6—1 

Chapter 6 - Outdoor Recreation Trends and Issues 

other services was reported to be at critically 

low levels throughout the state. Recreation 

providers are finding it more and more difficult to maintain their existing levels of service, let alone provide the additional facilities 

and services that are needed to keep pace 

with the state’s increasing population. 

The need for additional recreation funding is 

particularly great for local governments. 

Revenue shortfalls have necessitated 

budget reductions in many cities and counties, and park and recreation programs are 

often among the first services to be reduced. 

Florida Parks in the 21st Century 2008, a report released by the 

Florida Recreation 

and Park Association, 

The Trust for Public 

Land, the Florida 

League of Cities and 

the Florida Association of Counties, 

documents a combined need of $10.5 

billion to meet the 

needs identified in recreation and open 

space elements of local government comprehensive plans, based on current levels of 

service. The figure represents funds needed 

for acquiring new and expanded parks, renovating and restoring existing parks and constructing new park facilities. 

State-level recreation providers are also facing funding reductions brought about by the 

declining economies of Florida and the nation. Revenue shortfalls and legislative caps 

on trust fund appropriations have reduced 

the level of funds available for operations 

and maintenance, facility repairs and construction, and visitor services at a time when 

Understanding outdoor recreation issues 

and anticipating emerging trends is an important element of the state’s outdoor recreation plan. Florida is among the largest 

and most dynamic state in the nation. 

Changes in the state’s social, economic and 

environmental systems will affect many aspects of people’s lives, including how they 

recreate. Although these considerations do 

not lend themselves readily to quantitative 

analysis, it is nonetheless important that 

they be fully recognized and understood in 

future decision-making. 

Beginning in November 2006, a series of 14 

public participation workshops were conducted in cities throughout the state. By the 

final workshop session in June 2007, a 

broad cross-section of state, local and federal land managers, recreation users, local 

officials, recreation professionals and private 

citizens had contributed their views on the 

important outdoor recreation issues, problems and trends that face Florida. These 

comments and ideas were then compiled 

into several broad topics which are discussed further in this chapter. A list of the 

workshop locations and dates and a compilation of the comments received from the 

participants are contained in Appendix G. 

Funding for Outdoor Recreation 

By far, the issue that was expressed most 

often by participants at the public workshops 

was funding for outdoor recreation. Park 

and recreation agencies at every level of 

government are facing severe budget limitations. Funding for operating and maintaining 

parks, constructing and repairing park facilities, and providing visitor programs and 
6—2 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

The study, An Alternative Future, prepared 

by the University of Pennsylvania, compares 

what Florida may look like in 2060 if current 

population growth and land development 

patterns continue unchanged with what it 

might look like under a different scenario. 

The study was based on an analysis of future population distribution prepared in 2006 

by the University of Florida, Florida 2060. It 

predicts that if current trends continue unchanged, some 2.5 million acres of high priority conservation lands will be lost to urban 

development. The projected total cost of 

urbanization along these lines would be 

some $695 billion. Under the alternative 

scenario, however, only 37,000 acres of high 

priority lands would be lost and 8.5 million 

acres would be preserved. The cost of urbanization in the alternative scenario would 

be $174 billion, $526 billion less than under 

the current trend. 

The alternative growth model is based on 

seven principles: protect Florida’s essential 

lands; invest in balanced transportation systems; plan for climate change; do not waste 

land; design with nature; encourage compact development; and rebuild to create 

great places. Among its many findings, the 

study recommends that future urban planning and design should focus on infill development and redevelopment, linking building 

public demand and park visitation are reaching record levels. The Division of Recreation 

and Parks (DRP) reported needs for land 

acquisition, repairs and renovations, and 

new facilities of $173 million, $102 million 

and $339 million, respectively, in 2007. The 

Florida Division of Forestry (DOF) reported 

land acquisition, repair and renovation, and 

new facility needs of $15.3 million, $1.4 million and $2.7 million, respectively, during the 

same year. Other agencies are facing similar situations. While budget reductions are 

necessary as economic belt-tightening 

measures, they nonetheless limit the ability 

of state-level recreation providers to maintain services for their current visitors and to 

meet the needs that will be created by new 

visitors in the future. 

