Melanie Luce, Park Ranger
Melanie grew up in Connecticut but her heart has always been in Florida. She spent every summer in Florida with family and frequented the parks here, especially Stump Pass Beach – a family favorite. Her goal was always to call Florida her home and she accomplished that goal.
When a part-time opportunity to work at Stump Pass Beach presented itself, she could not turn it down. She worked hard and was rapidly promoted to park ranger – a position she holds in high regard. She loves working outdoors with wildlife, having also worked a number of jobs with domesticated animals in the past, and has a love of animals in general. Stump Pass Beach presents an amazing glimpse into marine wildlife that rewards her every day, whether it’s a baby sea turtle emerging from its nest, manatees swimming by, saving birds with broken wings or preserving the habitat of endangered shorebirds. You may see her helping visitors so they can appreciate the same splendor she enjoys every day.
She is the only full-time park ranger at Stump Pass Beach State Park, and you can usually catch her in the field talking to visitors on the beach or trail, sometimes discussing shells, other times sharing about sea turtles and their habitat or identifying shore birds. Other times you can catch her on the trails trying to keep the invasive plants at bay or picking up debris, so the park stays clean and beautiful for all visitors.
Melanie takes immense pride in making sure everyone can enjoy the park as much as she does.
