News: Everglades National Park hosting additional public meetings on long term vision for the park

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]verglades National Park has scheduled two additional public meetings on its Draft General Management Plan for April 16 (Marathon) and April 17 (Key West). Three public meetings were recently held in which important input was provided by the public and four meetings previously announced will take place next week. Based on interest from Congressman Joe Garcia and constituents in the middle and lower Keys. These meetings were held throughout south Florida to facilitate public comment on the park’s Draft General Management Plan / East Everglades Wilderness Study / Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GMP). The Draft GMP was released February 27 for public review, and public comment is requested by Sunday, May 12, 2013. According to Superintendent Dan Kimball, “We are very pleased with the large turnout at the recent meetings and the great input and discussion between park managers and the public. We’re looking forward to the remaining meetings being equally valuable in helping to see how we may strengthen the final plan.”The Draft GMP provides broad guidance and describes desired conditions to be achieved and maintained regarding natural and cultural resource protection, appropriate types and levels of visitor activities, and facility improvements and development. Also included is a wilderness study for the East Everglades Addition (an area added to the park in 1989, after the park’s original 1978 wilderness designation). The Draft GMP is available for review and comment here […] (then go to the “Open for Comment” link). A limited number of paper copies and compact disks (CDs) of the plan are also available upon request by contacting Everglades National Park at 305-242-7700.

Meetings have already been held in Homestead, Islamorada, and Everglades City). The four meetings were the week of April 8 are: Dania Beach (April 8), Naples (April 9), Key Largo (April 10) and Miami (April 11). The April 8 meeting will also be webcast live, so anyone with an Internet connection can view the proceedings using the link noted above.

The public meetings are from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. and organized in three parts:
• Open House – opportunities for the public to review Draft GMP materials, meet with National Park Service (NPS) staff, and provide comments

• NPS Presentation – overview of key features of the Draft GMP

• Formal Comment/East Everglades Wilderness Hearing – comment session that allows the public to comment on the Draft GMP and the East Everglades Wilderness Study (session will be transcribed or recorded)

After the comment period ends on May 12, public input will be reviewed and analyzed, and adjustments to the plan will be made. The Final GMP and Record of Decision will be issued in 2014.

Schedule of remaining public meetings (all 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.):
1.)   Thursday, April 11, 2013
Florida International University (Stadium Club – part of Football Stadium)
11200 SW 8th Street (Stadium address: 11310 SW 17th Street), Miami, FL 33199
305-348-4828
2.)   Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monroe County Government Center/Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 2ND Floor, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
305-407-0177
3.)   Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Eco-Discovery Center,
33 E. Quay Road, Key West, FL 33040
305-809-4750
Driving directions to all meetings are posted at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVER.
*indicates meeting that will be webcast live on the Internet; see link above for details

-NPS-
More information on Everglades National Park can be found on the park website at http://www.nps.gov/ever/

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 395 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.

Media Contact
Mary Plumb
Public Affairs Officer (Acting)
Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks
40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034-6733
Office: 305-242-7714
Mobile: 786-385-0076
Mary_Plumb@nps.gov
www.nps.gov/EVER
www.nps.gov/DRTO