By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
A coalition of 32 groups and businesses have written a letter calling upon Florida state lawmakers to step up funding for repairs to the Florida State Parks system.
The House and Senate have both requested $25 million in their 2026/2027 FY budget bills for repairs to state parks — a small down payment on the $759 million needed over the next decade to repair, maintain and upgrade projects to the state’s park system, according to a December 2025 report from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
At that pace, they contend, it would take 30 years to fill that gap. (Gov. Ron DeSantis requested $50 million in his proposed FY 2026-27 budget).
“There is money at hand to spend on state park facility and accessibility improvements,” reads a portion of the letter.
“The statutorily uncommitted funds in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund (LATF) are projected to be $824.7 million for the coming fiscal year (26-27); in fact the uncommitted funding is going up by $30 million compared to the previous fiscal year. As such, budgeting at least $100 million for state parks facility improvements, and $20 million specifically for accessibility upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is entirely feasible.”
The DEP report said funding is needed to repair aging infrastructure, safety improvements, accessibility upgrades and modernization of essential facilities such as restrooms, trails, utilities, and visitor centers. The report was required under the 2025 State Park Preservation Act.
That was the legislative response to the backlash that erupted across the state in the summer of 2024 following a report that the DeSantis administration planned to build golf courses and other public amenities in nine state parks.
Florida now has 176 state parks. The most recent to open is Shoal River Headwaters State Park, a 2,480-acre site near DeFuniak Springs in Walton County that opened in January 2026.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Banner photo: Hillsborough River State Park (iStock image).
Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here. To support The Invading Sea, click here to make a donation. If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Editor Nathan Crabbe.