7—1 

## Chapter 7 - Implementing the Florida

Outdoor Recreation Plan

gether as an interconnected system. Whiletremendous progress has been made in acquiring the needed lands and providing the facilities and programs to support public use of the lands, relatively little has been done to integrate the efforts of the providers. The following statement is intended to describe an ideal, but as yet unrealized, recreation system for the state.

Florida’s ideal outdoor recreation system will be a diverse, connected and balanced system of outdoor recreation resources, facilities and programs thatprovides the state’s residents and visitors with a full range of outdoor recreation opportunities, regardless of theirage, gender, ethnic background, economic status, physical or mental ability, or location within the state. The system will be coordinated at the state level with all agencies and suppliers working in tandem, and with ample opportunity for the public to participate in decision making. It will further thepublic’s understanding and appreciation of Florida’s environment and outdoor recreation resources.



## Goals

Several broad, overarching goals have been developed for Florida’s outdoor recreation system based on the information gathered in developing this plan. Since achieving these goals will require the full participation andsupport of many other agencies and organizations, both public and private, the goals are expressed in a manner that should allowtheir adoption by existing and potential partners. The goals are as follows: The preceding chapters of the plan haveidentified the current supply of outdoor recreation resources and facilities, assessed statewide and regional demand and needs for recreation opportunities, and discussed

the issues and trends that will affect outdoor recreation in Florida. This chapter outlinesthe plan’s recommendations for implementing the state’s outdoor recreation program.



## A System of Lands

Florida’s diverse public and private outdoor recreation lands, facilities, programs and managing agencies are bound together by one universally common trait - their ability to provide public recreational opportunities of one type or another. These various areas and the users they serve can be viewed to-7—2 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008



### Planning

Many suggestions were aimed at improvingplanning coordination among recreation providers. To some degree, this is already being done on the state level. Statewide landacquisition planning to support outdoor recreation is coordinated through DEP’s Division of State Lands and the Acquisition and Restoration Council. Land management plans for state owned lands are developed with public input from the local level and multi-agency review through the Acquisitionand Restoration Council. Statewide greenways and trails planning is coordinated by DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails through the Florida Greenways and TrailsCouncil. Planning for the provision of offhighway vehicles on public lands is coordinated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service's Division ofForestry (DOF) through the Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Advisory Committee.

As part of the re-authorization of Florida Forever, new requirements were created to improve coordination in land management planning and ensure more uniform reportingof land management data and accomplishments. New land management plans will include detailed information on outcomes, goals and objectives for a wide range of management areas, including public accessand recreation infrastructure. The quantitative data collected for these plans will be standardized to allow for uniform reporting.

In addition to these improvements, the following recommendations are intended tofurther the existing planning and coordination processes. 1. Improve communication, coordination and

cooperation among Florida’s many public land management agencies and outdoor recreation providers.

2. Improve communication, coordination and cooperation between outdoor recreation providers and the public - user groups, non-profit organizations and other private

interests.

3. Support the continuation and expansion of land acquisition programs for conservation and outdoor recreation throughout the

state.

4. Provide additional opportunities for resource-based and user-oriented recreation in both urban and rural areas, with a wide range of facility development from the primitive to the fully developed.

5. Support programs to broaden the public’sparticipation in outdoor recreation activities



### .6. Improve access to recreational opportunities for persons of all ages and abilities.

7. Promote a stewardship ethic, encourage volunteerism, and increase the public’sunderstanding of the value and importance of Florida’s public lands and their

natural and cultural resources



### . 8. Increase funding and revenue generating capabilities for outdoor recreation.



## Recommendations

The following recommendations stem fromthe suggestions received at the public workshops and from other information gathered during the plan’s development. They are presented as specific actions that can betaken by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other agencies and organizations in the state to achieve the broad goals of the plan.7—3 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

cient means for implementing the new land management planning requirements created by the re-authorization of Florida

Forever . They should also work together to determine a method for assessing the recreation values of proposed Florida Forever land acquisition projects as part of the evaluation system maintained by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory.

4. Local governments that have not already

done so should evaluate current and future local recreation needs and address those needs in their local comprehensive plans. Local recreation plans should bedeveloped in a regional context in cooperation with other recreation providers in the region.

