This program seeks to utilize qualified non-profit youth and veteran serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and…

The National Park Service (NPS) awarded a $277,916.25 Cooperative Agreement to the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931) to preserve and provide public access to natural and cultural resource records from South Florida National Park Service units. The project, which commenced September 1, 2025, and concludes December 31, 2026, focuses on professionally rehousing, cataloging, and digitizing archival materials and historical photographs held by South Florida parks. Through enhanced description and digitization efforts, these resources will be made accessible to park managers and the general public via digital platforms and social media, enabling informed management decisions based on historical preservation practices while supporting the development of visitor education programs.

The initiative addresses critical preservation needs by preventing deterioration and loss of at-risk archival records through conservation treatments and selective digitization. By connecting park visitors with South Florida's history through digitized primary sources and historical narratives, the project strengthens public engagement with the parks' cultural heritage while building institutional capacity for ongoing resource stewardship. NCPE's role as an intermediary between academic institutions and the NPS enables the organization to deploy qualified personnel to execute these preservation and accessibility objectives across the designated South Florida park units.

This program seeks to utilize qualified non-profit youth and veteran serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and education projects on department of the interior lands through authorized national park service programs. The project aims to protect and preserve natural and cultural resource records from south florida s national park service units through professional rehousing, description, and enhanced accessibility. By digitizing and describing these records, they will be made available to park managers and the public, informing current and future management decisions based on historical resource management practices. This initiative will also help park visitors connect with the history of south florida parks through historic photographs, personal stories, and primary sources shared on social media. Park staff will use these records to help develop visitor programs. Without this project, the park s records risk deterioration and loss, as critical conservation treatments and selective digitization are necessary to ensure their preservation and stability.