On Dec. 12 Biscayne National Park kicked off the 10th year of its Family Fun Fest. As park ranger Gary Bremen said, “In a season of so much hustle and bustle, taking time to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the natural world can be a much-needed break.” Participants could stop at stations located [...]

  One year after the first Indo-Pacific lionfish was discovered and removed from Biscayne National Park, almost 50 additional ones have been removed. Lionfish are invasive, exotic animals with few natural predators in the waters off Miami. The animal feeds voraciously on native fish, especially members of the snapper and grouper families. Local predators do include human [...]

  Miami artist Xavier Cortada is mounting a major installation at Biscayne National Park this winter and spring, part of the park’s celebration of the United Nations’ “International Year of Biodiversity.” According to a statement from the park, “Endangered World: Biscayne National Park will feature 360 brightly colored flags lining the roads and trails at [...]

  Miami photographic artist Brian Trainor’s solo exhibition Hanging Out in Biscayne National Park opened at the park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center Gallery on Nov. 20. That evening, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Trainor hosted a “meet the artist” wine-and-cheese reception that included a silent auction for an original photograph. The show and reception [...]

  To honor America’s service men and women, areas managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior will not charge entrance fees on Veterans Day (Nov. 11). In Southeast Florida the areas include Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. The typical fee to enter ENP is $10 for a vehicle [...]

  A boater was killed by lightning on Sept. 5 in Biscayne National Park. According to a Miami Herald report, “U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Nick Ameen said the man was struck while standing on a 14-foot boat with an aluminum hull.” A spokesperson for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the lightning struck the 37-year-old boater around 1 [...]

  Artist and national park ranger Scott Kraynak opened a solo exhibition of his work at Biscayne National Park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center Gallery on June 12. Inspired: Countless Sources of Beauty, One Spectacular Park features colored pencil drawings inspired not only by the park’s resources, but also by a variety of artistic movements.   [...]

  The final installment in Biscayne National Park’s 2009 Family Fun Fest series pays tribute with “A Salute to Mom!” on May 10 (Mother’s Day). The free event takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center and features a variety of interactive and hands-on activities, including these:   [...]

For 10,000 years, people have spent time on the waters and islands of Biscayne National Park. Who were they? What did they do? What did they leave behind? The third installment of the 2009 Family Fun Fest season at BNP, on Sunday, March 8, will shed light on the park’s shadowy past from 1 p.m. [...]

Biscayne National Park will hold an informational session for potential volunteers to get involved in the park’s Coral Nursery Project at noon on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center. The meeting is intended for anyone interested in making a difference for the park’s coral reef ecosystem. While the program is geared [...]