Friends of State Parks

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Friends of State Parks

FSP supports the mission of the NC Parks and Recreation Division. By participating on this page, you are agreeing to our community commenting policy.
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Role

Friends of State Parks protects North Carolina's natural heritage by:
Working With state agencies, educational institutions, conservation organizations, recreational groups, and businesses committed to promoting environmental awareness and education, conservation and outdoor recreation
Seeking sufficient funding for staffing, operational/maintenance costs, land acquisition and capital improv

ements for the state parks system
Keeping vigilance over natural areas and their unique features while protecting against encroachment, defacement, impairment, and disturbance
Benefits

The following benefits are available to members of Friends of State Parks:
Opportunities to interact with other supporters of North Carolina's natural resources including volunteering

Tap into our knowledge about the system, our contacts and our expertise which have been built up through the years
Receive Information about each Park and the total Park System
A Quarterly Newsletter which gives news from the 32 Parks, lists events to take place, and keeps abreast of legislative action and possible detrimental developments in any natural area
Reduced rates on FSP sponsored publications see our Merchandise For Sale page for current publications

NC Friends if State Parks Facebook Community Rules:
Our page is open to the general public and we welcome open discussion while keeping the messages and comments family-friendly. We reserve the right to delete poste containing any of the following violations without notice:
- Comments violating Facebook’s Terms of Service
- profanity
- personal attacks
- willful misinformation
- spam
- any advertising of events, programs or products that are not supported by NC Friends of State Parks
- off-topic / irrelevant posts
- promoting violence or harm of people or wildlife
- anything that infringes on copyrights or trademarks
- promoting illegal or questionable activities
- intimidation or harassment of other fans, staff, FHBI, or its partners
- argumentative, belligerent, or hostile posts meant to make visiting the NC Friends of State Parks page an unpleasant, negative, or confrontational experience for other fans
- trolling (posting deliberately disruptive statements)

We are holding fans to a “two strikes and you’re out” policy. If the NCFSP page administrator has to remove two or more comments from a fan, they will be banned from the page. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]

Rules enacted May 5, 2012

06/01/2026

Friends Group Highlight ⭐ Friends of Pleasure Island State Parks is on a mission to conserve and advocate for Carolina Beach State Park and Fort Fishers State Recreation Area! The friends group was kind to host and coordinate logistics for our statewide Friends of State Parks board meeting in April and to even provide us with dessert.

This summer, you can join Friends of Pleasure Island State Parks for Flytrap Fridays now through April for a guided hike on the flytrap trail. This is a great opportunity to get to know the FPISP volunteers, search for venus flytraps , and learn all about the park's unique ecosystems on a flat, easy 0.5 mile loop trail.

Thanks to Friends of Pleasure Island for all you do to conserve two of our state's beautiful coastal parks! 🏖️

05/28/2026

See you in the parks this summer ☀️

05/24/2026

The great blue heron is one of North Carolina's most iconic bird species, and Lake Norman State Park is playing a huge role in their protection! The islands of Lake Norman provide natural resources and a sanctuary for these special birds, and they've become a favorite place for NC families to visit as to see them in action.

Thanks to having access to these areas, the great blue heron population is stable and thriving, a testament to just how important our state parks are for our native species.

05/23/2026

This week, Friends of State Parks have been working with lawmakers to improve and enhance our state parks! We want to give a heartfelt thank you to our friends in Raleigh who are supporting state parks in a time when the list of needs is long. Friends of State Parks is dedicated to working with our legislators to ensure funding for the many education programs for students and teachers in our state.

Our work with state legislators also ensures that North Carolina continues to be recognized as one of the best parks systems in the nation. If you appreciate this work, call your state legislator to tell them THANK YOU for supporting our parks! Our park system is great thanks to their support 🥾☀️🌍

05/15/2026

These four incredible NC State Parks are home to four even more incredible waterfalls 🌊 Whether you're into hiking in and sitting by the falls or jumping into the watering hole, these spots are where it's at! Which one are you visiting first?

05/14/2026

Local chapter highlight ⭐ Friends of Carvers Creek State Park is one of our newest local friends group chapters, and they are already making a HUGE difference out in their neck of the woods. Just in the past month, this ambitious and organized friends group have hosted a Skulls & Skins program to inform people about park wildlife, joined community members at The Dogwood Festival to spread awareness about ways to get involved, held a Turtle Trek to teach kids about how to identify turtles, and much more!

We are so excited that the folks in this group are taking action to improve and enhance their local state park! If you live in the Fayetville area and want to get involved, send them a message!

05/13/2026

Want to have an unforgettable day on the water at one of NC's incredible state parks? Big Canoe Adventures is a great way to bring teamwork, nature, and excitement together with an organization!

The 29-foot long canoes can hold up to 14 people each and are often used as a floating classroom for environmental education purposes. School classes, scout troops, camps, and other organizations are invited to paddle, learn, and laugh together!

Click here to learn more ➡️ https://www.ncparks.gov/education/big-canoe-adventures

05/11/2026

Be a citizen scientist and join our friends at Lake Norman State Park for the inaugural quarterly bird count on the shores of Lake Norman! The session will take place on Sunday, May 24th 7:00AM-8:00AM and will focus on documenting birds of prey along with other observed species. Registration is not required!

Address ➡️ 1412 State Park Rd, Statesville, NC 28677

05/09/2026

05/05/2026

Memorial Day is just a few weeks away, and NC Friends of State Parks members are planning big trips to their favorite parks. Here are a few of their favorites ➡️

What's your favorite park to visit this time of year?

Address

PO Box 37655
Raleigh, NC
27627

Website

http://ncfsp.org/

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