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Park visitation shows need for state to fund Florida Forever.

Honeymoon Island in Pinellas County, Lover’s Key and Gasparilla Island in Lee County, Brevard County’s Sebastian Inlet, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida Park in Miami-Dade County were the top-five visited Florida parks in 2010, new data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection show.

The DEP’s list of the top 25 most popular state parks spans Florida from the Panhandle to the Keys. And the millions of visitors who came to Florida’s parks throughout 2010 were a bright spot in a less-than-stellar economic year. The robust attendance figures show how critical it is for Florida to keep investing in the backbone of the state’s tourism economy – public natural areas.

“We are so fortunate that Florida’s leaders have kept their commitment over the years to Floridians by continuing to make investments in public lands through the Florida Forever program,” said Audubon of Florida Executive Director Eric Draper. “We look forward to working with the Legislature this year to continue funding for Florida Forever.”

“This is a wise time for the state to invest in land,” Draper added. “The real estate slowdown means that land is cheaper than it has been, more valuable pieces are available, and the state can get some great deals for taxpayers to preserve key conservation lands forever.”

Florida’s park visitors provide a critical economic boost in the communities where they are located – and that’s more important now than ever. For every 1,000 people attending a state park, the total direct impact on the local community is more than $43,000, a 2008 DEP study found.

Year after year, polls find that Floridians overwhelmingly support the Florida Forever program.

“We know that the public supports Florida Forever. People from all over the state will be making their voices heard to let the Legislature know they want the state to keep investing in preserving the landscapes that we love,” Draper said.