On Monday, the DeSantis administration announced the Great Outdoors Initiative, which includes plans to create golf courses and other resort-style amenities in some of Florida’s state parks. The plan immediately faced opposition from the public and environmental advocates.

In addition to increasing the number of campgrounds, cabins and lodges on park property, the initiative will also increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities in Florida’s state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddleboarding.

DEP announces 2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative to improve public access, recreation and overnight accommodations in Florida State Parks

In the press release, DEP also noted that Florida’s 175 state parks attracted nearly 30 million visitors in the 2022-23 fiscal year, generating an economic impact of $3.6 billion and supporting more than 50,000 jobs.

1000 Friends of Florida said the state parks provide passive outdoor recreation opportunities. “They are not competition for golf courses or other private recreational facilities that exist throughout the state.”

In particular, Florida has over 1,400 public golf courses throughout the state and more than 1,100 pickleball courts.

1000 Friends of Florida also noted that a new golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County would likely introduce chemicals into the ecosystem there. “This is the treasure of the Treasure Coast. The herbicides required for a golf course would be terrible for this delicate environment,” they said on the X Platform this week.

“Something like building a golf course would destroy the habitat of native wildlife here,” said Casey Darling Kniffin of the Florida Wildlife Federation about the plan.

Public reaction

The public has been quick to pick up on the environmentalists’ concerns. “Florida has many man-made places for people to visit, such as theme parks, golf clubs, hotels, swimming pools and so on. We need to leave nature alone. Stop cutting down Florida’s natural habitat for profit,” Fish McNeal said on Facebook. His concerns were echoed in many comments from across the spectrum of Florida’s population.

Tony Sitko noted on Facebook that this plan has been rejected before. “Flashback: In 2011, there was a brief effort to allow legendary golfer and golf course designer Jack Nicklaus to build golf courses in state parks. The idea was to encourage tourism and mimic the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, according to WUSF. After immediate public outcry, lawmakers withdrew the proposal.”

For its part, the Florida DEP has published a “Fact Check” to counter confusion and misinformation. “The Dr. Von. D Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is located in the heart of one of Florida’s busiest regions. Converting an unused paved area into pickleball courts will benefit both locals and out-of-town visitors,” it says.

In another post, they added: “Pickleball continues to be the fastest growing sport in the U.S., so why not play at one of our most visited parks? The area near the South Beach Access at Honeymoon Island State Park is already being remodeled and can easily be converted into pickleball courts.”

Finally, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection stated regarding the aforementioned golf course: “At Jonathan Dickinson State Park, we are considering the addition of golf – one of our nation’s most popular sports – in a manner that minimizes impacts on habitat and utilizes already disturbed areas.”

This plan will undoubtedly be analyzed and debated in the Florida Legislature after the election. Talk of Titusville encourages readers to make their opinions clear to their representatives in the Legislature. Voters should also ask the candidates for their position on the issue and vote accordingly.