HOMESTEAD, Fla. —  Everglades National Park announced today its continued support and collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, the South Florida Water Management District and other partners for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge™. The annual python removal competition is a public initiative dedicated to raising awareness about invasive species and providing opportunities for the public to get involved in protecting the Everglades ecosystem by removing invasive Burmese pythons.  
“Protecting Everglades National Park, one of the world’s most globally significant ecosystems, requires ongoing partnerships and community stewardship,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos of Everglades National Park. “By engaging the public in science-based invasive species management, we are able to raise awareness and strengthen support for conservation across South Florida.” 

FWC announced that the 2026 Florida Python Challenge™ dates are Friday, July 10 from 12:01 p.m. to Sunday, July 19 at 5 p.m.    

Invasive Burmese pythons produce negative impacts on the fragile Everglades ecosystem by preying on wildlife and competing for food and habitat across South Florida's wetlands. Everglades National Park works with partners to address these impacts using a variety of science-based management tools, including targeted, humane removal and coordinated control efforts. These actions are supported through established programs with trained volunteers, contractors, and other authorized agents operating under established safety protocols, training requirements, and park supervision. 

 To participate and learn more:   

• Register and complete required training via the official Florida Python Challenge™ website.
• Review Everglades National Park-specific information, rules, and orientation.

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Photo caption: Participants check in at an Agent Authorization Station at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center in Everglades National Park during the 2025 Florida Python Challenge™.
Photo credit: NPS photo by Brandon Cintron Gerena

HOMESTEAD, Fla. —  On the evening of April 27, a wildfire was reported in the northeastern corner of Everglades National Park. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service responded quickly with ground and aviation resources, including direct extinguishment and indirect confinement strategies, to limit fire spread late into the evening.  

The Highway 41 Fire, located south of U.S. Route 41 (Tamiami Trail) and east of Shark Valley has increased significantly in size to 2,500 acres as of mid-day Monday. The fire is currently burning in sawgrass with active fire moving to the south and west. Aviation and ground resources will focus on securing containment boundaries using direct, indirect, and firing operations as needed.

The park has closed the area between the L-67 Canal on the west and L-31 Canal on the east from U.S. Route 41 south to several miles north of Mahogany Hammock. To ensure firefighter and public safety, this closure includes all parking lots, facilities, and navigable waterways within these areas. Due to the predicted dry weather conditions and active fire behavior, Coopertown Airboats, Safari Park, and Gator Park businesses will also be closed.

Smoke impacts are expected along U.S. Route 41, and temporary road closures may be implemented if conditions deteriorate. 

Additional closures and updates may be necessary and will be posted on the park’s website under Current Conditions.
 
Public Safety Advisory
Motorists traveling through the area are urged to:

• Exercise caution.
• Reduce speed and use low-beam headlights in smoky conditions.
• Allow extra travel time.
• Be alert for emergency personnel and equipment operating along roadways.
• Monitor local traffic updates and emergency alerts.

 
Evacuation Trigger Points
Residents in the area should be aware of the potential fire impacts and trigger points (posted at the link below) for evacuation status using the Ready, Set, Go model:
Ready – Be aware of wildfire in the area. Have an action plan in place.
Set – Stay informed, monitor local conditions via web alerts and local media. Prepare a go bag and be ready to evacuate if conditions deteriorate.
Go – Follow directions, secure home, evacuate early.

Monitor updates via Everglades National Park web alerts at https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/conditions.htm - and local media. 

Photo caption: Highway 41 fire burns south of U.S. Route 41 in Everglades National Park in April 2026
Photo credit: NPS Photo

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service.  Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov

KEY WEST, Fla. — National Park Service archeologists have identified the original burial site of Private George Tupper, a 22-year-old U.S. Army soldier and the only known service member buried within the walls of Fort Jefferson on Garden Key. 
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“Locating Private Tupper’s original grave allows us to honor him and the service members who lived and served at Dry Tortugas,” said Josh Marano, NPS archeologist and field director for the project. “It is also a great reminder of why careful survey work before projects is essential.” 