5. DEP should continue to work through existing advisory and coordination bodies to promote outdoor recreation and assist those bodies in planning to meet futureoutdoor recreation needs at the local, regional and statewide levels.



### Interagency Coordination, Cooperation and Partnerships

There is a common perception that landmanaging agencies must do more to improve communication and cooperation with each other and with the public they serve.Responsibilities for providing recreation opportunities are widely dispersed among anumber of public agencies and private suppliers, each functioning independently of the

others with little coordination between them.The overlap of responsibilities among providers can result in a surplus of resources

and facilities in some areas and deficits in others. Improved coordination, cooperation and partnerships among agencies would benefit the overall effort to provide recreation opportunities and could generate solutionsto many of the issues facing outdoor recrea1. DEP should improve the usefulness of the

statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan as a planning tool for public and private recreation planners. The plan should place greater focus on coordinating

the outdoor recreation efforts of the state’sland management agencies. A new assessment of statewide outdoor recreation demand and need should be completedprior to developing future plans. The outdoor recreation inventory should be improved by establishing criteria for definingcertain facilities, by converting the inventory to Geographic Information System technology, and by incorporating methods to field-verify the data. Cooperation by local, state and federal agencies will be

essential to these efforts.

2. DEP should continue using its Web site as a primary means for making the statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan available to the public. It should promote the plan as the framework for a systemsapproach to recreation provision and management, and should encourage other public, private and non-profit recreation providers and user groups to play a largerrole in the plan’s development and implementation. The Web site should continue to provide a forum for feedback from the public and outdoor recreation providers.

3. State land managing agencies should work together to determine the most effi-7—4 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

such as the re-authorization of Florida Forever, Florida can help ensure that its residents and visitors have an adequate supplyof land available for public outdoor recreation in perpetuity.

Florida’s public land “estate” may be significant, but public access to many areas is inadequate. A perception exists that public conservation lands are “locked up” after they are purchased, and that the public often

loses the access that existed before the lands were acquired. While most public land is available for some type of public access,not enough priority has been given to opening land for appropriate recreational use. Often, this requires that basic facilities likeparking and restrooms be provided to support public use and prevent damage to resources. Improving public access to public lands is a necessary part of building needed public support for the acquisition of publicconservation lands. The following recommendations are intended to further that effort.tion in Florida. The following recommendations are intended to further this goal.

1. DEP should initiate efforts to conduct a

statewide forum on outdoor recreation to

stimulate the coordination of efforts among public and private suppliers.

2. DEP should develop a mechanism for coordinating the outdoor recreation efforts of state land managing agencies.

3. DEP should develop a Web site for thepublic to obtain comprehensive information about outdoor recreation opportunities

in Florida. The Web site would offer information about outdoor recreation areas and link to Web sites maintained by other providers.

4. Recreation agencies should coordinatesharing information for the outdoor recreation inventory to minimize unnecessary duplication of efforts and ensure a singledata source that is kept accurate and upto-date.



### Acquiring and Managing Conservation

Lands

The most essential element in Florida’s outdoor recreation system is land upon which torecreate. Florida is fortunate to have a legacy of successful and well-supported land acquisition programs through which it hasassembled an “estate” of public conservation lands exceeding 6.6 million acres. Local governments and federal agencies havecontributed tremendously to this effort, bringing an additional 6.2 million acres of conservation lands into public ownership and management. As large as these acreages may seem, they will not be enough to meet the needs of Florida’s projected population of nearly 22.5 million in 2020. Through efforts Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Wakulla County7—5 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

quiring park lands and constructing, maintaining and operating park facilities. Many park and recreation agencies are faced with limited or unstable sources of funding tosupport their various programs. At the federal level, funding sources such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund program have

been reduced to near-subsistence levels or discontinued altogether. At the state level, historically stable funding sources such as the Land Acquisition Trust Fund have been capped at previous years’ levels, limiting their ability to provide the funds needed to meet the increasing demands of a growing population. Local governments face the challenge of declining real property values

and limitations on their ad valorem tax revenues. Weathering the current economic conditions will require creative financing andsound management by all park and recreation agencies. Ultimately, additional funding will be required to maintain current levels of

recreational services and meet future needs. The following recommendations should be implemented to improve funding for outdoor

recreation.

