Miami, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/21/2009 -- WPBT2’s latest high definition production, The Story of Florida’s State Parks, chronicles the story of the Florida Park Service and the men and women who struggled to preserve Florida’s natural and cultural heritage. Three half-hour episodes are scheduled for broadcast on September 28, 29, and 30 at 7:30 P.M. on WPBT2. The series is set for rebroadcast in January at the beginning of 2010, and on other statewide public television.

Imagine a world of clear blue-springs, rivers the color of honey, underground caverns, ancient oaks, wind-swept prairies, white sand dunes and beaches. These are the essence of Florida’s national award-winning state park system and a tribute to those who placed a high value on preserving Florida’s natural heritage for generations to come.

Mark Baker, Emmy-award winning producer and director, said “In an interview for the series, Story of Florida’s State Parks, Emeritus Park Service Director Ney Landrum put things in perspective when he told me that Florida’s state parks are more precious than the crown jewels because of their intrinsic value,” he said. “The crew and I filmed these hidden gems and discovered the natural and cultural heritage that they preserve for our enjoyment and that of future generations. In this program we share our experiences, give a historical perspective on the formation of the park system and tell a story about the dedicated men and women of the Florida Park Service.”

It has been said that the story of Florida’s State Parks is the story of Florida. A story that reaches back in time like the roots of an ancient oak tree.

It began in the late 19th Century as a common vision shared by an uncommon group. They were members of women’s clubs, socialites, engineers and politicians, unemployed young men during the Great Depression, newspaper editors, park rangers and adventurers.

Through boom times, war and economic disaster the visionary movement gained momentum giving birth to the Florida Park Service with its mission to preserve the natural and cultural resources while providing recreation.

But the movement would grapple with changing philosophies, visions of development and the politics of protection.

This is the story of ordinary people who struggled to preserve the extraordinary places that are now, and forever will be, the heart and soul of natural Florida.

The Story of Florida’s State Parks includes parks from the five regions of the state.
In South Florida the series features Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, The Barnacle Historic State Park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.

About the Florida State Parks
There are one hundred and sixty-one state parks in Florida containing historic sites, preserves and recreation areas. The Florida Park Service is the only two-time National Gold Medal Award winning state park system in the country. Formally established in 1935, the Florida Park Service celebrates its 75th Anniversary in 2010.

South Florida’s premier public broadcaster, WPBT2, is a community-licensed, not-for-profit media enterprise serving communities from the Treasure Coast to the Florida Keys. WPBT2 provides high quality content from PBS, independent acquisitions and its own original productions. WPBT2’s digital media platform, offers: 2HD, a 24-hour high definition channel; Digital 2.2, a mix of Science & Nature Channel, Culturas, The Florida Channel and Create; Digital 2.3, V-me, a 24-hour national Spanish-language network; and http://www.wpbt2.org, the WPBT2 website including, Impromp2 (a community blog), and uVu, a video sharing website. Based in Miami, WPBT2 is also home of the Emmy award-winning national PBS series, Nightly Business Report (http://pbs.org/nbr).