The Friends of Oscar Scherer Park Inc. is a non profit volunteer group which exists for the purpose of supporting the priorities of the park manager at Oscar Scherer State Park. Our efforts include maintaining and improving habitat for the Florida Scrub Jay and providing a natural environment of learning and pleasure for school children, groups, naturalists and families. A major benefit of being a member of the Friends of Oscar Scherer Park Inc. is getting to see the park in ways that no visitor can.

Members of the Friends do a variety of tasks and administrative duties with a friendly spirit dedicated to supporting the natural beauty of Oscar Scherer State Park. These volunteers do hands-on maintenance work in the park, remove invasive exotic plants, provide firewood for campers, and monitor the Florida Scrub Jays as well as:

• Publish maps, fact sheets, trail guides, and newsletters to help visitors experience t
  he park more fully.
• Lead bird walks and nature strolls to provide a deeper understanding of the
  park's natural systems.
• Present nature programs, outreach programs, and musical programs for the general public.
• Maintain and improve the hiking trails to include such things as building an observation bench at Big Lake, and replacing many of the bridges along the trails.
• Update trail markers as needed for more than the 15 miles of trails
• Maintain the butterfly gardens to encourage Florida native plant gardening.
• Hold fund-raising events such as the Scrub Jay 5K, and obtain grants to provide
  amenities such as playgrounds and fire and maintenance equipment that are beyond
  the park’s budget.
• Maintain 104 campsites and related facilities through the Florida Campground Host Program
   

Last year the Friends of Oscar Scherer Park, Inc. volunteered over 26,000 hours of service to the park.

NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
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