Lotus fields	Hillsborough River	Girl with birds
Bicycling in Pinellas	Everglades airboats	Big Cypress
Fish watching	Hart Springs hiker	Wilderness Waterway
Swamp boating	Telford Springs bridge	Ichetucknee diver
Rainbow River	Ocklawaha travelers	Juniper Run
Manatees and tourists	Corkscrew Swamp boardwalk	Glass-bottom boating
Mud spring trail (Welaka)

Nature-based travel to Florida as an activity has been happening for over 150 years, but "ecotourism" as a concept has only recently begun to be used as a marketing tool.

Also known as "nature-based" tourism and "green travel", ecotourism is defined as a "recreational and educational experience that encourages greater understanding of the natural and cultural resources of an area".

Ecotourism is said to be the fastest growing segment of the United States tourism market, growing by 30% a year. ("Ecotourism" here does not include fishing or hunting.)

Tourism, including ecotourism, is Florida's largest industry, with 75.5 million tourists a year (2002) generating $50.8 billion. Of course, a lot of this money is spent on theme parks, shopping and beaches, but more and more of it is being spent by people who want to experience the natural thrills of the interior of our state, "the real Florida", just as most Florida tourists did a century ago.

There are over 8 million acres (the size of Maryland) of public conservation lands in Florida.

Visits to these natural places by ecotourists and participation in ecotourist activities such as "wildlife watching", hiking and attendance at our numerous state, county and city parks, generates almost $8 billion a year in economic activity.

More tourists come to Florida to watch wildlife than come to fish. Thirteen times more tourists come to Florida to watch wildlife than to hunt.

About 3.2 million people spend 21 million days per year feeding, observing or photographing wildlife in Florida.

Two-thirds of these ecotourists visit our marshes, swamps, lakes and rivers in order to watch wildlife and to take in wild scenery.

In Florida 2.4 million residents and tourists are conscientious "wild bird observers", participating 176 million days (spending about $1.1 billion), compared to 64,000 resident and tourist bird hunters in Florida, who participate 1 million days (spending about $34 million).

Data from National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, Florida, 2001, a joint report of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Commerce

After housing development and loss of habitat, non-native invasive plants pose the greatest threat to Florida's ecosystems. A delicate balance exists among ecosystems, and when invasive plants take hold and proliferate, they can throw them all out of balance. Some invasive species are very aggressive and compete with and displace native species by crowding them out. This in turn affects the wildlife that depend on native vegetation for food, shelter, and nesting.

In Florida's parks and other public natural places, many agencies share responsibilities for controlling invasive plants. The DEP's Division of State Lands and Division of Recreation and Parks, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Forestry, and the Florida Department of Transportation collectively spend millions of dollars each year controlling invasive plants in state lands and waterbodies. Locally, many counties and cities also maintain invasive plant management crews.

Go to the main page of this web site for indexed information about Florida's freshwaters, aquatic plants and aquatic plant management.

Florida waters: One of Heade's favorite subjects

ANIMAL AND NATURE OBSERVATION
One of the largest draws of nature loving ecotourists to Florida is "wildlife watching": observing, feeding, photographing and painting our wildlife and nature scenes. Actual expenditures in Florida for wildlife watching alone is more than $1.5 billion per year (2001).

Since 1564, artists have tried to capture the beauty and wild serenity of Florida's diverse landscapes. Including the watercolor scenes of Winslow Homer, the oil scenes of Martin Johson Heade, the bird and animal paintings of John James Audubon, the primitive works of the "Florida Highwaymen", and the paintings and photographs of thousands of contemporary working artisits, our wet vistas have inspired artists for centuries.

Florida also is a haven for birdwatchers who come to see any of the 179 species that breed in Florida or the 300 species that migrate here in the winter. Learn about our water birds on this page of our web site.

With 1,700 rivers and streams, 7,800 lakes, and 600 springs, it is no surprise that fresh water attracts ecotourists to Florida. Besides swimming and tubing, water skiing, and fishing, tourists come to Florida to see what they can see while canoeing in swamps, diving in caves, cruising in houseboats...

The 70 canoe liveries in Florida alone generate over $38 million a year. See the DEP's Greenways and Trails page, click on a region of Florida, and look for the paddling icon to find out where there are canoeing trails in Florida.

Whooping cranes: Making a comeback in Florida

See this FFWCC wildlife viewing page for info on where to view what species in Florida. And here is their Waterbird Colony Locator.

See this FFWCC page to learn about the 2,000 mile Great Florida Birding Trail.

