NPCA’s Sun Coast Region operates out of Hollywood, Florida on issues relating to the diverse national parks of Florida, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Whether paddling a canoe through the subtropical wonderland of the Everglades, touring the casemates of Dry Tortugas’ Fort Jefferson, or snorkeling along coral reefs in the crystal clear waters of the Virgin Islands, parks in the Sun Coast are culturally distinct, eminently historic, and a little wet and wild. Tackling threats to these parks, both big and small, is the mission of the dedicated staff of the Sun Coast Region.

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Dune fence and sea oats on the dunes at Pensacola Beach, Florida on Gulf Islands National Seashore.   camera icon Photo © Colin Young/Dreamstime.

Encompassing Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Sun Coast region is remarkably high in biodiversity. The region spans both temperate and tropical ecosystems, with many of its parks already experiencing the impacts and challenges of a changing climate.

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Sun Coast Regional Office Field Reports

These field reports provide timely updates and perspectives on issues of interest to our members and supporters in Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Among its protection priorities, the Sun Coast team plays a critical leadership role in advancing the restoration of America’s Everglades, including Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, Big Cypress National Preserve, and the connected waters of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The team also prioritizes marine conservation to protect and restore the region’s incredible yet severely imperiled coral reefs and marine wildlife. Interwoven across the Sun Coast region’s work are efforts to engage and empower the diverse communities and people of the region to inspire effective advocacy for our treasured parks.

A region rich in history and culture, the team also fights to keep America’s stories alive, from Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve to the San Juan National Historic Site. The Sun Coast team defends the fragile coral reefs and vital fisheries at Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park and Virgin Islands National Park and fights to preserve one of the Florida panther’s last habitats in Big Cypress National Preserve. Working to promote policies that better protect our parks alongside community members and elected leaders, Sun Coast staff members ensure parks receive the attention, protection and funding they deserve.

As we celebrate NPCA’s centennial in 2019, the Sun Coast team leads ongoing efforts to preserve treasured park resources — while looking toward the future to enhance people’s connection to parks and tell the American story that is so deeply interwoven into the fabric of America’s incredible national parks.

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Creature Feature: Florida Panther

By the early 1990s, official estimates put the number of wild Florida panthers between 30 and 50, and extensive inbreeding resulted in birth defects and reproductive issues. NPCA and others helped capture eight Texas cougars and transported them to the Everglades in the 1990s as part of a daring genetic rescue to diversify the gene pool. Today, many of the 120 to 230 adult panthers that live in the Everglades are descendants of the Texas females.

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