Parks, Sanctuaries, and Ecotourism

The Florida Environment & Natural History (FLENH) unit here at  USF Tampa Libraries' Special Collections  welcomes you to the Parks, Sanctuaries, and Ecotourism exhibit. The FLENH collections currently contain 30 individual collections and cover topics including marine science, environmental policy, geology, botany, photography, ornithology, and many more. We compiled materials from several FLENH collections to bring you this curated exhibit where you can:

• Explore how the National and State Park systems were founded and the key players in their establishment.
• Learn about different types of sanctuaries, parks, and preserves, as well as the management practices required to maintain them.
• Discover some outdoor resources that are available right here on campus.

​Due to copyright restrictions, some of the items are only available for preview. Visit the Reading Room at Special Collections to see the full versions!

The National Park Service (NPS) was founded on August 25, 1916, to protect the existing 35 national parks and monuments and those that were yet to come. Today, the NPS includes over 400 sites, encompassing more than 84 million acres. In addition to parks, the NPS also oversees the National Natural Landmarks program.  ¹   The documents shown above discuss the program and list the designated natural landmarks of Florida in 1986.  

​State Parks vary from National Parks in that they are regulated by the state in which they reside, rather than by the federal government. Currently, there are over 6,700 state parks across the United States.  ⁷   The Florida Department of Environmental Protection currently maintains 175 parks across Florida specifically.  ⁸   This exhibit highlights the Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, the Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, and the Hillsborough River State Park in nearby Thonotosassa.  

 The Florida Environment and Natural History Collections  contain 30 distinct collections. Of those 30 collections, four pertain specifically to sanctuaries within Florida: the Lorida Audubon, the Audubon Everglades Science Center, the Audubon Florida Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and the Audubon Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries. 

 The Lorida Audubon Collection  is comprised of materials from Audubon’s Okeechobee Sanctuaries station in Lorida, Florida. The collection covers materials from 1935-2010 and contains documents by four members of the Chandler family (Marvin, Roderick, Roy, and Noel), environmental reports, maps, warden field notebooks, wildlife inventories, hydrology data, photographs, and more! Audubon Florida obtained the property in 1980, but members of the Chandler family had been patrolling the area and some of the nearby Kissimmee Prairie since 1936. Marvin Chandler was the first Chandler to be deputized and enforce wildlife laws in the area. Poaching of bird eggs drove him to climb trees and stamp eggs as “Property of the National Audubon Society,” which destroyed their black-market value. Today, the Florida Park Service conserves the land as part of 55,000 acres of Kissimmee Prairie. 

Roderick Chandler also played a huge role in the protection of Audubon’s Okeechobee Sanctuary, as well as the resident nesting populations of Everglade snail kites, an endangered species. Roderick Chandler was the regional Audubon warden in the 1970s when the prairielands were being plowed over for farming. His support and advocacy were contributing factors in the 1980s acquisition of the land by Audubon and the county.  ⁹   

Audubon’s Everglades Science Center was established in 1939 by renown ornithologist Robert Porter Allen. While Special Collections separately archives an entire  Robert Porter Allen Collection  that focuses on his decades of research saving whooping crane, roseate spoonbill, and flamingo populations, the  Everglades Science Center Collection  centers around white-crowned pigeon research and wading bird surveys. As the collection is extensive, other materials such as correspondences, glass lantern slides, photographs, reports, and international conservation materials are also included.

Originally founded on 5,000 acres in the mid-1950s by Audubon Florida, the  Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary  has grown to now encompass more than 13,000 acres. However, the history and efforts to preserve the land go back to the early 1900s.  ¹⁰  

The formation of Audubon’s Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries (FCIS) began in 1934 in response to the poaching of waterbirds on Green Key and Whiskey Stump Key in Hillsborough Bay. Since then, the sanctuary has expanded both its efforts and coverage area, now encompassing 28 islands.  ¹¹   Items within the  Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Collection  include newspaper articles, correspondences, publications, and warden reports, as well as information regarding reddish egret breeding, behavior, and diet.  

One of the island systems, Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Sanctuary, was named after a prior FCIS manager. The Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank sanctuary includes two islands that were created in the 1920s by dredging. Today, those islands are designated as Critical Wildlife Areas by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Paul’s records and correspondences comprise a large portion of the holdings at USF’s Special Collections.  

Another key player in the FCIS was its first warden, Fred Schultz. USF’s Special Collections houses weekly warden reports by Schultz during his time managing the properties. A primary responsibility of managing environmental habitats includes keeping detailed records of events and changes. Schultz's exemplary character and efforts are also specifically praised on page 3 of Herbert Mill's letter shown further below.

