For decades, state parks have served as a vital part of Florida’s environment, economy and natural heritage.
Serving as sites for recreation, exploration, conservation and family fun, Florida’s state parks have created thousands of jobs, attracted millions of visitors and brought in billions of dollars in revenue. Just last year, the parks “generated an estimated economic impact of $3.6 billion while welcoming nearly 28 million visitors and supporting approximately 50,000 jobs,” according to the Florida State Parks Foundation.
However, funding for these state parks sits at a crossroads.
“A lot of the things that they fund, it doesn’t get to some of the core problems,” George DeLoach, president of the board of directors for Friends of Paynes Prairie, said. “For instance, we end up spending a lot of money on the maintenance of the park’s tractors, mowers, things like that.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget on June 29, and it took effect July 1. The budget allocated just over $63 million to Florida’s state parks: $44.5 million for park improvements and an additional $19 million to manage natural resources and increase pay for park rangers.
While some state officials and organizations believe Florida’s annual funding for state parks is an adequate allocation of taxpayer dollars, others believe it is just a drop in the bucket.
Although the Legislature and DEP didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment in time for publication, the Florida State Parks Foundation and Matt Caldwell, the president of the foundation’s board of directors, released a statement in June following DeSantis’ signature of the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.
“This generous budget is a clear sign that Governor DeSantis, our state representatives and our senators understand how much our state parks mean to Floridians and to visitors from all over the world,” Caldwell said. “We are thrilled to see this reflected in the budget and appreciate all the support that our state parks receive from our state’s leaders.”
Though $63.5 million appears to be a substantial investment in state park maintenance and natural resource management, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released a report in December 2025 identifying nearly $759 million in maintenance backlogs. With the current allocation of $44.5 million for park improvements and repairs, it would take Florida more than 17 years to clear its maintenance backlog.
Mary Gutierrez, the founder and director of Earth Ethics, Inc., believes the $44.5 million allocated for park maintenance is insufficient to address the backlog. With facility improvements, prescribed burns, underbrush maintenance and repairs to structures like docks, boardwalks and boat ramps to be considered, she said the $44.5 million is a fraction of the funding needed to restore Florida’s state parks.
“That’s not enough for all the repairs that are being recommended by the DEP,” Gutierrez said. “I’m not really sure how that money can be used to accomplish anything.”
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Pensacola, Florida, Earth Ethics, Inc. is a nonprofit organization specializing in ecological assessment and public education on environmental and social issues. Gutierrez, along with representatives from 31 other organizations, submitted a letter to the Florida Legislature in March calling for increased funding to remedy Florida’s mounting state park maintenance backlog.
The letter requested the Legislature budget at least $100 million for facility improvements at state parks and an additional $20 million for accessibility upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, as seen in the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget, the funding was not nearly as much as many hoped.
“Some of the older parks may not be ADA compliant, so obviously you want to upgrade it to ensure that everybody has access,” Gutierrez said. “That would obviously cost quite a bit of money as well.”
In addition, with 176 state parks scattered across the state, the current budget makes it difficult to decide which parks to allocate funds to. With a colossal pile of necessary maintenance across the state park system, the DEP will need to decide which locations to prioritize for repairs.
“I’m not sure how they’re going to determine what park needs to be addressed first,” Gutierrez said. “How are you going to rate that?” Which park deserves to get repairs over another park?”
Moreover, Gutierrez is concerned that the Florida panhandle sits at a disadvantage because the DEP is likely to prioritize parks in more populous areas and those that bring in the most tourism dollars, she said.
However, waiting around for repairs is not a feasible option. Deferred maintenance often exacerbates issues, especially at state parks where Florida’s heat and erratic storms constantly weather and erode park infrastructure.
“If you don’t fix it right away, if you just let it fester, so to speak, it usually causes more issues, and it’s going to cost you more to get it repaired,” Gutierrez said.
For two years, Nancy Eckert has been the president of Friends of Dudley Farm, a Citizen Support Organization (CSO) that raises money and provides volunteers to support Dudley Farm Historic State Park. She said Friends of Dudley Farm is especially beneficial because the park hasn’t received adequate funds from the state, and donated money goes directly to the park. In fact, the organization has raised its own money to fund the construction of a $125,000 pavilion for visitors. The park also faces a septic tank issue and needs a utility vehicle, Eckert said.
“It’s grossly underfunded,” she said. “I don’t know why the state thinks that these parks aren’t important because the parks have gotten national awards. We have one of the best park systems in the entire United States.”
DeLoach shares a similar perspective: Florida state parks don’t receive adequate funding.
His organization, Friends of Paynes Prairie, is a CSO similar to Friends of Dudley Farm. The nonprofit works to support the state park with funds it is unable to obtain through the state budget. DeLoach said the organization is currently working alongside the Florida State Parks Foundation to improve a small playground at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The cost is approximately $40,000, he said.
“I’ve been to a number of state parks here, and I think all of them are in the same situation; None of the parks get enough money,” DeLoach said. “It’s just a shame that the parks have gotten into the situation that they are right now.”
The reality, he said, is Paynes Prairie typically runs out of its annual budget two to three months before the end of each fiscal year. This leaves partner organizations like Friends of Paynes Prairie to bear the financial burden of aging equipment, which means higher repair bills.
“You can’t say legitimately that you’re giving the parks enough money when they run out of budget funds,” DeLoach said. “They’ve got vehicles that are 15 years old, and they’re still using them in parks.”
Henry Tenenbaum, a 75-year-old Bradenton, Florida, resident, graduated from UF in 1983 with a Ph.D. in psychology. He stopped by Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Micanopy, Florida, for the first time while visiting a friend. Tenenbaum even saw wild horses during his hike and said the preserve is “a treasure.”
Though he wasn’t aware of the $759 million backlog estimated by the DEP, Tenenbaum said he hopes the state can maintain its parks so people can enjoy the unique habitats Florida has to offer.
“I’m hoping the legislators feel the same way I do in making sure it’s funded adequately so that we can continue enjoying what we have here in Florida,” he said. “Once this is gone, you’re not going to get it back. So, let’s keep it.”
The question many conservation advocates continue to raise is whether more funding could be directed toward the state park system.
In a Jan. 23 report by the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR), the state’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund (LATF) was projected to have $824.7 million in statutorily uncommitted funds for the fiscal year 2026-27. Established in the 1960s to finance the conservation, acquisition and management of land across Florida, the LATF receives net revenues from the state's documentary stamp tax and supports agencies such as the DEP in funding recreation opportunities. Conservation advocates pointed to those uncommitted funds as a potential source for additional state park investments.
Whether lawmakers choose to allocate more funds for infrastructure improvements and resource management in Florida’s state parks remains uncertain. With a growing maintenance backlog and sustained demand for outdoor recreation, state officials and conservation advocates face decisions on how to adequately preserve some of the state’s most valuable natural settings. The one thing everyone seems to agree on: Florida’s state parks are a unique, nationally renowned system worth preserving for future generations.