This group is the recipient of the 2023 Volunteer Award for a Short Project in Natural Resources.

The world celebrated Earth Day on April 22, an annual time to reflect on our planet and its natural wonders. This year, we'd like to acknowledge some of the work that has been and is currently being done in our state parks to ensure that Florida’s natural beauty can be enjoyed for generations.

At Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Florida Park Service biologist Rebecca Collins joined butterfly technicians from the University of Florida’s McGui​re Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity to release dozens of Schaus’ swallowtail caterpillars.

Healthy seagrass communities are the most productive ecosystems the world. Biologist Becky Collins tells the story of how mooring buoys and channel markers help boaters protect the seagrass communities.