Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Volunteer Information
We welcomed over 18 million visitors to our 158 state parks last year, over 810,000 at Cape Florida alone. There is no way we could run our parks effectively without the 6,000 volunteers who provided over 1,000,000 hours of service to our visitors. This is the equivalent of 505 full-time positions. We welcome any assistance from our neighbors and visitors in participating in any of our scheduled history or nature programs, or in helping us improve the physical conditions of the park.
Are you interested in history and public speaking? Cape Florida boasts a 178-year-old lighthouse and we are in need of lighthouse tour guides. Walking through the massive cast iron door into the cool, brick-lined tower, immediately takes you back a century in time. The unobstructed view of Biscayne Bay, and the gateway to the Keys, from the summit of the tower is unsurpassed. The lighthouse is rich in history, and one can argue that the reason Miami exists here today is because of the light, established 70 years before the city itself.
We welcome new lighthouse tour guides, and we are looking forward to having several guides working together to provide more tours, or to keep the lighthouse compound open to the public for several hours during the day. If you have two hours a week to spare, and a talent or desire for public speaking, we will supply you with the background historical information and training to make you an effective tour guide.
Next year, we will begin limited guided tours through the park's recently restored mangrove wetlands. So, if you have a background or interest in conducting these tours, and two hours a week to spend at the park, we would love to hear from you.
Perhaps, you have always wondered what it was like to have been one of the first pioneers in Florida, hacking your way through the dense undergrowth. If you are not afraid of some hard, sweaty, but satisfying work, our resource management team has an unlimited amount of work available removing exotic vegetation, and replanting with native species.
We also welcome a limited number of maintenance volunteers who assist us in important work such as picking up trash and cleaning restrooms, pavilions, and fishing piers.
Something you may wish to consider is that many park rangers in the Florida Park Service gained the necessary skills and experience to apply for positions, by first volunteering in one of our parks.
So, if you think you would like to volunteer with us, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Art Levy by e-mail at: art.levy@dep.state.fl.us or by phone at (305) 361-8779.
At this time, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park requires that all volunteers live off the park premises, as we have no park housing, or RV camping available.
The Florida Park Service recognizes the tremendous accomplishments of our volunteers. We are happy to provide orientation and training, and volunteer uniforms (where appropriate). Volunteers are covered by workman's compensation for any work-sustained injuries. An annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner and Awards Ceremony is held at the "Boaters Grill." In addition, after 500 hours of service, volunteers receive a pass good for free admission to any Florida State Park for one whole year. There is also a statewide annual Volunteer Appreciation Weekend that you are invited to attend. And at that gathering, the "Friends of Florida State Parks," a statewide Citizens Support Organization, present annual volunteer recognition awards.