1. The National Park Service should encourage federal legislation to create a fundingmechanism adequate to support a longterm and stable financial assistance program to help serve state and local recreation needs.

2. DEP and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) should continue to providefinancial assistance grants to local governments and non-profit organizations to meet the highest needs for acquiring anddeveloping parks, recreation areas, greenways and trails.

3. State and local recreation providers

should increase and coordinate efforts to identify sources of public and private grant 1. Public land managing agencies should

ensure that all lands under their management are open for appropriate public access as soon as possible after acquisition. This should be done in a way that does not compromise the resources of the lands or the missions of the managing agencies.

2. Public land management agencies should review their public access and recreation plans and their existing access facilities to determine where additional public access can be provided without compromising resources or their management missions.

3. Resource management and restoration activities on public lands should be greatly expanded. Most lands in public ownershipwere degraded to some extent prior to acquisition, some extremely so. Lands that are in a high quality condition often require substantial resource management effort to

maintain them in that condition. Activities such as prescribed burning, exotic species removal and hydrological restoration arevital to providing and maintaining the highquality natural and cultural resources that support resource-based recreation.

4. Wherever possible, local governments should continue acquiring and managingenvironmentally significant and other conservation lands that do not meet criteria for state purchase. These lands play an indispensable role in the state’s overallconservation and recreation land acquisition program, and are vital to meetingmany needs for resource-based recreation.



### Funding

There is no escaping the fact that meeting the needs of Florida’s growing population inevitably requires adequate funding for ac-7—6 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

for better long-term decision-making about

natural and cultural resources and the environment. The following recommendations for state and local agencies are proposed to help ensure success in Florida’s efforts toinform and educate the public on environmental concerns.

1. DEP should continue its public awareness

and education activities, and its partnership efforts with local schools to informand educate the public about Florida’s environment through the Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) program and through interpretive programs provided at managed areas.

2. Public schools in Florida, in partnerships with the Department of Education and public park and recreation agencies, should continue to integrate environmentaleducation for children and adults throughout their curricula to increase awareness

of the threats to and benefits of Florida’s natural systems.

3. DOF should continue to educate the public on protection of forest resourcesthrough its Florida Forest Discovery Center, Future Farmers of America Forestry Contest and Summer Camp, Floridafunding to meet outdoor recreation programming and park development needs.

4. State and local recreation providersshould seek greater use of joint, publicprivate partnerships to help provide financial support for outdoor recreation programs and activities.

5. All park and recreation agencies should

maximize the use of volunteers and citizen-based support organizations to supplement their existing resources and personnel.

6. The Florida Recreation and Park Association, the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy and other organizationsshould continue to provide technical assistance to local governments and citizen groups for identifying alternative sourcesof revenue and enacting local land acquisition programs.



### Environmental Education

The magnitude of environmental issues facing Florida today is such that they cannot beresolved without broad-based public understanding and support. These issues and problems present unique opportunities ifused as a focus for a sound, wellcoordinated environmental education program. Broader and more intensive educational efforts are needed and should be directed toward achieving two basic objectives. First, the public must be impressed with the relationships between the naturaland built environments, the impacts of human activities on the environment, and the environmental values of parks and open spaces. A second essential objective is to help the public take greater advantage of the outdoor recreational opportunities available to them and to get more enjoyment from their recreational experiences. In achieving these objectives, prospects can be improved Ocala National Fore st, Marion County7—7 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

cies can help support healthy lifestyles by ensuring access to public lands and waters for people of all ages and abilities through a high quality system of parks, greenways and

other natural areas. Recreational resources are vital not only to improving people’s lives and promoting active, healthy living, but alsoto fostering a deeper appreciation for Florida’s natural and cultural heritage. The following recommendations should be implemented to promote outdoor recreation as a means to facilitate active and healthy living by the state’s citizens.

1. State land managing agencies should coordinate with the Governor’s Council onPhysical Fitness to increase public awareness of the need for and benefits of healthy and active lifestyles.

