The Pepper Pickers
The Pepper Pickers are a dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly most every Wednesday throughout the year. They endure extreme Florida weather and pesky insects to eradicate exotic Brazilian Pepper plants from our state park. This plant is highly invasive and can virtually displace native vegetation in areas where it takes a stronghold. Their incredible work has opened areas within the park to allow for the reestablishment of native plants and improved wildlife habitat.
The group formed in 2009 and over the last nine years they have worked with minimal supervision and with only minor cost (in the form of tools and equipment) to the state. Their task is to recruit and coordinate volunteers, identify projects, manage the use of supplies, keep adequate records of exotics removed and submit volunteer hours worked. A critical portion of the mission of the Florida Park Service is to preserve and restore natural resources. One of the biggest challenges we face is keeping up with the control of the invasive plant species while maintaining our parks and providing quality outdoor recreational experiences for our visitors.
Learn How to Get Involved
