Rene Acuna

Rene Acuna is the park manager at Hontoon Island State Park.

The mission of the Florida Park Service is: "to provide resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting, and restoring natural and cultural resources." What role do you play in this mission?

I manage a beautiful 1650-acre island nestled on the St. Johns River in Deland, Florida. I strive to help preserve these natural areas so that people can come out and enjoy nature at its finest. I always look for ways to create memories for our visitors through the interpretation of our natural and cultural resources.

Nothing brings me more pleasure than to teach something new about our park to visitors, and especially rewarding when it comes to educating the members of my Latinx community as to the importance of preserving these areas.

How does your heritage influence your experience in the outdoors?

I grew up as the only child of a single Mexican American mother. We moved from Arizona to the country of Panama when I was five. We were fortunate to live in this beautiful tropical paradise. My mother always found time to take the neighborhood kids and I out to the tropical rain forest on trails that were used by the Spanish conquistadors back in the 1500s. Here we were surrounded by an abundance of wildlife from snakes to capybaras.

Living in a Latin American county also taught me how important it was to work with other people from the Latinx community so that they could become educated on the importance of preservation and conservation.

Any advice for Latinx who are interested in a career in conservation or recreation?

If you have an affinity for nature and the outdoors, then this job is for you. Working for the Florida Park Service is more than a job; it's a way of life. While employed in the conservation and recreation field, you will experience so many amazing things that will provide the opportunity for growth and adventure.

If this lifestyle sounds intriguing, then apply for a job in this field. If you are a member of the Latino community like me, you will not be disappointed because you will be a part of inspiring and developing the next generation of Latino conservation and recreation professionals and outdoor enthusiasts.