Two bills moving through the Florida Legislature aim to block development in nine state parks, including Anastasia State Park, but environmental advocates are concerned the bills lack specific protections. Protests are being held throughout April, urging lawmakers to amend the bills to ensure stronger safeguards against commercial development.

Months after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration introduced controversial plans to bring golf courses, resort-style lodges and pickleball courts to state parks, a Stuart lawmaker filed a measure to make such proposed changes off-limits.

Community members gathered Sunday morning at Elks Lodge in St. Augustine to celebrate the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to withdraw all proposed changes to state parks that could have added hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts to the protected land.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on Thursday said it has withdrawn all proposed amendments to state parks that could have added hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts to protected land.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday is set to hold a news conference with law enforcement officials in Winter Haven.

Plans to build a 350-room lodge, pickleball courts and a disc golf course at Anastasis State Park have caused an uproar in the community, with many calling the development plan “unnecessary” and “misguided.”

Northeast Florida leaders are taking a stand against plans to develop Anastasia State Park and eight other state parks around Florida.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has proposed dramatic plans to change Anastasia State Park and News4JAX has been trying to find out where all of this started.

Members of the St. Augustine community aren’t giving up their fight against proposed plans to change the landscape of Anastasia State Park.

A peaceful protest is taking place at Anastasia State Park to oppose the proposed development by the Department of Environmental Protection on Sunday at 10 a.m.

A peaceful protest is taking place at Anastasia State Park to oppose the proposed development by the Department of Environmental Protection on Sunday at 10 a.m.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has pushed back a series of meetings about a controversial proposal to add lodges, pickleball and golf at state parks.

Changes to the state park would include a lodge with up to 350 rooms, a disc golf course and pickleball courts.

Officials with the city of St. Augustine said that an announcement from the state this week was the first they heard of any planned changes to Anastasia State Park.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine could get a lodge with up to 350 rooms, a disc golf course and pickleball courts.

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the November crash of a small plane into the surf at Anastasia Island.

Miraculously, no one was injured when a small plane surveying damage from Nicole made an emergency landing late Monday morning at Anastasia State Park’s beach and then flipped, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

ANASTASIA ISLAND, Fla. – A right whale calf washed up Saturday on the shore of Anastasia State Park beach. Crews were studying the right whale calf and prepared to move it off the beach out of the tide zone. “It’s like putting a red light at an intersection or a speed zone at a school zone,” Hain said. If you see a right whale, you are encouraged to call 877-WHALE HELP. And legally, boats must stay 500 yards from any right whale they spot.

You might be surprised to find out that 19 of our 177 state parks offer cabins for rent. Want to capture some of these fall colors? The Fall Foliage Map predicts when we'll see leaves changing colors and falling across the country, including Florida. Fast-forward to Nov. 2, and fall foliage here is predicted to be nearing its peak. The Fall Foliage Map shows Floridians can expect to see fall colors near their peak in Northeast Florida beginning Nov. 2.