Dr. Herbert R. Mills, a Tampa pathologist, was heavily involved with the FCIS. Correspondences with Mills show his passion for conservation, speak to the forming of the FCIS, and indicate how management strategies were impacting vandalism. Additionally, his writings paint a picture of the state of the sanctuaries from bird poachers:

“At that time, I found gun shells scattered around on the ground, young birds dead and alive on the ground, empty nests, and other signs indicating that birds had been killed and carried out by the sack full.” 

Environmentally conscious tourism has been referred to by several names, including nature-based, green, eco-, ethical, sustainable, alternative, responsible, and conservation tourism. From that list, nature-based tourism and ecotourism tend to be the most commonly used terms.  ¹²   Although definitions vary, and several researchers use the terms interchangeably, most researchers maintain that the primary distinction between ecotourism and nature-based tourism is that nature-based tourism is more broadly defined. Nature-based tourism is any travel for the purpose of enjoying undeveloped natural areas and its wildlife. Ecotourism is more narrowly defined and focuses on responsible travel that includes conservation and cultural aspects.  ¹³   

The Big Cypress National Preserve covers more than 720,000 acres and has been the home to both the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of Florida, as well as several other tribes that came before those.  ¹⁴   The book The Enduring Seminoles: from Alligator Wrestling to Ecotourism tells the story of the adaptivity and resilience of the Seminole Tribe as they turned to their cultural heritage and ecotourism to survive and thrive in the Everglades after the hide market dwindled. The documents displayed below are excerpts from a 1978 Declaration of Trust between the State of Florida, the Seminoles, and the Miccosukees in regards the Big Cypress National Preserve area. The excerpts highlight the hunting and fishing rights that the tribes would receive and also indicate boundaries between the Big Cypress National Preserve and the reservations that the Miccosukee and Seminole claimed in perpetuity.

In the 1980s, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics proposed guidelines for responsible outdoor recreation. The US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management expanded on these principles into the seven key points below,  ¹⁵   which are valuable no matter which park or sanctuary you are visiting: 

1. Plan Ahead & Prepare 
2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces 
3. Dispose of Waste Properly 
4. Leave What You Find 
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 
6. Respect Wildlife 
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors 

Some guidelines for reducing visitor impacts in Audubon sanctuaries are outlined in the “Biotic Manipulation in Audubon Sanctuaries” article below. The issues arising from visitors trying to collect or transplant plants are addressed, as well as instructions on how to handle park patrons, especially in relation to bird nesting areas.  

Sanctuary wardens and park rangers play a key role in preserving park habitats, wildlife, and patrons. Patrol issues can range from illegal poachers to drug trafficking. While these issues are ongoing, they were especially problematic before the more standardized environmental laws and regulations that exist today were established. From the 1870s to the early 1900s, hunting birds for their feathers to create women’s fashion hats was an incredibly lucrative business. Audubon and other bird advocacy groups helped get these birds protected by law and establish security measures on some high-target sanctuaries. Unfortunately, several wardens were killed in the line of duty before the issue was finally noticed on a scale that brought about lasting changes.

Although initially establishing a trail or boardwalk may negatively affect the surrounding wilderness, the long-term benefits to the area take priority. Building and maintaining trails for visitors ensures that patrons are less likely to wander and disturb other areas of the park. Essentially, parks are trying to keep disturbances to a minimum, while simultaneously making the terrain safer for visitors to explore. Some factors and considerations to address when building trails are outlined in these documents. For example, visitor safety and experience, vulnerability of the plant species within the path, construction, location, and cost are popular topics. 

The term “invasive” usually applies to plants that are not naturally occurring in a certain region. For instance, water hyacinths are a type of floating plant that was introduced to Florida from South America in the 1880s. Since then, it has become a major weed species because of its aggressive growth rate. Brazilian pepper is also a top offender for several parks. It is native to Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil but was brought to Florida in the mid-1800s as an ornamental plant. Due to its quick growth, wide tolerance range, and high seed production, Brazilian pepper rapidly takes over habitats and forces out native plants. 

The term “invasive” does not apply only to exotic, non-native plants. Native plants can also be considered invasive if they begin to overtake an area. The Carolina willow, or coastal plain willow, is native to the southeastern region of the United States. However, it can grow aggressively and overtake other important marsh plants. Prescribed burns are one tactic used to manage the spread of these willows, but other strategies are also outlined in the correspondence below.

