SJRWMD Recreation Manager Nels Parson Receives Friend of the Florida Trail Award

Nels Parson, Regional Recreational Lands Manager for the St. Johns River Water Management District, recently received the Friend of the Florida Trail Award.  This prestigious award is presented to non-members or organizations that have made significant contributions to the Florida Trail Association.  Nels’ job is to assure reasonable access to recreational lands for public groups and individuals with interests in hiking, wildlife viewing, game hunting, waterfowl hunting and preservation, horseback riding, bicycling, fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking.  Recently, at Rice Creek Sanctuary, Nels and the District provided the inspiration and the materials necessary to widen the boardwalks, bridges and side trails to the Florida Trail, and to encourage construction of a viewing boardwalk to what is now known to be the eighth largest cypress in Florida.

In nominating him for this award, Florida Trail Association members Ella Lindsay (who oversees the Putnam Crew, a group of volunteer trailworkers who maintain the Florida Trail in Putnam, Clay, and northern Marion counties) and Kent Wimmer (Florida National Scenic Trail Liaison, who works with land managers throughout the state), agreed that Nels has been an excellent partner to work with on behalf of the Florida Trail.  “Nels is always willing to discuss and work out trail issues with Florida Trail volunteers and staff…Through his leadership we have been able to plan, certify as National Scenic (Trail), build, and manage the Trail on District lands including Rice Creek, Lake Norris, Seminole Ranch and Bull Creek…The Florida Trail Association’s volunteers and staff believe that our positive mutually beneficial partnership with the St. Johns River Water Management District is due to Nels’ leadership.  Nels Parson is indeed a ‘Friend of The Florida Trail’.”  The award was presented on March 17 in Umatilla, FL as part of the Florida Trail Association Annual Conference.

For more information about the Florida Trail in Rice Creek and the Florida Trail Association, please visit www.floridatrail.org . You may also see photos of Nels receiving his award, and images of the Florida Trail in Rice Creek Sanctuary, including those of Nels Parson assisting in measuring the Big Cypress.