Staff Spotlight, Steve Kline
Park Ranger, Steve Kline
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Steve wants to welcome you to the wilderness of the Central Florida prairie. He helps visitors discover the natural stillness of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and make a once-in-a-lifetime connection to Florida’s nature. Steve says his role as a park ranger is to be an ambassador for authentic Florida. He is enthusiastic about keeping the campgrounds clean and hospitable for guests. He can be found working in the field, rain or shine.
Steve came out to Kissimmee Prairie because he was looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the coast and the concrete cities. One of his favorite activities is hiking the Kilpatrick Prairie Trail and experiencing the restorative effects of the vastness of the prairie. He thinks that being out at Kissimmee Prairie you can be alone in nature, coming face to face with a wild turkey or deer that has crossed your path. Steve wants everyone to be able to have a chance to see the bright orange splash of color that indicates a pine lily in the prairie grasses.
Steve was raised near West Palm Beach and spent many summers outdoors in upstate New York, where he was born. He has always been an angler and a hiker; his grandfather was a member of the Audubon Society. He spent most of his working career in the hectic restaurant industry but found his passion for a lifelong career when he joined the park service. He previously worked as a park ranger in Vermont before joining the Florida Park Service.
He loves the diversity of being a park ranger and makes it his mission to learn as much as he can about the plants and animals of the prairie. Find Steve at Kissimmee Prairie and tell him of your wildlife encounters or ask him which hiking trails are best to spot a crested caracara.