Two state parks in the Florida Keys have been targeted for closure if legislators make significant budget cuts.

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park on North Key Largo and the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park in Islamorada could be among 19 parks that lock their gates to visitors under a proposed budget-reduction plan drafted by the state Division of Recreation and Parks.

“Nothing will be settled until the [Florida] Legislature finalizes the budget,” said Pat Wells, manager of the Key Largo hammock and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

“It’s a proposal that basically depends on how the economy goes,” Wells said. “If it happens, it will not affect restoration. It may impact visitation.”

In preparation for the budget talks in the 2009 legislative session in the spring, all state agencies were told to submit proposed operating bbudgets reduced by 10 percent.

The Division of Recreation and Parks reached its goal by suggesting “temporarily closing public access” to the 19 parks.

“These parks were chosen based on low visitation numbers and revenue compared to relatively high operating budgets,” according to a Department of Environmental Protection statement. “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,” the statement continues. “While this was a difficult decision, the proposal reflects our effort to reduce expenditure while protecting the greatest number of staff members.”

While full-time park employees would have the chance to move to other parks, funding for part-time and temporary positions would be eliminated.

Ten state parks are located in Monroe County, although three in Islamorada — Indian Key, Lignumvitae Key and the underwater San Pedro shipwreck site — ssentially are managed as one.

The best-known Keys parks — Pennekamp, Long Key, Bahia Honda and Fort Zachary Taylor — are not on the draft list for budget-related closures.

Pennekamp is among the most popular parks in Florida, with nearly 880,000 visitors in the most current fiscal year. Curry Hammock, the Keys’ newest state park, also is not on the closing list.

Other statewide parks suggested for closing (with county):

Yellow River Marsh Preserve (Santa Rosa), St. Marks River (Leon), Lake June-In-Winter Scrub (Highlands), Pumpkin Hill Creek (Nassau), Constitution Convention Museum (Gulf), Gorrie Museum (Franklin), Deer Lake (Walton), Broussard Catfish Creek (Polk), Tarkiln Bayou (Escambia), Terra Ceia (Manatee), Letchworth-Love Mounds (Jefferson), Dunn’s Creek (Putnam), San Marcos de Apalache (Wakulla), Dudley Farm (Alachua), Kissimmee Prairie (Okeechobee), Nature and Heritage Center (Hamilton) and Cedar Key Museum (Levy).

Florida has 161 state parks, which drew nearly 21 million visitors in the 2007-08 fiscal year.

By KEVIN WADLOW
kwadlow@keynoter.com
http://www.keysnet.com/news/story/37939.html