2. Public park and recreation agenciesshould continue efforts to create and promote outdoor recreation activities throughTeachers Forestry Tour and related programs.

4. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission should continue to inform andeducate the public on Florida’s wildlife resources through educational camp programs, educational training for educators of K-12 grade students, outdoor skills and safety programs, and Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative.



### Active and Healthy Living

The connection between good health and physical activity is widely recognized, and one of the best avenues to physical activity is through participating in outdoor recreation activities. Florida’s public lands and watersprovide opportunities for relaxation and solitude, exercise and activity, and challengeand risk. Public park and recreation agenAnastasia State Park , St. Johns County7—8 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

out the state in cooperation with private interest groups, non-profit organizations

and volunteers.

3. Public park and recreation agenciesshould continue to work with local planning, growth management and greenway and trail programs to improve the ability of Floridians to walk and bicycle to work, school and other daily activities, and toprovide public outdoor recreation opportunities.

4. Public recreation providers, schools, universities and community colleges should continue and improve efforts to open their

recreation and exercise facilities to members of the public at reasonable times and during reasonable hours.



### Tourism

Tourism is vital to Florida and helps fuel the growth of a healthy and competitive state economy. Planning for the state’s overall outdoor recreation system must take into

account the substantial demand that touristsand seasonal residents place on public outdoor recreation resources and facilities. Allpublic recreation providers and land management agencies should be mindful of the important role they play in Florida’s efforts to promote, market and advertise its outdoorrecreation opportunities to domestic and international travelers and state residents.

The recommendations that follow are intended to support Florida’s tourism marketing programs and strengthen their relationships with the state’s outdoor recreation system.

1. State land managing agencies should

continue and expand their cooperativemarketing relationships with VISIT FLORIDA to emphasize nature-based and cultural heritage tourism and to promote visitation to the state’s public conservation

and recreation lands.

2. All public park and recreation providers and land management agencies should incorporate multilingual, multicultural and diversity considerations in their marketingactivities, agency Web sites, on-line brochures and printed interpretive materials.

3. Land management agencies should pursue partnerships with tourism marketing programs in rural communities that are located near under-visited management areas to promote greater exposure of their

sites.

4. Public park and recreation providers and land managing agencies should ensure that accurate, up-to-date information on

their areas is available at VISIT FLORIDA

welcome centers located at the state’s major highway borders. These centers are key distribution points for maps and guides for automobile travelers.



### Outdoor Recreation Opportunities for All People

Florida’s public lands exist for the benefitand enjoyment of all the people. The Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990 but there is still much concern today over equality of access to public lands and the recreational opportunities they provide. Compliance with the Act involves much more than simply removing physical barriers to people with disabilities. Among its many other provisions, the Act also requires that

all reasonable efforts be made to ensure that facilities, programs and services are accessible. Although architectural design standards have been established and are commonly used to meet the Act’s requirements for facility accessibility, far less progress has been made toward eliminating barriers to full participation in recreation programs and ser-7—9 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

vices. Many park and recreation agencies are embracing “universal design” concepts to ensure that their facilities, programs andservices are accessible to all people, including those with disabilities, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Forexample, instead of designing a building entrance to include an accessibility ramp nextto a set of stairs (a common accessibility design), universal design uses a gently slopedentry with no stairs. The following recommendations are made to improve accessibility by people of all ages and abilities to the recreation opportunities provided at Florida’s parks and recreation areas.

1. Outdoor recreation providers should develop and implement schedules for identifying and eliminating architectural barriersin existing facilities under their management.

2. Outdoor recreation providers should takemeasures to ensure that all people, including those with disabilities, receive the same opportunities to participate in and enjoy the benefits of recreation programs

and activities.

3. Outdoor recreation providers should consider adopting principles of universal design in all programs for constructing facilities, providing visitor programs and other

activities.