Managing beaches involves several other elements in addition to pedestrian traffic and invasive plants. Beaches are often exposed to off-road vehicle travel, oil spills, and harmful algal blooms. Fewer than 50 vehicle passes will permanently kill beach grass. Among other tasks, beach vegetation provides stability against erosion. Waves, wind, people, and man-made structure like jetties all impact sand movement and can diminish beachfront. In turn, this causes major issues for visitors, as well as nesting wildlife such as shorebirds and sea turtles.  

Oil spills damage wildlife, mangroves, and coastlines and can take years to recover from. However, they also impact resources that are below the surface: seagrasses, oyster beds, and fish. Subsequently, recreation enthusiasts, fisherman, locals, and tourists all pay the price. Clean-up efforts and long-term repercussions can end up costing millions of dollars. 

Several types of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) exist, but they are all caused by different types of microscopic, plant-like organisms. HABs occur when environmental factors, such as increased nutrients in the water from runoff, allow them to grow unchecked. Among other reasons, HABs are harmful because they can clog fish gills or cause them ulcers, contribute to low oxygen zones, block sunlight to seagrasses, and release toxins that enter the food chain, thereby effecting human and wildlife health. The  Jan K. Platt Collection  highlights her work with the Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force (HABTF). This group was created in response to health, environment, and economic concerns arising in Florida due to HABs. Special Collections is home to commissioner Platt’s HABTF documents, including from its inception in 1997. The HABTF worked to address issues caused by HABs until 2002. In 2019, Govenor Ron DeSantis reactivated the HABTF, which now includes collaboration among the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Blue-Green Algae Task Force, and Mote Marine Laboratory’s Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative.  ¹⁶    

The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was established in 1961 as the first underwater park in the United States. In 1984, it was listed as one of the world’s top 12 most threatened protected areas by the Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Two top threats to the park are visitors and development. When the park received recognition as a national marine sanctuary, public use of the area intensified. Subsequently, anchored boats and groundings have severely impacted the area. The "Threatened Protected Areas of the World" article below also stresses the importance of maintaining seagrasses and mangroves within the area to help curb turbidity and protect the fragile reefs from the increased boat and visitor traffic. 

Management policies shown above highlight key issues that had developed in the decade since the park opened. Some issues included, dive permits, boating regulations, spearfishing restrictions, regulation enforcement, pollution, and turbidity. As visitors do not usually attend meetings regarding park management practices, educational outreach is also an important component of park preservation. Brochures, like the one shown above created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, outline the significance of coral reefs and some helpful Do’s & Don’ts.  

Special Collections is also home to a research collection by  Dr. John Ogden , an Emeritus Professor in USF’s Dept. of Integrative Biology. The collection includes journal entries, field notes, manuscripts, photographs, and drawings. The image featured here is from Dr. Ogden’s 1981 mission in Hydrolab, an underwater laboratory near St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Special Collections also offers a  scholarship  to work with this collection.

With Florida ranking as one of the hottest tourist destinations, attractions using both native and exotic animals are popular. Ecotourism in Florida primarily focuses on spotting manatees, alligators, birds, and dolphins in their natural habitat. Kayak, boat, and swim ecotours are offered in almost every coastal town. Even though many tourists partake in these ecotourism activities, Florida is also popular for its exotic zoos and aquaria. Whether zoos should be considered an ecotourism activity is a debated topic as visitors are not engaging with the animals in their natural habitat. However, some researchers support that thoroughly accredited, responsibly managed zoos are a type of ecotourism due to their conservation and education efforts.  ¹⁷  

One popular destination for seeing beautiful natural habitats and wildlife in Florida are springs. Springs are natural water resources that occur when a flowing body of groundwater is at capacity. The result is the bubbling up of extra water onto the Earth’s surface. Because the water is supplied from underground, it maintains a warm temperature, regardless of winter weather. For this reason, manatees congregate around springs in the colder months. Despite their rotund appearance, manatees have remarkably little fat, leaving them vulnerable to the cold. Because manatees frequently navigate streams, springs, and rivers to stay warm and find food, boating regulations are commonly enforced in these areas. As manatees are slow moving, it is often difficult for them to evade boats. Consequently, many manatees die every year from boat strikes.  

Because fishing is such a popular hobby and sport, overfishing has been an ongoing issue for wildlife managers. To address these concerns while still providing a fun outdoor recreation activity, managers implemented fishing limits and rules. Featured here are some fishing regulations proposed by the Everglades National Park, as well as a brochure excerpt from the Florida Dept. of Natural Resources that shows laws regarding what fishermen are allowed to keep. Fishing licenses, permits, and regulations in Florida are managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.