Florida’s National Parks
Project 2 completed by…
Gerald Page
Joseph Vetere
Leslie Halsema
Chad Brenco
National Parks
• Yellowstone National Park was established
by congress as the first National Park in
1872.
• In 1916 the National
Park Service was
created.
• Funded by the
Department of the
Interior
Image of Yellowstone National Park
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2957792033_ff1c9788d
9.jpg
 The National Park Service covers national parks,

monuments, preserves, seashores, recreation areas,
historic sites, military parks, battlefields, and other
designated areas.
What qualifies as a National Park?
 Generally large natural areas having a wide variety of features,
typically including significant historic value. Hunting, mining,
and/or any activities that “consume” park resources are
not authorized in national parks. The main difference
between a national park and a national preserve is that in a
preserve you can hunt, fish, etc.
The NPS Arrowhead
•Authorized as the agency's
official emblem by the
Secretary of the Interior on
July 20, 1951.
•The symbol first appeared on
a road sign and then a ranger
uniform in September 1952.
•Registered as an official
emblem of the National Park
Service on February 9, 1965 by
the United States Patent Office.
• Its shape and earth-brown background
represent historical and archaeological
values.
• The bison and sequoia tree symbolize the
diverse world of plants and animals within
the parks system. The bison and sequoia
tree were selected because they are
symbols from the first two National Parks,
Yellowstone and Sequoia.
• The mountains and water represent scenic
and recreational values.
Florida’s National Parks
Nort
h
•There are 3 national parks in Florida: Dry Tortugas
National Park, Everglades National Park, and Biscayne
National Park.
•http://fcit.usf.edu/FLORIDA/maps/1900/63300.htm
• Dry Tortugas: the first National Park in Florida
– established January 4, 1935
– covers 64,657 acres
– 99% of park is open water and submerged islands
• Everglades: largest national park in Florida
– established December 6, 1947
– covers 1,508,537.9 acres
– the largest tract of wilderness east of the Rocky
Mountains
• Biscayne National Park:
– established October 18, 1968
– covers 172,924.07 acres, including two-thirds of
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne National Park – A Watery
Wonderland
– Location
– Ecology
– Things to Do
– Issues
Biscayne National Park - Location
• Enjoy a view of downtown Miami and
pristine marine life when you visit
• Covers ~200 square miles (172,971
acres )
• MAP IT HERE!
• Northern most island of the FL
Keys
Biscayne National Park - Ecology
• Home to several unique and very diverse ecosystems like
Mangroves, Coral Reefs & Pristine Beaches (and close
•
proximity to a great social scene…)
Each ecosystems is comprised of a variety of smaller
communities like seagrass meadows, hardbottom areas and
hardwood hammocks. The geology of the area has been
influenced by changing sea levels, currents, hurricanes, and
reef-building organisms like corals. South Florida's subtropical
climate produces forest types that are more typical of the
Caribbean than of mainland North America.
Biscayne National Park - Ecology
• Mangrove = several trees
• Protects the shoreline from erosion
– Important protection from hurricane winds
• Safe haven for small animals (craps, fish)
• Impenetrable root system to help to keep Biscayne's
waters clean and clear by slowing the water that flows
into the bay from the land, allowing the sediment carried
by the runoff to disperse
Biscayne National Park - Ecology
• Coral Reefs are most diverse
•
•
•
•
ecosystems
Home to over 200 species of fish
The coral reefs are a community of
many different types of marine
organisms
Polyps (fan-like) obtain calcium and
form structure of reef
Other marine life to see: loggerhead sea
turtles, nurse sharks, moray, dolphins
Biscayne National Park - Ecology
• The Bay & Beaches are unique as well
• Biscayne Bay is a shallow estuary, where freshwater
from the land mixes with salt water from the sea and
marine life
Biscayne National Park – Things to
do…
• SCUBA! Tons of undersea life
• Relax on sandy beaches!
• Camping
• Canoeing/Kayaking
• Fishing & Lobstering
• Did you know? One of South Florida’s best
windsurfing location
Biscayne National Park - Issues
• Local hydrology (runoff, pollution)
• Improper mixing of salt/fresh water
• Non-native species (Brazilian Pepper,
Australian Pine, Cuban tree frog)
• City noise is a big problem
Dry Tortugas
History and Composition
• Discovered in 1513 by
•
•
Juan Ponce de Leon.
Composed of seven
islands made from
coral reef remains,
sand and limestone.
The park is 100 mi2 in
which 46 mi2 is a
Research Natural
Area.
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/mrgi
s_ims/Description_Layers_Marine.ht
m
Dry Tortugas
Wildlife
• Several important game-
fish can be found in the
Dry Tortugas, including
Snappers, Groupers and
Grunts. Fish that spawn
in the Tortugas can be
carried away by oceanic
currents and have been
traced as far as Tampa
Bay and Cape Canaveral.
http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/88
00.php?from=116914
Dry Tortugas
Wildlife (cntd.)
