Partnerships

The FNST Coalition is comprised of a diverse, representative sample of trail partners dedicated to ensuring the development, maintenance, and promotion of the Florida Trail to ensure an optimum recreation experience. The variety of perspectives, backgrounds, concerns and organizations helps ensure that a wide spectrum of recreationists’ interests are considered in management decisions going forward. 

Land Managers

As it traverses the state, the Florida National Scenic Trail crosses numerous public and private lands. The FNST would not be the celebrated public resource it is today without the cooperation and assistance of many land managers. Land managers and their staff work with and support volunteers in building and maintaining the Trail. They support and advocate for the development, maintenance and promotion of the Florida Trail. Click HERE to view our Land Manager list. 

The following graphic illustrates the breakdown of Florida Trail land managers by agency type:

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Florida Trail Association

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Volunteers are the backbone of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Some of their highly valued efforts include building, planning and maintaining the Florida Trail, guiding hikes, filling leadership roles and working with land managers. The Florida Trail Association is a partner to the USDA Forest Service in managing volunteers on the Florida Trail. The Florida Trail Association builds, maintains, protects, and promotes the unique Florida National Scenic Trail along with a network of hiking trails throughout the state of Florida. Together with their partners, the Association provides opportunities for the public to contribute to meaningful volunteer work, engage in outdoor recreation, and participate in environmental education. 

Incorporated in 1964, the Florida Trail Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit volunteer organization that helps build, maintain, protect and promote the 1,500-mile Florida Trail. Visit the Volunteers page for more information on how to help on the trail.

Florida State University

The USDA Forest Service has partnered with Florida State University Department of Urban and Regional Planning for many years, providing projects for the Mark & Marianne Barnebey Planning & Development Lab as well as providing internships for graduate students. 

University of Florida

Researchers from the University of Florida, School of School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences began Florida National Scenic Trail visitor assessments in 2003. The goal of these assessments is to develop reliable use estimates at each study site within a given year, which can then be inferred to all FNST survey sections that are yet to be studied, forming a trail-wide estimate of use. The assessments also describe FNST users in terms of their socio-demographic and trip characteristics, as well as their level of satisfaction with their Trail experience.

Franklin's Promise Coalition

The Florida National Scenic Trail is partnered with the Franklin's Promise Coalition, a comprehensive youth development program for young adults 14-25 years of age (veterans up to 29), to assist with infrastructure and maintenance needs on the trail. The program also provides participants with job training, academic programming, leadership skills, and additional support through a strategy of service that conserves, protects and improves the environment, as well as community resilience.