20241808__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing January 31, 2024, as “Florida
    3         State Parks Day” in Florida.
    4  
    5         WHEREAS, Florida’s state parks system encompasses 175
    6  parks, trails, and historic sites spanning more than 813,000
    7  acres, including 101 miles of white sand beaches, and
    8         WHEREAS, Florida’s state parks generated an estimated $3.6
    9  billion in economic impact and $241 million in sales tax revenue
   10  while supporting more than 50,000 jobs during the 2022-2023
   11  fiscal year, and
   12         WHEREAS, the Florida Park Service is the only four-time
   13  winner of the National Recreation and Park Association’s Gold
   14  Medal for Excellence in the field of parks and recreation
   15  management, and
   16         WHEREAS, Florida’s state parks have a legacy of nearly 90
   17  years, having been created out of the Civilian Conservation
   18  Corps in 1935, and
   19         WHEREAS, Florida’s state parks provide world-class
   20  opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hiking, camping,
   21  swimming, paddling, fishing, horseback riding, and other
   22  activities, and
   23         WHEREAS, annual passes to Florida’s state parks were
   24  recently made more affordable than ever for residents of this
   25  state through Governor Ron DeSantis’ Great Outdoors Initiative,
   26  enacted as Executive Order 23-209, and
   27         WHEREAS, during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, more than 80
   28  citizen support organizations, such as the Florida State Parks
   29  Foundation, along with more than 5,100 volunteers, contributed
   30  more than one million volunteer hours to Florida’s state parks,
   31  and
   32         WHEREAS, beloved native wildlife, such as Florida panthers,
   33  manatees, sea turtles, black bears, alligators, and many species
   34  of birds, find critical habitat in lands and waters managed by
   35  the Florida Park Service, and
   36         WHEREAS, 75 of Florida’s 175 state parks lie within the
   37  footprint of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, with many more
   38  located nearby, NOW, THEREFORE,
   39  
   40  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   41  
   42         That January 31, 2024, is recognized as “Florida State
   43  Parks Day” in Florida.