• Several Bird Species
make the Dry
Tortugas their home,
including Sooty Terns,
Noddy Terns, and the
Masked Booby. The
Terns lay their eggs
and raise their young
from February to
September.
http://www.msstate.edu/org/mos/Images/Soot
y%20Tern%201.jpg
Dry Tortugas
Wildlife (cntd.)
• Loggerhead and
Green Sea Turtles use
the beaches of the
islands to lay their
eggs. The lack of
lights on the islands
help prevent the baby
Sea Turtles from
being killed.
http://zoltantakacs.com/zt/pw/re/album.php?i
dx=7
Dry Tortugas
Issues
• Tourism! According to the
South Florida Natural
Resource Center, the
park witnessed an
increase in visitation
between 1994 and 2000
which increases the risk
of invasive species,
anchor damage and
water degradation.
http://www.nps.gov/drto/photosmultimedia/ind
ex.htm?eid=147603&root_aId=235#e_147603
Dry Tortugas
Issues (cntd.)
• A major problem
throughout the park
and the region is
over-fishing.
According to the
South Florida Natural
Resources Center, the
use of fish finders has
made fishing easier
and faster.
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/m
editerranean/photosvideos/photos/overfishingin-the-mediterrane.jpg
Dry Tortugas
Issues (contd.)
• However, the Dry
Tortugas Research
Expedition led by Dr.
Jerald Ault of the
University of Miami
found that within RNA
zones, populations of
Grouper, Snapper and
other fish were
increasing.
http://www.nps.gov/drto/parkmgmt/upload/D
RTO%20RNA%20Map%20final%203-8-07.jpg
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park
• Largest subtropical wilderness in the
United States
• Boasts rare and endangered species.
• It has been designated a World Heritage
Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and
Wetland of International Importance,
significant to all people of the world.
Animals of the Everglades
• Since its dedication in 1947,
Everglades National Park has
been called one of the great
biologic wonders of the world.
• This expansive thriving
wetland encompasses the
tiniest grass frog to the biggest
American crocodile.
• This wide range of life includes
species from the Caribbean
tropics and more familiar
species from the temperate
North America.
Birds in the Everglades
• Over 360 species
•
have been recorded
in the park and the
list continues to grow.
The Everglades
remain one of the
best destinations for
easily observing great
concentrations of
many diverse bird
species.
Fish in the Everglades
• Nearly 300 different
•
species of fish are
known to inhabit the
freshwater marshes
and marine coastline
of Everglades
National Park.
Fishing remains one
of the most popular
activities in the park.
Mammals and Reptiles in the
Everglades
• Over 40 species of
•
•
mammals are found in
Everglades National
Park.
Over 50 distinct kinds of
reptiles can be found in
the park.
Many species commonly
associated with drier
habitats of forest and
fields have adapted to the
semi-aquatic environment
that comprise most of the
park's acreage.
Plants in the Everglades
• The Everglades serve as
•
important habitat for a
number of both endemic
and legally protected
species found here.
Non-native plants are one
of the greatest threats to
the natural ecosystems of
the United States and are
destroying America's
natural history and
identity. This includes the
Everglades.
Threats to the Everglades
• Water Control
• Introduced Species
• Development
Water Control
• Water control has been
•
achieved through the use
of drainage canals and
pumping stations
throughout the
Everglades region
Currently there are over
1,400 miles (2,253
kilometers) of canals and
levees within the
Everglades region used
for water control and
diversion.
A water control structure used for water discharge
Water Data Collection Station
Invasive Bastards
• Australian Pine
•
(Casuarina equisetifolia)
This fast growing pine
displaces native beach
dune vegetation by
altering light,
temperature, and soil
chemistry through the
formation of a thick
blanket of fallen leaves
and fruit.
Invasive Bastards
• Brazilian Pepper (Schinus
terebinthifolius)
• This aggressive plant is
•
considered one of the
most invasive in Florida.
It produces a chemical
which can suppress the
growth of other plants
and irritate human skin.
Invasive Bastards
• Juvenile Mayan
•
Cichlid
An introduced species
found in the
freshwater marshes
of the Everglades
Development
• Development pressures
•
from agriculture, industry,
and urban areas have
destroyed more than half
of the original Everglades
Agriculture, such as sugar
cane, rice, and dairy
farms, exists on drained
land within the
Everglades.
Visit the Everglades!
• There are many different experiences that a
•
•
•
visitor can have at Everglades National Park.
Camping, boating, hiking, and even a visit to a
former missile base in the center of the park are
all possible.
Many have enjoyed exploring some of the 156
miles (251 km) of canoe/kayak and walking
trails and 47 designated wilderness campsites
opportunities for solitude.
Current schedules and information can be found
at www.nps.gov.