Tupper served in Battery M, 1st U.S. Artillery, and enlisted in Boston on Oct. 16, 1872. Army records describe him as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with gray eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion. He listed his occupation as a “book binder,” though a commanding officer later described him as an actor. Tupper died of yellow fever at Fort Jefferson on Oct. 6, 1873, just weeks before completing his first year of service. 

His death occurred during a yellow fever outbreak that claimed multiple lives at the remote island fort and coincided with an approaching hurricane that prevented burial in the post cemetery. Historical records state he was buried in a “lime pit, near the parade, being the only remains buried within the fort limits.” While civilians may also have been buried within the parade grounds, Tupper is the only documented service member interred inside the fort. He was later exhumed and likely reinterred at Fort Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida. 

During the survey, archeologists also recovered artifacts including buttons, marbles, bullets and clay smoking pipes that provide information about daily life at Fort Jefferson in the 19th century. 

In June 2024, archeologists with the park’s cultural resources team, assisted by the NPS Southeast Archeological Center, discovered Private Tupper’s burial site while surveying potential locations for a new radio tower. The team used ground-penetrating radar as part of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal agencies to consider effects on historic properties before undertaking projects. 

The discovery supports ongoing research into the fort’s post cemetery, located on a nearby submerged island. While U.S. Army records document at least 83 deaths at Fort Jefferson, park archeologists have since identified more than 200 individuals who died there, many previously listed as unknown. 


To learn more about Private Tupper and the work to identify his original burial site, visit: Private George Tupper.
To learn more about the Fort Jefferson post cemetery, visit: Underwater Hospital and Cemetery.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. —  On March 7, the National Park Service invites the public to Everglades National Park for the Nike Site Festival at the historic Nike Hercules Missile Base. The free public event highlights the site’s role in the Cold War era and the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

“Events like the Nike Site Festival help us connect with the park’s local communities by sharing and preserving the stories of HM-69,” said Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park. “It’s a chance to honor those who served and to learn about South Florida’s vital role in this important chapter of our nation’s history.” 

Ranger-led programs and guest speakers will provide insight into the site’s history and significance. Local museums and educational organizations will showcase exhibits on South Florida’s military and cultural heritage. 

Festival activities include a vintage auto show, live music, family-friendly programs, food trucks and K-9 demonstrations. Young visitors can participate in hands-on science and history activities, such as building and launching water rockets or completing the new Junior Nike Cadet activity book. 
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For a detailed schedule, event descriptions or to register for the auto show, visit the Nike Site Festival webpage. 
Images from last year’s event can be found on Everglades' Flickr page. 

To learn more about the base's history, visit the HM-69 Nike Missile Base webpage.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – The National Park Service issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for two major rehabilitation projects in Everglades National Park: Rehabilitation of Parkwide Water and Wastewater Systems and Flamingo Bulkheads Rehabilitation Project. The FONSI establishes that, based on the Environmental Assessment (EA), there would be no significant impact on the environment as a result of the selected action. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the park considered “action” and “no action” alternatives and solicited public comments for 30 days.  
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“We are so grateful for the public’s input on these vital infrastructure projects that are essential to providing sustainable visitor services and protecting the park environment,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos of Everglades and Dry Tortugas national parks. "These improvements address critical safety and health concerns while ensuring many years of continued facility operations for park visitors.” 
 
Rehabilitation of Parkwide Water and Wastewater Systems 
This project addresses the physical and operational deficiencies of the park’s potable water distribution systems and wastewater collection systems. The existing systems are critically deficient and expensive to maintain. Many are only partially operable or at the end of their service life. Infrastructure near the ocean corrodes and deteriorates from exposure to saltwater, UV rays and high temperatures. The project seeks to improve safety, efficiency and overall operations while ensuring resilience to the impacts of climate change and maximizing the service life of the systems. 
 
