The National Park Foundation just announced a $100 million donation from Lilly Endowment Inc. — with a chunk of that money going to restore the coral reefs at Biscayne National Park.
The park, which lies on the edge of Miami’s urban paradise, suffered major damage to its reefs last summer due to scorching ocean temperatures. The foundation named the project one of its key priorities for the donation, according to the Associated Press.
What else will the money be used for? Leaders are also prioritizing getting young people to the parks, telling the parks’ compete stories, and conserving other threatened ecosystems. The foundation is expected to release the first round of grant recipients later this year.
Here’s your reminder that Biscayne is one of the closest — and dare we say coolest — parks to the Tampa Bay area. It’s about a 4.5 hour drive from Tampa, but well worth it for the snorkeling, fishing, and Maritime Heritage Trail.