Realistically, this situation is not expected to 

change in the near future. The issue then 

becomes how to use existing funds with 

maximum efficiency to ensure that the highest needs and priorities are being met. 

Planning for Florida’s Future 

Florida’s growing population will need additional space for outdoor recreation and the 

associated infrastructure if the quality of life 

benefits that recreation provides today are to 

continue in the future. Whether an adequate 

supply of land is available will depend 

largely upon how the state manages its 

growth and urban development. If current 

development trends continue, millions of 

acres of land in Florida will be consumed by 

urban sprawl. Without forward-thinking 

growth plans and well-defined requirements 

for new parks and open space, Florida’s 

communities may be left without sufficient 

lands for parks, trails and open space. 

Daytona Beach, Volusia County 
6—3 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

Energy Costs 

The long-term outcome of today’s rising energy costs is not certain, but its short-term 

effects on outdoor recreation in Florida are 

clear. Spiraling costs for the basic necessities to operate parks - water and electrical 

service, maintenance and upkeep, waste 

management - have further depleted already 

limited budgets for managing parks and recreation areas throughout the state. Living 

costs have increased to the point that in 

some parts of Florida, park agencies have 

lost personnel who could no longer afford 

the high price of local housing or the added 

cost of their long commutes to work. Like 

energy consumers all across the state, recreation providers are rethinking their current 

operations and future plans to adjust to the 

rapidly rising costs by implementing energy 

conservation measures in their operations. 

Few states’ economies are as dependent on 

tourism as Florida’s. Rising energy costs 

in rural areas to conservation and investing 

in the necessary public facilities - particularly 

public transit - to create healthy, high quality 

communities. The study concludes that 

Florida can achieve a better future, which 

saves the essential character of the landscape and creates more compact and livable communities, at less cost than simply 

allowing current trends to take their course. 

The future of outdoor recreation in Florida is 

linked inseparably with the state’s policies 

for managing growth and accommodating 

the population increases that are sure to 

come. The decisions that are made by state 

and local governments in the coming years 

will determine whether future generations of 

residents and visitors will enjoy the same 

level of outdoor recreation opportunities and 

the quality of life that exist today. These two 

thought-provoking studies provide a vision of 

a more sustainable Florida in which public 

parks and conservation lands play a central 

role. 

Figure 6.1 

Florida’s Population 
6—4 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

economic output of $18.4 billion and provided more than 220,700 jobs. Maintaining 

an economically viable and diverse waterfront environment and providing adequate 

public boating access to Florida’s waters are 

vitally important to the state’s economy and 

the quality of life of its residents and visitors. 

Despite the popularity and economic importance of recreational boating, public access 

to the state’s coastline and waterways has 

been steadily declining. Every part of Florida has seen traditional waterfront land uses 

and public water access replaced by coastal 

land development. The “mom-and-pop” marinas and fishing camps of Florida’s past 

have all but disappeared from the scene, 

often being replaced by residential developments that provide water access only for 

their members and guests. One of the most 

voiced concerns at the public workshops 

was that all of Florida’s recreation suppliers 

should give a much higher priority to providing additional public recreational boating access facilities. 

In 2005, two items of legislation were enacted to help improve recreational boating 

have profound implications for the state’s 

most important industry. According to VISIT 

FLORIDA, fewer tourists traveled to Florida 

in 2007 than in 2006, the first annual decline 

since 2001. Florida attracted 82.4 million 

visitors in 2007, down 1.5 million or 1.8 percent from 2006. Many tourists shifted from 

driving to flying and the number of tourists 

arriving by car decreased 5.5 percent, while 

the percentage flying rose by two percent. 

Increases in airline ticket prices brought on 

by higher fuel prices make it unclear whether 

that trend will continue. 

One response to higher fuel prices has been 

that more residents are planning to be tourists in their own state by staying closer to 

home and taking fewer and shorter trips, often to public parks and recreation areas. 

Outdoor recreation providers in Florida are 

increasing their marketing and outreach efforts to attract state residents and international travelers. To encourage more Florida 

residents to visit state parks, DRP has promoted “One Tank Adventures” that feature 

affordable family trips located within a 100-

mile radius of anywhere in the state. Along 

similar lines, VISIT FLORIDA’s “Been There, 

Haven’t Done That” promotion features 105 

in-state destinations that emphasize naturebased and heritage-based tourism. 

