As Florida residents who cherish the beauty and serenity of our state parks, we feel personally stricken by the proposal of our environmental agency to convert parts of our parkland into golf courses and lodges. This news reaffirms the belief that an unsuitable and unsustainable commercial practice may jeopardize natural spaces that we hold dear. This plan needs to be stopped to urgently preserve our parks, protect our environment, and safeguard plant and animal habitats.

State parks are vital for ecological well-being— with the Florida Park Service managing the largest system of parks in the USA, with 805,601 acres of land and waters. Each year, these parks averagely welcome over a whopping 28 million people who come to marvel at the natural wonders and enjoy recreational activities on the land. The proposed shift is a direct threat to the vital role state parks play in fostering biodiversity in Florida, holding at least 131 threatened or endangered species (according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection).

It's simply a truth that our state parks are irreplaceable. They allow us to connect with nature, recharge our minds, and learn about the world around us. Once given over to commercial pursuits and developments, we lose natural heritage and vital habitats, perhaps forever.

We urge our environmental agency to revoke its damaging plan for the short-sighted profit of a few, at the expense of our beloved state parks, and future generations. Sign this petition to say 'no' to golf courses and lodges in Florida's state parks, safeguarding our natural treasures for years to come.