FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2019
Florida Celebrates June as Great Outdoors Month
Florida's waterways are the perfect place to paddle and spend time outdoors with family.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis has proclaimed June as Great Outdoors Month in Florida in recognition of the outstanding recreational opportunities provided by Florida's natural resources, including parks, trails, public lands and waters. Great Outdoors Month is celebrated across the country each June, highlighting the fun, economic and health benefits of outdoor activity.
Great Outdoors Month focuses on celebrating our natural resources and encourages communities to come together to enjoy Florida's public lands. From the rustic pine forests and rivers of North Florida to refreshing natural springs and white-sand beaches, all the way down to the tropical paradise of the Florida Keys, the state's naturally diverse landscape is an outdoor playground for all ages. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Park Service and Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection are committed to providing visitors with experiences they will remember.
"Florida’s award-winning state parks, aquatic preserves and other public lands offer outstanding opportunities for Floridians and visitors to enjoy spending time outside among some of the nation’s most beautiful natural resources," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "Our staff works tirelessly to protect and preserve Florida's environment, and I encourage everyone to spend more time outside enjoying natural Florida this month."
With students out of school and families planning getaways, June is the perfect time to enjoy the state's beautiful green spaces and blue waterways. Florida's 175 state parks and trails provide opportunities to ride bicycles or horses, paddle kayaks or canoes, enjoy birds and butterflies, set up camp, and more.
Activities during Great Outdoors Month in Florida include:
-
Family Challenge, Saturday, June 8, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.
-
Astronomy in the Park, Saturday, June 8, 8:30 to 11 p.m. at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park.
-
Summer Surf Fishing, Saturday, June 15, 1 to 3 p.m. at Sebastian Inlet State Park.
-
Full Moon Paddle, Monday, June 17, 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Anastasia State Park.
-
Bald Eagle Program, Thursday, June 20, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.
-
Guided Kayak Exploration, Saturday, June 22, 9 to 11 a.m. at Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve.
-
Family Fridays at St. George Island, Friday, June 14, 21 and 28, 9:30 a.m. to noon at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park.
-
Kids FREE Fridays, June 14, 21 and 28, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Rookery Bay Research Reserve.
|