Recreational Access to Florida’s 

Waters 

Florida ranked first in the nation for recreational boat registrations in 2005, according 

to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, with 973,859 boats registered across 

the state. This represented a 2.9 percent 

increase in registrations from the previous 

year. Also in 2005, the Marine Industries 

Association of Florida reported that the 

state’s marine industry generated a total 

Old Fort Boat Ramp, Wakulla County 
6—5 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

opment and expansion of cultural heritage 

tourism markets. Smaller towns and communities are among the fastest growing tourist destinations in the state. This type of 

tourism is an attractive economic development option for many rural communities because it preserves their character, promotes 

community investment and generates local 

employment opportunities. Many communities in Florida have based their tourism marketing plans on these activities and are actively promoting their historic assets to attract the heritage tourist seeking historical 

and cultural learning experiences. 

Nature-based tourism in Florida is another 

rapidly growing activity. Fishing, hunting, 

paddling, boating and nature viewing are but 

a few of the common examples of the activities that are promoted through this type of 

tourism. In 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service estimated that 4.9 million Florida 

residents and visitors participated in wildlife 

watching alone, a 20 percent increase since 

2001. According to FWCC these participants, together with fishermen, hunters and 

boaters, spent nearly $6.8 billion on retail 

purchases, producing a total economic impact of $3.2 billion and generating more than 

34,000 jobs. 

Florida’s state park system plays an important role in encouraging nature-based tourism. According to the 2006 Florida State 

Park Visitor Survey, an average of 74 percent of state park visitors traveled more than 

50 miles to reach their park destination. 

These non-local park visitors had a direct 

economic impact of more than $936 million 

on local economies throughout the state. 

Over $65 million were contributed to state 

general revenues in the form of state sales 

taxes. In addition, more than 18,700 jobs 

were created as a result of the parks’ attendance and operations. 

access in Florida. House Bill 989 amended 

Section 373.118, Florida Statutes, to establish a general regulatory permit for authorizing the construction and operation of public 

marinas, mooring fields and boat ramps by 

local governments. House Bill 955 addressed the supply side of water access by 

requiring DRP to evaluate the use of state 

parks for recreational boating and identify 

opportunities to increase boating access in 

state parks. The report, which was prepared 

in coordination with the Florida Fish and 

Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), 

found substantial opportunities for increasing recreational boating access in the state 

park system. A total of 73 parks were determined to have potential for providing new or 

expanded boating access facilities. These 

improvements have a total estimated construction cost of more than $20 million. 

In 2008, the Florida Legislature significantly 

enhanced the Working Waterfronts Program 

by including funding for this purpose in the 

reauthorized Florida Forever program. The 

newly-named Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts Program will receive an allocation of 

$7.5 million annually from Florida Forever

funds to provide grants for acquiring land 

and constructing capital projects that contribute toward preserving working waterfronts. 

The grants will be administered through the 

Florida Communities Trust (FCT). 

 

Tourism 

The rise in nature-based and cultural heritage tourism is of particular importance to 

outdoor recreation planning. Florida’s rich 

history and outstanding natural resources 

have always been among the factors that 

make it a prime destination for domestic and 

international travelers. Rural regions and 

communities with attractive cultural and historic resources are benefiting from the devel-
6—6 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

ture of the region and the many small towns 

throughout the entire basin. The program is 

an excellent example of how public agencies 

and private businesses can work together to 

encourage outdoor recreation, foster stewardship of the region’s outstanding natural 

and cultural resources, provide economic 

development opportunities and promote 

heritage and nature-based tourism. 

 

Reconnecting Children and Youth 

to the Outdoors 

It is generally accepted today that sedentary 

lifestyles among all age groups can create a 

host of health-related problems, but especially among children. Several social and 

environmental factors are often blamed for 

the lack of physical activity among children, 

among them playing video games and using 

home computers, watching television, deemphasizing physical education and outdoor 

activities in the public schools, and parental 

fears about safety and crime. There appears to be a general lack of awareness in 

many communities about the importance of 

outdoor exercise and physical activity on the 

mental and physical well-being and social 

integration of growing children and adolescents. Re-energizing school-based physical 

education programs and expanding freeplay recess as part of the school day are being considered in many of Florida’s public 

school systems. 