The selected action provides for the rehabilitation of water and wastewater systems at 13 sites managed by park staff. The primary elements of the project include rehabilitating the reverse osmosis plants in the Flamingo and Main Entrance/Royal Palm areas. Other elements include replacing associated apparatuses needed for distribution, collection, and treatment of potable water and wastewater. Design is expected to begin over the summer with construction starting in 2026.  
 
Flamingo Bulkheads Rehabilitation Project 
This project will rehabilitate existing historic seawall bulkheads, walkways, and aging amenities within the park’s Flamingo Mission 66 Developed Area Historic District. Visible sections of existing seawall caps and pilings are cracking and breaking due to rusting and expanding reinforcing steel, causing potential tripping hazards for visitors and staff. This project will improve safety and provide an optimal visitor experience with a 50 to 100-year life span. 
 
The selected action, Alternative C, provides for the building of a new bulkhead wall using the “hard ground press-in method.” This method involves specialized equipment that uses hydraulic force to push piles into the ground. The new bulkhead wall will be built in front of the existing wall and is designed to carry the load of both walls. Other components of the project include the demolition and replacement of an aging boat shelter, as well as the repair/replacement of boat docks, pilings, and associated utilities (electric, water, wastewater, and fuel). Construction is anticipated to begin later this year. 
 
The FONSI decisions were made separately after considering environmental impacts to resources including vegetation, wetlands and soils; wildlife and species of special concern; hydrology and water quality; visitor use and experience; human health and safety; and lightscapes and viewsheds. The NPS will implement multiple mitigation measures and best management practices to protect the natural and cultural resources onsite. 

Funding for both projects is provided by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. GAOA is part of a comprehensive effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, the fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the NPS to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.   
 
The FONSI and related documents are available for viewing at: 
ParkPlanning - Rehabilitation of Parkwide Water and Wastewater Systems (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectId=93827)
ParkPlanning - Rehabilitate Marina Bulkheads at Flamingo (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectId=97893)

Learn more about Everglades National Park online at nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, X and Instagram. 

MIAMI, Fla - The National Park Service (NPS) in conjunction with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will be conducting a joint prescribed fire operation scheduled to begin in late January and continue through February. The 151,434-acre Boundary Prescribed Fire Project—located south of US Highway 41 between mile markers 36 and 44, including the Miccosukee Reserved Area—removes jurisdictional boundaries to complete prescribed burns with the assistance of federal, Tribal, state and local resources. The project aims to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations, create a critical fire break on the south side of the Miccosukee Reserved Area to protect the Tribal Community from wildfire, enhance landscape resiliency, aid in ecosystem restoration, protect cultural values and improve firefighter and public safety.

“We are so grateful for this collaboration, which allows us to take a landscape-level approach to prescribed fire,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos who oversees the NPS sites in South Florida. “Nature doesn’t adhere to our jurisdictional boundaries, so allowing a controlled burn to take a more natural path benefits the ecosystem and increases safety for people and our built environment.”

Due to the size and location, this project will take place in phases guided by agency specialists and the Tribe’s traditional ecological knowledge to benefit the mutual natural and cultural interests of the NPS and the Tribe. Phases 1 and 2 include treatment on the western and northern perimeters of the project area using Shark Valley Tram Road as a natural holding barrier on the eastern perimeter and securing residences and other values at risk. In Phase 3, once at-risk values are secured, managers will apply fire strategically, creating the desired level of fire intensity based on fuels and water levels in the remainder of the area, to achieve the ecosystem objectives specified in the treatment plan.

“The Tribe is very pleased to partner with the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs to execute these important land management actions for the benefit of promoting robust resources and ecosystem health,” said Chief of Sustainability Officer Kevin Cunniff of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. “We are collectively embarking to do so in a manner based in, and informed by, the traditional knowledge and practices that Miccosukee people have used to help shape the Everglades and Big Cypress over thousands of years.”

