South Florida

Volunteers Keep Everglades National Park Running Amid Shutdown

Millions of government employees across the country are still not working amid the government shutdown but thanks to some non-profit groups and volunteers South Florida's Everglades National Park is still receiving visitors.

The South Florida National Parks Trust and the Florida National Parks Association have been working to allow visitors to the Everglades, Big Cypress and Biscayne parks during the partial shutdown.

It's the high season at Everglades but there are no park rangers and no one is taking the admissions fees. But volunteers are advising people where to go, what to do, and keeping the bookstore and visitor's center open while even emptying the trash and cleaning the restrooms.

"It is devastating, and luckily we’re able to stop that bleeding a little bit," said Jim Sutton, with the Florida National Parks Association. "So whatever you see in the parks today is done by volunteers, association staffers, concessionaires and people who just care."

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