4. Outdoor recreation providers should develop and strengthen partnerships with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and organizations such as the Florida Disabled

Outdoors Association to educate themselves and the public, and to provide recreational activities and programs for people of all abilities and ages. Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Isla nd State Park, Franklin County7—10 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008



### Florida’s Waters

One of the clearest messages received at the public workshops is that Florida must do more to preserve opportunities for public

recreational access to the state’s waters. This begins with protecting Florida’s waterresources themselves. Maintaining freshwater and saltwater resources in a fishable, swimmable condition involves a complex and science-based system of federal, stateand local regulatory and enforcement programs. Each component of this system

must ensure that its efforts are maximized toward protecting and improving the quality of Florida’s water resources. A particular

concern that needs to be addressed is Florida’s springs, a unique and highly popular recreational resource. Nutrient pollution from a variety of sources, such as excess fertilizer use, septic systems and stormwater runoff is causing harmful changes in waterchemistry that must be addressed immediately if Florida’s springs are to remain available for public use and enjoyment.

Most Floridians get their drinking water fromgroundwater. In some of Florida’s most developed areas, groundwater withdrawals combined with persistent drought conditions

have resulted in the loss of thousands of acres of wetlands, signifi c ant reduction in the surface areas of lakes, and reductions in spring flows. It is essential that Florida conserve water while devising solutions that willmeet the needs for drinking water, agriculture, and industrial use, without harming thewater-dependent natural systems that support not only outdoor recreation, but the quality of life in general.

As Florida continues to grow, many water bodies that are accessible today will becomeinaccessible due to development. A combined effort by federal, state and local governments is needed to ensure that funding continues to be available to acquire land for public recreational access to waters of the

State of Florida while these lands are still available. In many areas, even where water bodies are accessible, they are unusable due to the lack of public facilities. While the regional demand and need estimates in this plan are not capable of identifying local needs, there is an obvious need to fund thedevelopment of additional boat ramps, canoe launches, docks, catwalks and piers, as well as support facilities such as parking and restrooms. The following recommendations are made for protecting water resources and improving public access to Florida’s public

waters.

1. All levels of government, working with the private sector, should identify alternativemeans of meeting public demand for water through developing alternative watersupplies such as seawater, brackish surface and groundwater, storm water and

reclaimed wastewater.

2. Clean-up and rehabilitation efforts for specific water bodies, such as Lake Okeechobee, the St. Lucie and CaloosahatcheeRivers, the Everglades and the waters surrounding the Florida Keys, should be continued and strengthened.

3. DEP should continue to provide funding to support construction of public facilities in springs, monitor spring water quality and oversee other restoration activities to help ensure that springs remain available for public use.

4. DCA should continue to provide planningassistance to local governments in adopting effective land development regulations, such as the Model Land Development Code, for protecting Florida’s springs.7—11 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

5. Funding should continue to be made available through the Florida Forever programto acquire land for increased water access, preservation of working waterfronts,environmental restoration, and water resource protection and supply.

6. Reduce the amount of nutrient pollutionthat enters Florida’s waters through programs that teach the public about where nutrients come from and what they can do to help.

7. Local governments should maximize theuse of local comprehensive planning processes to increase public access to Florida’s waters by preserving recreational and commercial working waterfronts and identifying sites for public and private recreation.

8. Public recreation providers should identify water areas under their jurisdictions where inadequate recreational access exists orwhere existing water access can be improved, and give priority to making the needed improvements.



### Greenways and Trails

Florida has pursued a systematic approach to meeting trail-based recreation needs and creating connections between public lands since 1979. The Florida Greenways and Trails System, composed of 785,000 acres Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Columbia County7—12 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

of public lands and waterways and 1,200 miles of linear trails, is Florida’s primary means for designating trails and greenways for appropriate management and publicuse. Strong partnerships between trail providers and advocacy organizations have been a key element in the success of the system. Trails and greenways have becomefundamental components of Florida’s outdoor recreation and transportation systems.In the future, they will play an even more important role in determining urban design and quality of life in Florida’s communities.

Opportunities to participate in some types of trail activities are being lost as more of the state’s private lands are being committed to urban development. Focused attention willbe needed to provide adequate land and facilities for such activities and to avoid conflicts with other users. Freshwater and saltwater paddling trails, the first trails to be systematically designated and managed in Florida, would benefit from a more coordinated approach to management. The following recommendations are made for maintaining and expanding the statewide greenways and trails system for recreation, conservation and alternative transportation in cooperationwith land management agencies, local communities and trail support groups.