Since the publication of the book by Richard 

Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our 

Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder in 

2005, the connection between children and 

the outdoors has received national attention. 

Louv decries the lack of opportunities for 

children to be free to play outdoors in natural 

settings because it is how children develop a 

connection with nature and the environment 

There are many examples in Florida of successful efforts to promote nature-based and 

heritage tourism. One example of a program that combines both types is the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, a partnership between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Suwannee River 

Water Management District (SRWMD), and 

the communities, businesses and citizens of 

the Suwannee River region. The 170-mile 

trail extends from White Springs to the town 

of Suwannee on the Gulf of Mexico, creating 

connections between public conservation 

lands, riverfront communities and the many 

private businesses that support and enhance recreation on the river. It also connects visitors to the unique history and culSuwannee River Wilderness Trail 
6—7 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

in “urban associated” outdoor activities such 

as skateboarding and jogging are more 

likely to take part in “traditional” outdoor activities. The report suggests that encouraging any outdoor recreation activity can lead 

to future growth across all activities. 

Technology and Outdoor 

Recreation 

As in every facet of modern life, technology 

is changing the way Floridians recreate. It is 

the norm today for park visitors to carry their 

electronic devices with them, even when 

“roughing it” in the most remote wilderness 

areas. The Internet Web sites maintained 

by virtually every outdoor recreation supplier 

can provide all the information needed to 

plan a day’s outing to a local park or a twoweek trek through the Everglades wilderness. Technology has even given rise to 

completely new recreation activities that had 

not existed before the new technology was 

introduced. All outdoor recreation providers 

in Florida will face the challenge of responding to constantly evolving technologies and 

the changes they create in the public’s recreation desires and expectations. 

As noted, many outdoor recreation providers 

are seeking ways to increase youth participation in recreation activities and bring them 

back to the outdoors. This often requires 

that the activities they offer be challenging, 

fun and incorporate technology. Geocaching is one example of a new, emerging activity that combines technology and outdoor 

experiences in a way that is appealing to 

many users, especially to youth. It is a combination of orienteering and scavenger hunting using a Global Positioning System 

(GPS) unit. It involves hiding items, usually 

containers holding various “treasures,” and 

posting the geographic coordinates for each 

enabling them to learn about the natural 

world. He also notes that although there has 

been a marked increase in the number of 

youth involved in organized sports, opportunities to participate in sports leagues are often limited to superior young athletes or to 

children whose families can afford to play in 

sports leagues. 

Public outdoor recreation providers, sports 

enthusiasts and the outdoor equipment industry should mobilize to provide structured 

and unstructured outdoor experiences, identify barriers to participation and develop 

adult mentoring programs, all with a view to 

“get kids outdoors” or “leave no child inside.” 

In a report produced by the Outdoor Industry 

Foundation in 2007, The Next Generation of 

Outdoor Participants, encouraging youth 

participation in 

“gateway” outdoor 

activities such as 

camping, bicycling, 

fishing, hiking and 

running, introduces 

them to an active lifestyle that can lead to 

participation in other 

outdoor activities. In 

addition, the report 

notes that participants 

Lake Eaton, Marion County 
6—8 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

a consistent structure for managing reservations, which is an important consideration 

when the provider operates many campgrounds. Campground providers have also 

benefited from an increase in campsite occupancy, particularly at lesser known campgrounds. Continual innovation and adaptation of these technologies can improve the 

outdoor recreation services that are offered 

to the public and the quality of their recreation experiences. 

The technology of virtual tours is being used 

by many commercial providers to encourage 

public interest and provide information about 

their sites. Virtual tours are a simulation of 

actual locations, usually composed of panoramic images embedded with other media 

elements such as music, narration and text. 

Video-based virtual tours utilize a video 

camera that pans and “walks through” the 

property to give a first-person point-of-view 

perspective of the area. Today, virtual tours 

can be found for golf courses, marinas and 

skate parks, among other types of areas. 

Public land managers and conservation organizations are also taking advantage of this 

technology to educate and inform the public. 

For example, South Florida Information Access (part of the U.S. Geological Survey) 

provides virtual tours of Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, 

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National 

Wildlife Refuge, Jonathan Dickinson State 

Park and other public conservation lands. In 

the future, more outdoor recreation suppliers 

will explore the options available for providing virtual tours to spark public interest and 

encourage participation in the recreation opportunities they provide. 

