Volunteer Spotlight, Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park
Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park
2021 Citizen Support Organization of the Year for Resource Management
The Friends of Gamble Rodgers State Park have contributed enormously to the maintenance of the natural and cultural resources of the park.
The organization’s board members have fostered community involvement, created the Sea Turtle Sponsorship Program, hosted the Shuck and Share program, worked to remove invasive exotic plants, offered kayak and paddling tours, and more.
In 2019, with other improvements being made elsewhere in the park, the Friends of Gamble Rogers determined the landscape around the ranger station deserved some botanical attention. After a thorough search, the group hired a landscape designer to bring their vision of the park’s entrance to life.
The project couldn’t just look good: It also had to benefit the park’s natural resources. The friends spent hours consulting park staff and the park biologist on exactly what types of plants would help preserve the present natural biome.
Funding was also a consideration, and the friends found many ways to make the project more economical. Many members volunteered their time and expertise to complete multiple phases of the project, which reduced the cost of the project by almost half.
First impressions count. With the friends’ help, park visitors are greeted with a year-round display of color!
Congratulations to the Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park. Their volunteer efforts are appreciated.