1. DEP should expand the statewide greenways and trails system by acquiring corridors with regional and statewide significance, utilizing funds allocated from Florida Forever

. 2. DEP should expand the designation of trails and greenways as components of the Florida Greenways and Trails System, particularly in parts of the state that are currently under-represented in the system.

3. DEP should complete its update of trailopportunity maps to identify potential locations for new trails and greenways and guide the allocation of acquisition funds for trails and greenways.

4. DEP should continue to provide, throughthe Office of Greenways and Trails, techBig Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail7—13 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

nical assistance to local communities with emphasis on identifying opportunities forcross-jurisdictional and regional trail connectivity.

5. DEP should maintain and strengthen itsworking relationships with trail-related advocacy and support organizations.

6. DEP, working with DOF, should expand opportunities for motorized off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation in Floridathrough effective administration of Recreational Trail Program grants and by buildingstrong relationships with the OHV community.

7. DEP, working with the various land management agencies, should determine methods for increasing coordination inmanaging freshwater and saltwater paddling trails.

8. All public land management agencies, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the Florida Trail Association, shouldwork toward completing the Florida National Scenic Trail and providing new hiking opportunities in the state. 9. The Department of Transportation should continue to provide assistance to localcommunities and trail user groups in providing bicycle and pedestrian facilities forpublic recreation and improving transportation access in urban areas.



### Relative Need Pr iorities Index

If implementation capabilities were greatenough, all needs could be approached simultaneously and priority would be largelyimmaterial. Since this is not the case, a priority system is the only logical solution. To aid all providers of public outdoor recreation in determining where their land acquisition and development efforts should be directed,

the Division of Recreation and Parks has devised a set of “relative need indices,”which prioritize (from highest to lowest relative need) both the resource-based and

user-oriented outdoor recreation activities inthis plan. For the purposes of this plan, relative need is defined as the ranked, proportional relationship among all outdoor recreaWithlacoochee Bay Trail, Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway7—14 

### Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008

tion needs for each basic type of activity. The relative need indices compare theneeds from any one activity in any one region, with the needs for all activities in all regions, and establish the priority rankingamong them. Separate indices were computed for 2010, 2015 and 2020 projectedneeds. For a detailed description of the relative need methodology, refer to Appendix K.

Table 7.1 displays the 2010 relative need priorities for all levels of outdoor recreation supply. Appendix K contains the relative need indices for projected 2015 and 2020 needs. While no single supplier of outdoor recreation can be expected to meet the totalpublic recreation demand, these indices provide each supplier a general guide as to the recreational activity (and its region) requiring

the most immediate attention. The relative need indices can make an important contribution in helping all agencies to efficiently allocate their funding resources. Still, they must be recognized as only one of

several basic criteria to consider in committing these resources. While far from providing precise measurements of outdoor recreation need, the relative need indices constitute a general guide which can be readily adjusted whenever there is significant change in either the demand for or supply of