Conditions for successful prescribed burn operations such as weather, fuel moisture and smoke dispersion are carefully tracked and considered in advance. The target timeframes are estimates and may change depending on environmental conditions, agency approval, resource availability and state burn authorizations and restrictions.

Fire has played a significant role in the history of South Florida, both naturally and through human activity. One of the primary objectives of prescribed fire is to decrease accumulated vegetation, which reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires. As set forth in the Miccosukee Tribe and National Park Service Co-Stewardship Agreement, “Everglades National Park coordinates with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida to minimize threats of wildland fire to the Miccosukee Reserved Area and greater Miccosukee community, a nationally recognized Wildland Urban Interface Community at Risk.” By deliberately burning specific areas, land managers can limit the density of fast-burning grasses that threaten nearby communities.

South Florida’s ecosystems are dependent on fire to sustain healthy, resilient ecosystems that resist exotic plant invasions, recover quickly from natural events such as hurricanes and support habitat for federally threatened and endangered species. South Florida’s tribes, local, state and federal agencies are committed to reducing wildfire risk through proactive fuel management. Through collaboration and cooperation south Florida is removing lines from maps and treating the ecosystem on a landscape level.  
 
For updates on burn operations and related closures, visit:
InciWeb interagency all-risk incident information management system:
​Flevp Boundary Prescribed Fire Information | InciWeb
Everglades National Park - https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Big Cypress National Preserve - https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – On Jan. 16, Everglades National Park released a status update on the draft Wilderness Stewardship Plan, which would guide the preservation, management and use of the park’s wilderness lands. An updated StoryMap with details is available at parkplanning.nps.gov/ever-wsp. No public meetings or public comment period are planned with this informational update.
 
“We are grateful for the input we have received on our wilderness stewardship planning effort,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos of Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks. “Having a wilderness stewardship plan that balances the protection of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness with active use and enjoyment by people is essential.”
 
The purpose of the wilderness stewardship plan is to provide long-term direction for preserving wilderness character, protect the natural and cultural resources in wilderness areas, improve conditions in areas with unacceptable levels of impact, and provide opportunities for public use and enjoyment in accordance with the Wilderness Act and other applicable laws and policies.  
 
The next steps will include development of alternatives, another opportunity for public comment, and a management decision as required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The development of alternatives will be prepared in an environmental compliance document that will analyze the near-term and high-priority actions in the Wilderness Stewardship Plan. These documents will be shared for public review in late 2025.
Recognizing the deep connections between past, present, and future peoples, and wilderness, the National Park Service (NPS) welcomes shared stewardship of our wilderness areas. As part of a collaborative and transparent planning process, the park invited input on the draft desired conditions and preliminary management strategies from the public and associated Tribes in spring 2024. The NPS analyzed comments and refined the desired conditions and preliminary management strategies. The public comment summary can be found along with the StoryMap on the project website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ever-wsp.

The park’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness is the largest unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System east of the Rocky Mountains. Established in 1934, Everglades National Park was considered wilderness 30 years before the Wilderness Act of 1964 was signed into law, and 44 years prior to its official wilderness designation in 1978. The NPS now manages 97% of the park as wilderness, including submerged marine lands.
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Learn more about Everglades National Park online at nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, X, and Instagram.  

MIAMI, Fla. – On Jan. 31, Everglades National Park will host the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón to celebrate the intersection of poetry and nature with a virtual event for students and a public event to unveil a poetry installation—a picnic table inscribed with the poem “Ecology” by June Jordan.  

Everglades is one of seven national parks selected to be part of Limón’s signature project “You are Here: Poetry in Parks.” The initiative is a partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), Library of Congress, and the Poetry Society of America that features installations of site-specific poetry installations in the parks. In each park, a picnic table, transformed into a work of public art, features a historic American poem that relates to the park in a meaningful way. 

