In 2022, we celebrate 25 successful years of a partnership with the Florida Conservation Corps. Part of that celebration includes highlighting members who continued their careers by joining the Florida State Parks team.
Alex served two terms with the Florida Conservation Corps at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. Today, he is the park's manager.
As the AmeriCorps member at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, Alex was primarily responsible for treating and removing non-native plants. He also received extensive training and experience as a wildland firefighter, received training and experience surveying for the Florida grasshopper sparrow, and he collected valuable data about the distribution of fire ant nests in Florida prairie.
During Alex’s last week with AmeriCorps, he organized a weeklong strike team with members from other parks. The group spent the week removing 300 trees that had grown along the edge of a longtime canal, creating an unnatural row of trees and causing fragmentation in the middle of the healthy prairie habitat.
The following Monday, he started his new job as a park ranger at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
Today, Alex is the manager at Kissimmee Prarie Preserve State Park and Okeechobee Battlefield Historic State Park.
The 58,000-acre prairie provides challenges. Alex still battles non-native plants and oversees prescribed fires that cover thousands of acres. The prairie provides habitat for the endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow. The park is also Florida’s first designated Dark Sky park, which provides visitors with spectacular views of the Milky Way.
“I make sure my staff has the training, equipment and organizational structure they require to care for our natural resources and serve our visitors the best we possibly can,” said Alex.
In May 2022, Alex was awarded the employee of the year award from the Division of Recreation and Parks for his outstanding efforts.
