All national parks are required to have an approved general management plan that guides management decisions based on a well thought out plan developed with lots of public input. The last master plan for the park was completed in 1979.

Everglades National Park is now developing a new General Management Plan / East Everglades Wilderness Study / Environmental Impact Statement that will guide park management for the next 20 years or more.   The new GMP will provide a broad conceptual framework to guide decisions for natural and cultural resource protection, appropriate types and levels of visitor activities, and appropriate facility development.

The plan will articulate the park’s mission, purpose, and significance, and define the resource conditions and visitor experiences that should be achieved and maintained over time. The plan will consider Everglades National Park both as a unit of the national park system and in a broader ecosystem context that includes the surrounding South Florida region. The park invites the public to participate in developing this plan. There will be a number of opportunities for the public to contribute ideas and concerns about the park and help shape its future.