Proposed Bills Threaten Florida State Parks Hunting Prohibition
| Florida's State Parks serve 17.4 MILLION visitors each year, and accordingly contribute $665 million annually to Florida's tourist economy. They provide a refuge for residents and visitors alike to picnic, hike, swim, snorkel, canoe, birdwatch, and otherwise enjoy nature. |
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| SB 430 and HB 265 may allow hunting in state parks for the first time. Audubon has requested amendment language closing this potential loophole, but the NRA is blocking this clarifying language. |
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
Use our email function at right to write the Governor and members of the Senate Environmental Preservation committee. For maximum effect, tailor our suggested letter below with your own thoughts on the issue. |
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Please Exempt State Parks from Consideration as Hunting Lands
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Please oppose SB 430 unless it is amended to exempt Florida State Parks from consideration as replacement acreage for lost hunting lands.
Currently Florida State Parks function under an administrative rule that prohibits hunting within their boundaries. While SB 430 does not directly address state parks as a target for future hunting opportunities, neither does it provide adequate exemption for them. The language allowing exemptions for state lands where hunting is "prohibited by law" would not sufficiently protect state parks, since they prohibit hunting by rule, and could be overridden by statute.
Our 159 state parks provide an opportunity for their 17.4 MILLION annual visitors to hike, fish, canoe, swim, picnic, birdwatch and otherwise enjoy nature without interuption by hunting seasons. They are a significant draw for out-of-state tourists, and provide a much-needed economic boost for many Florida communities. Hunting is currently permitted on properties managed by the FWC, Division of Forestry, Florida's five water management districts, national forests, national wildlife refuges and several military installations in the state.
I urge you: please do not support this bill unless it includes critical language to safeguard the current award-winning experience of our state parks. Simple amendment language exempting State Parks from consideration as substitute hunting acreage could easily mend this bill's unintended loophole.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
April 05, 2006
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