TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Florida Park Service today launched a new history Web site located at www.floridastateparks.org/history and a Twitter contest to celebrate the upcoming 75^th Anniversary of Florida State Parks.

"The new history Web site and the Twitter contest are both wonderful tools to help share 75 years of special memories and traditions at Florida's state parks," said DEP's Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. "Learning about the events, people and resources that have molded the park system into what it is today, is all captured in one great Web site for people to explore."

Highlights of the Web site include:

• Historic photos commemorating special events, famous buildings and scenic views enjoyed throughout the years.
• Individual history and images for each park that has been a part of the Florida State Park system over the last 75 years.
• A scrapbook inviting visitors to upload and share their memories and photos of Florida State Parks.
• A timeline beginning in the 1800s that illustrates the events that lead to the Division of Recreation and Parks as it exists today.
• A listing of 25 signature events in 2010 that highlight the diversity of locations and experiences that can be witnessed at Florida State Parks.

In addition to the Web site, Florida State Parks has also launched a Twitter contest that allows participants to answer trivia questions for a chance to win an assortment of prizes, including an Individual Annual Pass, 75^th Anniversary Parks Passport, 75^th Anniversary commemorative poster, private park tours and more.

The contest is open to the public, and prizes will be given to the first Twitter follower to correctly answer a trivia question. A person may only win one time during the duration of the contest. The contest will take place throughout 2010 and the next day of trivia questions is Tuesday, January 5th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contest details can be found at www.floridastateparks.org/twitter_contest.pdf.

Created in 1935 by the Florida Legislature, Florida State Parks has grown from eight to 160 parks over the last 75 years. Today, the Florida Park Service manages more than 700,000 acres of Florida's natural environment, including 100 miles of beaches, eight National Historic Landmarks and 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Florida State Parks has been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association as the nation's first and only two-time Gold Medal winner for the nation's best park service.

To view the new history of Florida State Parks Web site, visit www.floridastateparks.org/history, for more information on the Twitter contest, visit www.floridastateparks.org/twitter_contest.pdf and follow Florida State Parks on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/FLStateParks.