Special Planning Considerations 

In addition to the foregoing issues and 

trends, a number of other topics were discache on a designated Web site. Cache 

hunters choose which cache they want to 

locate and once it is found (or not found) 

they relate their experiences to others on the 

site. FWCC and DRP have developed 

guidelines for geocaching on the public conservation lands they manage. In this manner, recreation suppliers can work with the 

public to encourage new recreation activities 

that can be provided without user conflicts, 

damage to resources or endangering the 

safety of participants. 

Another example of how technology is influencing the outdoor recreation behavior of 

Floridians is the ability to reserve overnight 

lodging through Internet-based reservation 

systems. Several private corporations now 

provide online campsite reservation processing for many private, state and federal 

campgrounds in Florida. Online reservation 

systems can improve the quality of visitor 

services by providing a single point of contact and a convenient way for campers to 

make a guaranteed reservation for a specific 

campsite. They also relieve the campground provider of staffing costs and provide 

GPS Device and Cache 
6—9 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

Florida ranked third in all-terrain vehicle 

sales for the same year, with just less than 

46,500 units sold. This was an increase of 

49 percent since 2001. 

There was a perception among many workshop participants that not enough is being 

done to provide suitable areas for riding 

OHVs in Florida. OHV riders have few facilities designated specifically for their activity. 

This is unfortunate because it forces them to 

use areas where they inevitably come into 

conflict with other outdoor recreation activities or where their use results in damage to 

the natural environment. 

Some progress has been made in acquiring 

and developing areas for motorized trails 

since the enactment of the T. Mark Schmidt 

cussed during the public workshops. While 

these topics could not be incorporated within 

the other categories discussed in this chapter, they are nonetheless significant to statewide outdoor recreation planning. A separate discussion for off-highway vehicles 

trails, equestrian trails and hunting follows. 

Off-Highway Vehicle Trails 

Driving off-highway vehicles (OHVs) has become recognized as a legitimate outdoor 

recreation activity and participation is growing, particularly among family groups. According to figures reported by the Motorcycle 

Industry Council, Florida ranked second in 

the nation in new off-highway motorcycle 

sales in 2006, with nearly 14,000 units being 

sold (an increase of 54 percent since 2001). 

Withlacoochee State Forest, Citrus County 
6—10 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

Clemson University in 2007. The equestrian 

industry is highly diverse and supports a 

wide variety of activities. It combines the 

largely rural activities of breeding, raising 

and training horses with the more urban activities of horse shows, polo, rodeos and 

other equine events. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the industry’s economic impact on the gross state product is $6.5 billion. 

As noted at the public workshop sessions, 

equestrian groups are strong advocates for 

increasing access and facilities for equestrian activities on public lands. These facilities include designated horse trails, camping 

facilities and carriage trails. In many areas 

of the state, lands which have been available in the past for horseback riding are 

dwindling as commercial timberlands and 

other large ownerships are being converted 

to development. This makes it difficult for 

equestrian riders to pursue their interests 

and increases the demand for additional 

equestrian facilities on public conservation 

lands all across Florida. 

Equestrians point to horse tourism as an example of a niche outdoor recreation activity 

that could generate significant economic 

benefits, especially for rural communities 

where a majority of the public lands with 

horse trails are located. Many workshop 

participants recounted their experiences of 

having to leave Florida to find places to ride 

in other states where fully developed and 

equipped equestrian facilities are in greater 

supply. Horse camping is another popular 

activity and is done by both individuals and 

groups of riders. There are specialized facility requirements for horse camping and welldesigned areas are popular where riders 

have access to designated trails. 

Off-Highway Vehicle Safety and Recreation 

Act (Section 261.20, Florida Statutes) in 

2002. The Act declared that managed areas 

and facilities for OHV riding on state lands 

are compatible with the state’s overall recreation plan and goals for multiple-use management. Funding from the Off-Highway 

Vehicle Titling Program, combined with federal funds from the motorized trail portion of 

the Recreational Trail Program and funds 

from DOF, have been used to acquire lands 

for trails and to assist federal and state 

agencies in designing and building offhighway vehicle facilities. 

DOF, working with other land mangers, the 

OHV industry and OHV riding groups, has 

worked to identify appropriate locations for 

off-highway vehicle riding on state land. 

