Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship, protecting our air, water and land. FDEP is divided into three primary areas:

• Land and Recreation programs acquire and protect lands for preservation and recreation. DEP oversees 175 state parks and trails and more than 12 million acres of public lands and 4 million acres of coastal uplands and submerged lands.

• Regulatory programs safeguard natural resources by overseeing permitting and compliance activities that protect air and water quality, and manage waste cleanups. The FDEP’s six regulatory district offices review permit applications, inspect permitted facilities, respond to reports of environmental damage, and conduct compliance assistance and enforcement. The Indian River Lagoon Estuary lies in the Central and Southwest FDEP districts.

• Ecosystem Restoration programs protect and improve water quality and aquatic resources including America’s Everglades, Florida’s iconic springs and Florida’s world-renowned coastal resources. DEP works with communities, local governments and other agencies to protect and restore water quality and supply and to provide funding assistance for water restoration and infrastructure projects, as well as coordinates the protection of Florida’s submerged lands and coastal areas. The FDEP Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection manages more than 4.9 million acres of submerged lands and coastal uplands, including the Indian River Lagoon Estuary.

Division of Recreation and Parks

The FDEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks manages 175 state parks, trails and historic sites as part of its award-winning Florida State Parks system. The FDEP also manages 41 aquatic preserves, three national estuarine research reserves and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary through its Florida Coastal Office. FDEP-managed recreation areas encompass some of Florida’s most beautiful rivers, lakes, bays, beaches, forests, caves and woodlands.

Since the mid-1970s, FDEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks has been collecting, storing and using outdoor recreational data from various sources throughout the state to assist with the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The Florida Outdoor Recreation Inventory database provides helpful information about the location, number and type of recreational opportunities available in Florida.

Outdoor Activities in Florida

From camping, to boating, to hiking and biking, Outdoor Florida is your online source for finding outdoor recreational opportunities across Florida’s diverse public lands system. The website and mobile application Outdoor Florida was created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to fulfill Florida Legislation that took effect July 1, 2016 to further increase public awareness of recreational opportunities available to the public on Florida’s conservation lands.

Florida DEP Digital Subscription Service

Visit the FDEP's Subscription Topics web page to sign up for to a variety of educational and informative newsletters, updates and announcements about the department’s programs, activities and events.

Further Reading

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection Website
• Banana River Aquatic Preserve
• Indian River-Malabar to Vero Beach Aquatic Preserve
• Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce Aquatic Preserve
• Mosquito Lagoon Aquatic Preserve
• All FDEP Aquatic Preserve Program Content
• Outdoor Florida