outdoor recreation resources or facilities. The biennial update of the supply inventoryand the periodic surveys of outdoor recreation participation will provide the necessarydata to compute revised indices and to assess progress made toward meeting present and projected outdoor recreation needs. Consequently, priorities for acquisition and development of resource and facilities can be re-established accordingly.7—15Rank Activity Region Need Index Rank Activity Region Need Index1 Picnicking 6 8270 36 Soccer or Rugby 6 21262 RV/Trailer Camping 6 5540 37 Saltwater Beach Activities 4 20983 Picnicking 9 5257 38 Horseback Riding 6 20424 Picnicking 8 4899 39 Baseball or Softball 1 19885 Saltwater Beach Activities 1 4734 40 Saltwater Beach Activities 2 19866 RV/Trailer Camping 9 4389 41 Saltwater Beach Activities 8 19607 Football 6 4318 42 Picnicking 1 19038 RV/Trailer Camping 8 4081 43 Outdoor Tennis 11 18529 Baseball or Softball 6 4007 44 Golf 6 184410 RV/Trailer Camping 7 3772 45 Football 5 181811 Football 10 3523 46 RV/Trailer Camping 5 178912 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 11 3470 47 Picnicking 10 176813 Picnicking 11 3429 48 Nature Study 2 175914 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 6 3150 49 Nature Study 5 173815 Baseball or Softball 8 3036 50 Baseball or Softball 5 170116 Football 11 3002 51 Outdoor Tennis 10 168717 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 4 2942 52 Golf 11 165818 Picnicking 7 2892 53 Football 9 164419 Saltwater Beach Activities 9 2864 54 Baseball or Softball 7 164220 Golf 10 2806 55 Football 1 164021 Baseball or Softball 4 2799 56 Nature Study 9 163622 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 9 2722 57 Baseball or Softball 9 163223 Football 8 2702 58 Saltwater Beach Activities 10 162324 Baseball or Softball 10 2651 59 Outdoor Basketball 11 159125 Baseball or Softball 11 2613 60 Picnicking 4 158126 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 8 2579 61 Golf 8 158127 Nature Study 6 2563 62 Outdoor Basketball 10 155328 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 6 2560 63 Outdoor Tennis 6 155329 Outdoor Basketball 6 2496 64 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 6 151930 Picnicking 5 2464 65 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 6 151731 Saltwater Beach Activities 11 2438 66 Football 3 144432 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 10 2224 67 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 11 143733 Saltwater Beach Activities 6 2194 68 Outdoor Basketball 8 142334 Football 4 2169 69 RV/Trailer Camping 11 139635 Golf 9 2167 70 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 2 1387Table 7.12010 Relative Need Index Priority Ranking7—16Rank Activity Region Need Index Rank Activity Region Need Index71 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 4 1353 106 Soccer or Rugby 10 84472 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 7 1312 107 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 5 84273 Nature Study 11 1307 108 Freshwater Beach Activities 8 83974 Outdoor Tennis 8 1293 109 Outdoor Basketball 9 82975 Soccer or Rugby 11 1291 110 Baseball or Softball 3 82876 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 6 1280 111 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 5 82677 Outdoor Basketball 4 1238 112 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 6 81678 Picnicking 3 1185 113 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 11 81379 Outdoor Tennis 9 1167 114 Horseback Riding 4 79480 Nature Study 4 1163 115 Golf 1 79081 Nature Study 3 1152 116 Outdoor Shuffleboard 6 77982 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 5 1145 117 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 6 77483 Nature Study 7 1144 118 Soccer or Rugby 9 77284 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 1 1133 119 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 11 77285 Soccer or Rugby 8 1109 120 RV/Trailer Camping 1 76886 Nature Study 8 1095 121 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 9 76787 Golf 4 1077 122 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 1 76488 RV/Trailer Camping 10 1045 123 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 11 76389 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 7 1043 124 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 4 76090 Outdoor Basketball 5 1038 125 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 2 75791 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 1 1033 126 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 8 75292 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 8 991 127 Tent Camping 6 74693 Soccer or Rugby 5 972 128 Outdoor Tennis 4 74694 Soccer or Rugby 4 953 129 Horseback Riding 3 73395 Baseball or Softball 2 950 130 RV/Trailer Camping 4 73296 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 9 948 131 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 4 73197 Horseback Riding 5 947 132 Horseback Riding 8 72298 Picnicking 2 933 133 Nature Study 10 70899 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 9 933 134 Outdoor Basketball 3 700100 Soccer or Rugby 3 924 135 Soccer or Rugby 1 696101 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 5 913 136 Horseback Riding 7 693102 Football 7 894 137 Football 2 692103 Hunting 9 871 138 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 9 688104 Golf 7 865 139 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 6 684105 Outdoor Shuffleboard 8 849 140 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 8 677Table 7.1 (continued)2010 Relative Need Index Priority Ranking7—17Rank Activity Region Need Index Rank Activity Region Need Index141 Outdoor Basketball 7 673 176 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 2 430142 Golf 5 664 177 Outdoor Swimming Pool Use 3 429143 RV/Trailer Camping 3 663 178 Hiking 6 422144 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 9 660 179 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 2 420145 Hunting 2 650 180 Soccer or Rugby 2 418146 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 1 641 181 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 10 411147 Tent Camping 5 636 182 Hunting 1 410148 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 8 628 183 Outdoor Tennis 7 400149 Nature Study 1 624 184 Freshwater Beach Activities 6 399150 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 9 619 185 Hunting 6 390151 Hunting 5 601 186 Freshwater Beach Activities 10 388152 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 3 600 187 Hiking 2 373153 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 7 584 188 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 11 368154 Horseback Riding 10 580 189 Outdoor Basketball 2 367155 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 3 573 190 Outdoor Shuffleboard 11 366156 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 1 534 191 Hiking 4 357157 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 9 527 192 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 5 357158 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 3 525 193 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 8 346159 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 6 517 194 Freshwater Boat Ramp Use 8 332160 Outdoor Tennis 1 516 195 Outdoor Shuffleboard 10 327161 Outdoor Basketball 1 509 196 Hunting 11 325162 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 10 509 197 Hiking 3 318163 Hiking 5 508 198 Hunting 4 312164 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 11 506 199 Hiking 7 308165 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 10 488 200 RV/Trailer Camping 2 302166 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 7 488 201 Outdoor Tennis 5 301167 Outdoor Shuffleboard 7 485 202 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 4 300168 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 4 482 203 Hiking 10 293169 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 10 469 204 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 10 290170 Outdoor Shuffleboard 9 469 205 Horseback Riding 11 280171 Horseback Riding 9 465 206 Hunting 10 279172 Soccer or Rugby 7 453 207 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 4 266173 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 10 443 208 Hiking 8 260174 Hiking 9 437 209 Tent Camping 1 260175 Horseback Riding 2 432 210 Tent Camping 9 251Table 7.1 (continued)2010 Relative Need Index Priority Ranking7—18Rank Activity Region Need Index Rank Activity Region Need Index211 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 5 248 246 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 3 124212 Hiking 11 246 247 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 5 118213 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 10 237 248 Tent Camping 10 117214 Horseback Riding 1 237 249 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 7 115215 Hunting 3 236 250 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 2 110216 Tent Camping 3 225 251 Freshwater Beach Activities 9 91217 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 4 225 252 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 5 91218 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 8 224 253 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 3 91219 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 1 222 254 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 3 91220 Saltwater Boat Ramp Use 2 219 255 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 1 88221 Hiking 1 212 256 Freshwater Beach Activities 11 85222 Tent Camping 4 210 257 Freshwater Beach Activities 1 84223 Tent Camping 2 208 258 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 2 80224 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 1 204 259 Outdoor Shuffleboard 4 78225 Outdoor Tennis 2 204 260 Outdoor Shuffleboard 1 77226 Outdoor Shuffleboard 5 201 261 Freshwater Beach Activities 5 72227 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 7 192 262 Freshwater Beach Activities 4 59228 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 5 188 263 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 1 58229 Golf 2 185 264 Freshwater Beach Activities 2 48230 Outdoor Tennis 3 183 265 Freshwater Beach Activities 3 45231 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 3 179 266 Hunting 7 40232 Golf 3 168 267 Outdoor Shuffleboard 3 37233 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 7 164 268 Hunting 8 36234 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 10 155 269 Saltwater Beach Activities 5 18235 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 11 150 270 Saltwater Non-Boat Fishing 3 17236 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 9 149 271 Outdoor Shuffleboard 2 9237 Tent Camping 8 135 272 Saltwater Beach Activities 3 8238 Freshwater Non-Boat Fishing 2 135239 Freshwater Beach Activities 7 134240 Tent Camping 7 134241 Bicycle Riding - Unpaved Trails 11 132242 Outdoor Handball/Racquetball 4 128243 Visiting Historical or Archeological Sites 8 128244 Bicycle Riding - Paved Trails 2 127245 Tent Camping 11 126Table 7.1 (continued)2010 Relative Need Index Priority Ranking

### Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Recreation and Parks Office of Park Planning Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

### Florida Department of En vironmental Protection

Division of Recreation and Parks

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

www.floridastateparks.org