19 state parks could close for financial reasons

Dudley Farm Historic State Park outside Gainesville, the Cedar Key Museum State Park in Levy County and Dunns Creek in Putnum County are among 19 state parks that could be closed temporarily in 2009 for financial reasons. The other parks being considered for closure are outside North Central Florida. The state is also considering turning over management of three other parks owned by other agencies by currently managed by the state.

Earlier this fall, Gov. Charlie Crist asked all state agencies to come up with a way to cut 10-percent of their operating costs from their proposed 2009-2010 budget requests. The cutbacks would be needed if state revenues continue to decline, according to state officials.

The Division of Recreation and Parks has proposed temporarily closing 19 state parks to meet the 10-percent cut, according to Amy Graham, a public information officer for the Department of Environmental Protection which includes the park division.

"These parks were chosen based on low visitation numbers and revenue compared to relatively high operating budgets," Graham said in an e-mail. "If closed, these parks will remain under the supervision of a full-time caretaker. We fully intend to re-open the 19 parks potentially facing closure when the state's economy improves."

Graham said efforts would be made to transfer staff members, for example full-time staff could transfer to other state parks. However, funding for temporary and seasonal workers would likely be eliminated or reduced.

The 19 parks under consideration for temporary closure are:

• Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park- Santa Rosa County

• St. Marks River State Park- Leon County

• Lake June-In-Winter Scrub State Park – Highlands County

• Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park – Nassau County

• Constitution Convention Museum State Park – Gulf County

• John Gorrie Museum State Park – Franklin County

• Deer Lake State Park – Walton County

• Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park – Polk County

• Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park – Escambia County

• Terra Ceia Preserve State Park – Manatee County

• Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park – Jefferson County

• Dunns Creek – Putnum County

• San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park – Wakulla County

• Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park – Monroe County

• Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park – Monroe County

• Dudley Farm Historic State Park – Alachua County

• Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park – Okeechobee County

• Nature and Heritage Tourism Center – Hamilton County

• Cedar Key Museum State Park- Levy County

Graham said the department is also proposing that management of three state parks currently managed by, but not owned by the state would be transferred to the property owners, including:

Three Rivers State Park- Jackson County , owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Forest Capital Museum State Park- Taylor County, owned by Taylor County Egmont Key State Park- Pinellas County, owned by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.