Learn More About
Our Projects
Your membership and donations support a wide range of projects that help our parks thrive! We are creating a new, accessible playground for all families to enjoy, supporting our native plant nursery in its efforts to restore the forest, and installing a new boardwalk trail at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. Additionally, we are installing mooring balls to protect the coral reef from improper anchoring. Your contributions make these vital initiatives possible and ensure our parks continue to flourish.
If you would like your donation to be dedicated to a specific project, please email president@pennekampfriends.org with that information.
Mooring Bouys
Protecting Coral Reef Habitats with Bouy Installations at John Pennekamp State Park
Your help supports boaters practicing safer mooring habits in our Parks.
Protecting the coral and seabed in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is an urgent, critical and ongoing priority. The Friends of Pennekamp is deeply appreciative that a consortium of organizations comprised of the Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Ocean Reef Club, the Ocean Reef Community Association and Ocean Reef’s Rod & Gun Club provided funding for a major project to install mooring buoys within park waters in 2020.
Donations have enabled the park install individual mooring buoys, allowing boats and vessels to tie up to the buoys versus using anchoring methods that damage the reefs.
Playground
A New and Improved Playground
Talk with anybody who has visited John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and they’ll tell you stories of their experiences they enjoyed with their family. As a world destination park, we seek to create the most memorable family experiences possible to grow an appreciation for our beautiful Florida Keys ecosystems.
The current playground at the park is in need of replacement, and a new and improved playground has been designed to replace it. The new playground will be located next to Grouper pavilion over the wooden bridge, across the street from the current playground’s location. The playground features custom park-specific climbers, a soft surface for children to run on, and will be fenced in. Additional educational signage will be tied into the playground area, making it a fun and educational space for families to make memories.
Native Plant Nursery
Support Our Native Plants
Your donations and memberships support the native plant nursery for Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This nursery is run by volunteers and supplies native plants for restoration projects up and down the Florida Keys and for native plant giveaways to Monroe County residents. The volunteers who work in this area of the park are a wealth of knowledge to which there is no comparison!
The Friends of John Pennekamp support the native plant nursery by purchasing items they need like tools, pots, potting soil, and more. Donate today to support our native plants!
Resource Management Vessel
Thanks to you, we are sailing into a sustainable future for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Your contribution, no matter the size, directly impacts the future of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Your support has helped provide a new state of the art marine support vessel donated to the Park in Spring 2025. Enhancements to the boat and funds to provide a repair and maintenance fund are also supported by this fund.
Welcome to the heart of marine conservation at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park! Our commitment to preserving the breathtaking coral reefs and marine life is unwavering, but we need your support to continue this vital work.
The replacement of aging equipment allows park rangers, researchers and rescue teams to directly benefit our park. The support from donors makes this possible and the benefits are already being felt and seen at the park.
Your Membership and Donations Support this Project!
Help us preserve and protect the natural beauty and diverse ecosystems of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. Your donation supports vital conservation efforts, educational programs, and park improvements.
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