Two newly designated areas include Tate’s 

Hell State Forest in Franklin County with 154 

miles of road access for OHV use and Mallory Swamp, managed by SRWMD in Lafayette County, has opened more than 38 miles 

of designated OHV trails. A new OHV site is 

under development in Baker County on the 

1,600-acre St. Mary’s Shoal Park acquired 

through a grant from FCT. DOF is working 

with several other communities to further 

expand the availability of areas for OHV riding. 

While progress has been made, much is 

needed to provide adequate OHV trail opportunities across the state. More lands 

need to be designated for OHV riding and 

additional facilities provided to adequately 

meet public demand. 

Equestrian Trails 

Florida is a major horse-owning state, ranking third in the nation behind Texas and California according to a study conducted by 
6—11 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

parks have been identified for new or expanded equestrian facilities, representing an 

estimated cost of $3.3 million. 

Equestrian participants at the workshops 

also suggested that a statewide assessment 

be conducted to determine the environmental effects of horseback riding on public 

lands, addressing factors such as water 

quality degradation, spread of exotic plants, 

erosion and other potential impacts. They 

also recommended that research be conducted to learn more about out-of-state visitors who travel to Florida for equestrian recreation. 

The recreation participation surveys conducted by the University of Florida for this 

plan found that tourist participation in horseback riding remained unchanged from previous surveys (0.4 percent of tourists), but that 

resident participation increased from 2.9 percent to 9.1 percent. In response to increased demand, efforts to expand equestrian facilities are underway in several areas. 

One of the state’s newest equestrian facilities is R.O. Ranch, managed by the 

SRWMD in Lafayette County. Another new 

area, Colt Creek State Park in Polk County, 

includes plans for a full service equestrian 

camping facility and riding trails as part of 

the recreation opportunities to be provided at 

this 5,000-acre property. Nine other state 

R.O. Ranch, Lafayette County 
6—12 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

healthy wildlife populations are being developed for other purposes at a rapid rate. Private lands that have traditionally been available to the public for hunting continue to be 

withdrawn from public use and converted to 

private leases or similar arrangements. 

Hunter participation rates are static or declining as seen in the number of hunting licenses sold each year and in national sales 

data for hunting equipment. 

At the state level, the Florida Legislature 

took steps in 2006 to preserve hunting lands 

and ensure that hunting opportunities are 

available in the future by enacting a “no net 

loss” statute (Section 372.3001, Florida Statutes). Under the statute’s provisions, land 

Hunting 

Hunting has always been a vital part of outdoor recreation in Florida. Hunting carries 

with it an ethic of valuing wildlife for the sustenance of life and preserving lifestyles and 

traditions that are inseparable from Florida’s 

history and culture. As such, hunting must 

be given full consideration in the state’s outdoor recreation program. 

Hunters in Florida have access to 5.6 million 

acres of land managed for wildlife on some 

151 wildlife management areas. However, 

the future of hunting in Florida, and in the 

nation as well, faces challenges on many 

fronts. Lands that are suitable for fostering 

Bayard Wildlife Management Area, Clay County 
6—13 

Outdoor Recreation in Florida, 2008 

Building a secure future for hunting has become a national priority for sportsmen’s organizations, public land managers and the 

outdoor equipment industry. In Florida, 

FWCC has developed a diverse range of 

programs aimed at providing safety training, 

hunter education and skills-building for gun 

hunters, bow hunters, youth and women. 

Some of FWCC’s programs, such as the 

Archery in the Schools Program, incorporate 

formal curricula that have been developed in 

conjunction with the Florida Department of 

Education. Other programs are aimed at 

developing formal mentoring and organized 

volunteer programs. Activities like these will 

be vital for ensuring that the tradition of hunting in Florida continues into the future. 

land management decisions made by 

FWCC, including decisions that are made by 

private landowners to close hunting land that 

is managed by FWCC, must not result in any 

net loss of acreage that is available for hunting on FWCC-managed lands. Where hunting closures occur, FWCC must find replacement land for hunting to compensate for the 

closures. All state land managing agencies 

are directed to cooperate with FWCC to allow hunting on their lands if FWCC determines them to be suitable for hunting. 

Lands in the state park system may not be 

considered for replacement hunting land.