On Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., join the WPTV News team at Flagler Park in Stuart for our first issue-driven Let's Hear It event, centered around the future of our state parks.
The Great Outdoors Initiative started as an executive order, signed in October 2023 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. It contained no mention of development inside Florida’s state parks.
The order aimed to “encourage all Florida residents to participate in outdoor recreation," and included three directives:
- The Florida Department of Environmental protection was instructed to temporarily offer annual state park passes for half price.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was given the ability to temporarily offer some sportsman licenses for half price.
- Those temporary discounts were to be offered between Oct. 14, 2023 and Jan. 13, 2024.
WATCH: New Florida state parks initiative
Then on Aug. 19, 2024 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced its "Great Outdoors Initiative” for the next fiscal year. This time, there was no executive order. However, a press release said the initiative would increase “campsites, cabins and lodges on park property” and “increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities available at Florida's state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddling.”
Those plans impact nine state parks across Florida. Summaries of those plans are posted on the Florida State Parks website.
Of the nine plans, five propose a disc golf course. The plan for Jonathan Dickinson State Park is the only proposal that includes a traditional golf course.
WATCH: Experts warn golf courses would negatively impact wildlife at park
FDEP declined WPTV’s request for an interview about the Great Outdoors Initiative, but said in an email that, “Public input is vital to DEP decision-making.”
The agency did not respond to follow-up questions about funding for the Great Outdoors Initiative, or whether a new project will replace the golf course proposal after the group backing it withdrew that proposal over the weekend.
Continuing coverage on Jonathan Dickinson State Park below:
