Fort Clinch State Park welcomes new park manager

Submitted by

Ben Faure, Park Manager
Fort Clinch State Park

Susan Hardee Steger

Ben Faure, new Park Manager of Fort Clinch State Park didn’t have far to travel to relocate to Fernandina Beach.   His last position include managing three state parks near Lake City.  These parks included the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, site of Florida’s largest Civil War battlefield and Florida’s First official State Park,  Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, location of The Florida Folk Festival and over 50 other Special Events and Programs each year, as well as Big Shoals State Park on the Suwannee River which has Florida’s only class III whitewater rapids.

Ben has been in the state park system for 20 years.  He began his career at John Lloyd State Park as a park ranger and quickly promoted to assistant park manager of Oleta River State Park in North Miami and then transferred to Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna.  Ben also managed three state parks in the panhandle including Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville and Navarre Beach State Park and Fishing Pier in Navarre.  He is familiar with the Fort Clinch and its staff members having worked with many of them on various projects.

Entrance to Fort Clinch

“I look forward to combining my experiences in multiple parks throughout my career and using these skills to make improvements to Fort Clinch State Park alongside the park staff, volunteers and members of the local community,” says Faure.  “I truly enjoy the beach parks and the diversity of the coastal habitats and this park brings all of my previous experience together into one of the most precious gems that Florida State Parks has to offer.   I look forward to working here and helping fulfill our mission of providing resource based recreation, while preserving interpreting and restoring our natural and cultural resources.” 

According to the Florida State Parks most recent Economic Impact Assessment Fort Clinch State Park provides more than 10 million dollars in economic impact to the local community and provides more than $600,000 in increased sales tax revenue through visitor expenditures and helps generate more than 215 jobs locally through its visitation.

He brings with him his wife Bridget whom he met at John Lloyd State Park in Dania, Florida; his son Corey (16), and daughter Janey (14) who are both attending Fernandina Beach High School and enjoying their new surroundings.

September 12, 2012 1:42 p.m.