Fakahatchee Strand is a flowing swamp

Visit the Everglades and its "town" of Flamingo, the southernmost, remote, outpost on the Florida peninsula.

Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve: its lush and pristine swamps are home to many endangered species as well as North America's largest concentration of wild orchids.

At Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, get very close to free-roaming manatees in their natural, spring-fed environment, as well as other (caged) Florida wildlife such as bobcats, otters, eagles, and cougers.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Overlapping the Kennedy Space Center, this refuge is a prime spot to view more than 500 species of wildlife.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park - A haven for tubers, the 6-mile, spring-fed Ichetucknee River takes visitors on a slow, relaxing journey through swamps and forest.

St. John's River - Rent a houseboat and cruise along this northward flowing river to view manatees, bald eagles, wood storks, black bears and cypress trees.

Ocklawaha River - Follow a kingfisher down this narrow 120-mile long blackwater river; find a campsite, relax by a campfire and gaze at the stars.

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HIKING, CAMPING, AND TRAILS

Hiking and camping in the Ocala National Forest

The campsites and trails of Florida traverse the varied terrain that makes Florida unique. Where else does a 1,300-mile trail guide you from subtropical preserves through lush swampy forests along dark primitive rivers to a spectacular national seashore? The Florida part of the National Scenic Trail is maintained by the volunteer organization, the Florida Trail Association. FTA also produces excellent highly detailed maps of all "their" trails found throughout the state.

Florida's cross-state "linear park" of trails

Florida's state parks also have trails running through them, totalling another 1,400 miles (see "Parks" below). Or you can explore the extensive trails of Florida's Greenways and Trails, including the Cross Florida Greenway, a "linear park" that stretches the entirety of northern Florida. Not just a place for hiking and walking, Florida's trails have sections where you may bicycle, horseback ride, paddle, and rollerblade. Many of the Greenway trails are also wheelchair accessible.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also maintains trails in lands of their jurisdiction, and also maintains an excellent web site for finding activity-specific trails throughout Florida: see FWC's Florida Trail Guide.

Federal
Open public lands in Florida include the U.S. Department of the Interior's national parks, preserves and wildlife refuges; the U.S. Department of Agriculture's national forests; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas.

Here is ecotourism information about:

Florida's 11 national parks, preserves and monuments
Florida's 28(!) national wildlife refuges
Florida's 2,300 square miles of national forests
Florida's 21 national and state preserves
Recreation areas of the Army Corps

Here are a select few of the federal managed areas:

Everglades National Park
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
Ocala National Forest
Big Cypress National Preserve
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge

State
Begun in 1935, Florida's state park system encompasses 158 parks, totalling more than 600,000 acres, and attracts about 18 million people a year. Winners of the Gold Medal Award, Florida's state parks are voted the best in the country. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection also has title to 13 state preserves. The revenue generated from visits to state parks alone contributed $574 million to Florida's economy in 2003.

As well the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains many public lands open for ecotourism (as well as hunters).

Link here to order your real Florida passport, provided by the Florida Park Service.

Here is ecotourism information about:

Florida 158 state parks and areas
Florida's 21 national and state preserves
Florida's 31 state forests
Florida's 134(!) Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

Water Management District public use guides to dozens of wild areas:

St Johns River WMD public use guide
South Florida WMD public use guide
Southwest Florida WMD public use guide
Suwannee River WMD public use guide
Northwest Florida WMD public use guide

Here are a select few of the state-managed areas:

Suwannee Springs State Park
Tomoka State Park
Green Swamp
The DuPuis Management Area
Oscar Scherer
Big Shoals State Park
Florida Caverns State Park
Hillsborough River State Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Myakka River State Park
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Rainbow River State Park
Wakulla Springs State Park
Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve

Counties and Cities
Even the most sprawling counties offer some escape from cars and concrete. Pinellas and Broward Counties, the two most densely populated counties in Florida, have 56 county parks between them. Even within the hearts of Florida's bustling cities lie a variety of opportunities to relax and enjoy the natural elements of Florida.

Here are a select few county park systems that will interest the ecotourist:

Miami-Dade County Parks
Hillsborough County Parks
Pinellas County Park Department
Sarasota County Parks and Recreation
Broward County Parks and Recreation Division
Fern Forest Urban Wilderness Area
Clearwater Parks and Recreation
City of Orlando Parks Directory

Florida's abundant natural areas are a fundamental component of our multi-billion dollar tourist industry. At the same time, no value can be placed on Florida's inestimable, irreplaceable, diverse natural resources. The best way to ensure that our natural areas and wildlife aren't taken for granted and lost is to experience them firsthand.