“I want to champion the ways reading and writing poetry can situate us in the natural world,” said Limón.  “Never has it been more urgent to feel a sense of reciprocity with our environment, and poetry’s alchemical mix of attention, silence, and rhythm gives us a reciprocal way of experiencing nature—of communing with the natural world through breath and presence.” 

Everglades National Park is the sixth stop of Limón’s "You Are Here: Poetry in Parks" tour.  She has already visited Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, Redwood National and State Parks in California, Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The final stop on her tour will be Saguaro National Park in Arizona. 

The project includes an invitation for public participation. The NPS and Limón hope people of all ages—poets and non-poets—will feel moved to write their own responses to the You Are Here prompt of “What would you write in response to the landscape around you?” People have the option to share their responses on social media using the hashtag #YouAreHerePoetry. 

“We are so pleased to be a part of Ms. Limón’s Poetry in Parks project,” said Sabrina Diaz, interim superintendent for Everglades and Dry Tortugas national parks. “Through the park’s Artist in Residence in Everglades program and other opportunities, we have hosted poets and other artists over the years to explore that special connection between art and nature.”  

Beginning at 3 p.m., the free, public event will be held outside the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center at the Homestead entrance. Limón will give a poetry reading and describe the selection of the poem, followed by a panel discussion with local representatives from community organization O, Miami and park partner Artists in Residence in Everglades, Inc. The ceremony will end with an unveiling of the picnic table which will reside in the parking area of the visitor center to inspire park visitors.  

Following the event, there will be a book signing of the new anthology of nature poetry complied by Limón, You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, published by Milkweed Editions. The Florida National Parks Association, the park’s non-profit partner, will have copies for sale at the event.  

Limón will also join a park ranger in the morning for a virtual broadcast from the Everglades to classrooms across the country. Teachers may register for the virtual reading and introduction to the Everglades by emailing the park’s education program at [email protected].  
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Limón was appointed as the 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress on July 12, 2022, and was reappointed for a historic two-year second term on April 24, 2023. Limón’s second term will conclude in April 2025. 
 
Learn more about Everglades National Park online at nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, X, and Instagram.  

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – On Jan. 18, Everglades National Park will host the inaugural Nike Site Festival at the historic HM-69 Nike Missile Site. The event will commemorate South Florida’s role in the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis and will also highlight the region’s Cuban heritage. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. followed by a Cold War era presentation at the Long Pine Key campground at 6 p.m. The event is family-friendly, open to the public, and free of charge with park admission.

The festival features a variety of events, each chosen to connect to the site’s history and the stories of its military personnel. There will be ranger presentations, guest speakers, and related educational organizations in attendance. Participants can assemble their own water-powered rocket, watch K-9 demonstrations, vote for their favorite Cold War era muscle car, and listen to live musical performances by the 13th Army Band and other local musicians playing hits from the 1950s through the 1970s. Food will also be available for purchase.

The HM-69 Nike Missile Base operated from 1965-1979 to defend the United States against possible air attacks. Approximately 140 soldiers staffed the site, which was listed as a Historic District on July 27, 2004. Located near the Homestead entrance, the site is open seasonally from November through March for visitation and daily tours.
 
For event schedule and additional details about the Nike Site Festival, visit: Nike Site Festival - Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service) 
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Note: Registrations are still being accepted for the auto show.   
 
For more information about the HM-69 Nike Missile Site, to include trip planning: HM-69 Nike Missile Base - Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
 
For more information about Everglades National Park, visit: nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Homestead, Fla. — Thursday October 10, 2024 Biscayne National Park will reopen the Convoy Point grounds to the public at 12:00pm.  Friday October 11, 2024 The Park Bookstore will reopen at 8:30am and the Dante Fascell Visitor Center will reopen at 9:00am.
 
For more information about Biscayne National Park visit nps.gov/bisc or follow the park on Facebook or Instagram
 
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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 425 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.