Victory! NPCA Wins Ruling on Marine Reserve Zone in Court, Bringing Greater Protections for Biscayne National Park
This ruling is a long-awaited triumph for Biscayne National Park, its hundreds of thousands of annual visitors, and the vulnerable marine wildlife that make it their home. Overfishing, pollution and climate change impacts have dealt serious blows to Biscayne National Park in recent years. A revered coral reef ecosystem, one that supports a diverse range of species from sea turtles to snappers, hangs on by a thread. But thanks to this ruling, this beautiful marine national park has a chance to regain its former glory.

Sun Coast on Capitol Hill
During National Parks Advocacy Week, more than 100 NPCA volunteers and partners traveled to Washington, DC to meet with their members of Congress about critical priorities for protecting our parks. Among these park advocates were all of our dedicated Sun Coast Regional Office Staff, our Next Generation Advisory Council member, and two members of our inaugural Young Leaders Council.

Our Sun Coast team led two advocacy groups on the Hill (team Reef and team Sawgrass!) and met with 12 offices in total. By the end of the day, NPCA staff had visited every single office on the Hill!

National Park Victory! Flamingo Grand Re-Opening at Everglades National Park
NPCA recently joined Everglades National Park and many community partners to celebrate the grand re-opening of Flamingo and the dedication of the Guy Bradley Visitor Center. For decades, the iconic Flamingo visitor center, lodge and campground welcomed adventurers to the southernmost area of Florida’s peninsula and the launching point to Florida Bay. Unfortunately, back-to-back hurricanes left the Flamingo lodge and visitor center in shambles.

Now, 17 years since Flamingo closed, the site is alive again with a state-of-the-art, climate-resilient visitor center and meeting space, beautiful new lodge, houseboats, eco-tents for “glamping,” and recreational amenities like kayak rentals and Florida Bay boat tours. NPCA helped support this effort by advocating for Congressional funding through the Great American Outdoors Act and emergency hurricane funding.

Recognizing Sun Coast's Marcelo & Marisa
This year NPCA’s Everglades Fellow, Marcelo Balladares (above left), was invited to join 109 others as part of the 2024 cohort of the Aspen Climate Summit's “Future Leaders Climate Initiative,” which brings together developing leaders from multiple sectors of the environmental field. At the Summit, Marcelo was a panelist on the “Driving Climate Action at Home Through Local Governance” panel, where he was able to share his perspective with other young leaders on local advocacy in climate action and his work with NPCA in protecting the Everglades and its greater ecosystems at the local and state level.

Marisa Carrozzo, (above right) our Senior Coastal and Wildlife Program Manager, was honored by the Everglades Coalition with the 2024 Conservationist Award in January. Marisa has been a powerful advocate for the Greater Everglades ecosystem for more than 13 years and a respected leader in the community, known for her collaborative and solutions-driven approach. At NPCA, Marisa leads campaigns to protect wildlife and public waterways from Big Cypress National Preserve to Biscayne National Park to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and beyond.

NPCA's Winter Volunteer Trip in St. Croix, USVI
Over four educational and adventure-filled days in February, staff connected with community leaders, Park Service and Territorial Government staff in St. Croix, USVI. St. Croix was designated as a National Heritage Area in 2023, and the rich cultural history, values and resources of the island were on full display during visits to Christensted National Historic Site, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, and Buck Island Reef National Monument.

Participants had the opportunity to learn from experts like Olasee Davis, an ecologist, ethnobotanist and cultural historian. Community members spoke passionately about the need for additional trails, the resources to maintain them, and the value of sharing the important cultural history that St. Croix brings to the unique beauty of the island chain. Sun Coast staff also presented on NPCA’s work to protect marine and coastal resources throughout the region, including our vulnerable and threatened coral reefs, and the largely unknown history of the Saltwater Underground Railroad and The Network to Freedom which includes sites in the US Virgin Islands.

Nurturing Environmental Advocacy in Jacksonville
A series of impactful Civic Voice Workshops were led by Dr. Vanessa Trujillo from the Sun Coast team, in efforts to expand our reach in North Florida and build capacity for national park stewardship. This series was delivered in collaboration with programs hosted by the Jacksonville Zoo. Workshops have zeroed in on pressing environmental issues surrounding climate change and invasive species, igniting advocacy among diverse groups.

Through these workshops, attendees were not only equipped with knowledge but were also inspired to become effective advocates for environmental preservation.

Peri Frances Spotlight: Insights from Amelia Island History Museum & Kingsley Heritage Celebration
Peri Frances (above, right) serves in a volunteer capacity on the Sun Coast Regional Council. At the Kingsley Heritage Celebration at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Peri delivered a poignant presentation, capping off an event steeped in cultural and historical richness. Peri's leadership in a moving memorial ceremony honored the sacrifices endured by enslaved people at the Kingsley Plantation. At the Amelia Island History Museum, Peri shared her Matrilineal view, delving into local lore and highlighting figures such as MaVynee "Beach Lady" Betsch and Anta Madjiguene Ndiaye "Anna Kingsley." Her masterful storytelling, rooted in personal ancestry, enraptured the audience and deepened our appreciation of the region's intricate history.

Hope you’ve enjoyed hearing the latest park news from NPCA! Thank you for supporting our parks.

Warm regards,

Melissa E. Abdo, Ph.D
Regional Director, Sun Coast