25 Years of Everglades Restoration
NPCA and our partners in the Greater Everglades community recently recognized the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the landmark initiative (authorized in 2000) aimed at restoring clean water flow from Lake Okeechobee to Everglades National Park and out to Florida Bay. For more than two decades, NPCA has led advocacy to advance CERP, from working with agencies on plan alternatives and operations regimes to visits to Washington, DC and Tallahassee in support of strong project funding. While there is still work to do, we have seen significant progress for our national parks in South Florida because of the work that has been accomplished through CERP, including more clean water flow entering Everglades National Park and thriving wading bird populations in Florida Bay.

Welcoming our Second Young Leaders Council
We are thrilled to welcome twelve advocates and public lands champions into the second cohort of our Young Leaders Council. This year's Florida-based group brings together emerging scientists, environmental engineers, educators and other professionals who are already contributing to park advocacy across our region of NPCA – from addressing threats to the Everglades to advancing climate resiliency solutions. Throughout the year, participants will learn from NPCA staff about our programs, collaborate with one another, and gain hands-on experience through park trips, events and advocacy opportunities, including engagement with elected officials. Together, they represent the next generation of leaders working to protect and strengthen our national parks. You can read more about them through their bios here.

Park Victory! Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center
NPCA recently celebrated a major national park victory – the grand opening of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center in Everglades National Park. This new visitor center has been in the works for years, replacing the former Gulf Coast Visitor Center that was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The new state-of-the-art building was designed with resilient features to withstand major storms, and the surrounding area is landscaped with native species. During the planning process, NPCA advocated for on-site boat and kayak launch facilities, which are now available so visitors can deepen their Everglades experience on the water. The site is in the heart of Everglades City and makes a great day trip for Florida locals or a special addition to an Everglades National Park trip for visitors who want to experience the beautiful Ten Thousand Islands.

Bringing Science, History and Community Together
In January, NPCA co-hosted the 2026 Timucuan Science & History Symposium with the Timucuan Parks Foundation, welcoming more than 100 attendees to the Ribault Club at Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve. Centered on the theme “First Coast Cultures, Resilient Shores,” the event convened 17 speakers from across agencies, universities and partner organizations, alongside student researchers. The symposium created a unique space for connection, with students presenting alongside professionals and public land managers engaging as participants - uncommon and meaningful opportunities. Feedback from partners was overwhelmingly positive, with strong recognition of NPCA’s leadership in coordinating a collaborative, interdisciplinary program. This gathering reflects NPCA’s commitment to bridging science, culture, and community to advance park protection.

NPCA media highlights: gopher tortoise to ghost orchids and protecting the Gulf

• Recently, New York Botanical Garden’s podcast featured an in-depth interview with Melissa Abdo focused on the enigmatic ghost orchid. Tune in here to learn more about the iconic Florida species that NPCA is working to protect under the Endangered Species Act, and little-known facts about other rare species.

• Gopher tortoises are keystone species that make their homes in 9 of Florida’s national park sites, and without them, entire ecosystems could collapse. Learn more about these burrowing architects of the uplands in an engaging article co-authored by Vanessa Trujillo.

• On March 31st, the Endangered Species Committee met for the first time since the 1990s and granted an unprecedented exemption - one which will jeopardize the future of threatened and endangered species management in the Gulf. Read more about this alarming decision and its far-reaching implications.

Empowering the Next Generation of Park Advocates to Protect Endangered Species
In March, NPCA, in partnership with the Timucuan Parks Foundation, hosted a Civic Voice Workshop at Castaway Island Preserve, bringing together 20 participants passionate about protecting our national parks and wildlife. This workshop is part of NPCA’s growing Civic Voice Workshop series, designed to equip communities with the tools and confidence to advocate for public lands. Participants explored the Endangered Species Act through real-world conservation efforts, including case studies of the ghost orchid and gopher tortoise. Led by University of North Florida student Katia Wettrich through her Environmental Leadership Program internship, the workshop highlighted the power of investing in emerging leaders. Through hands-on activities, participants developed their own advocacy messages and committed to taking action. Attendees left informed, inspired and ready to engage, demonstrating how NPCA is building a stronger, more connected movement to protect parks and wildlife for future generations.

Major Milestone: Picayune Strand Restoration Project Completed
The Picayune Strand Restoration Project ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a major milestone, given that it was the first Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) project to break ground. Decades in the making, the restoration of Picayune - within the Big Cypress watershed - is a remarkable success story. Once heavily altered by failed 1960s subdivision development that left the landscape crisscrossed with roads and canals, the 55,000-acre site has now been restored through road removal, canal fill-in, and the construction of three pump stations that provide flood protection while restoring natural water flow that also benefits downstream ecosystems such as Rookery Bay and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The event drew more than 150 attendees, including elected officials, Army Corps of Engineers leadership, state water managers, and conservation partners, and highlighted the long-term collaboration and advocacy required to bring this transformative restoration project to completion. 

Thanks for all that you do to protect our parks.

Sincerely,

Melissa E. Abdo, Ph.D.
Regional Director, Sun Coast
Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands