Friends of Deerfield Island Park

The Park is considered an "Urban Wilderness" , a green respite from the surrounding development.

Friends of Deerfield Island Park (FoFDP) has won the "Best Friends Forever" award presented by the Broward County Department  of Parks and Recreation. They were singled out for their many contributions to the island including the purchase of benches and chairs for the new outdoor classroom,  kayak racks , a kayak-landing dock, an ambassador kiosk, and a wingspan sculpture exhibit. Thanks to a grant from the "Claire Friedlander Family Foundation", we designed, purchased, and installed the 3-dimensional wingspan exhibit.  

Tony the tortoise, our island mascot was purchased and donated by Helene and Ira Wechterman and brought to the island with  donations from many members. The  1400  pound metal tortoise now greets visitors and provides a unique photo opportunity

The FoDIP group has also assisted on the island, volunteering to plant a butterfly garden, acting as ambassadors and tour guides, assisting in the creation of an experimental salt marsh, helping to replant baby mangrove plants, and developing educational projects for adults and kids who visit.

Dan West, Director of Parks & Recreation, also pointed out that as a result of the renewed interest the group has created for the island, additional funding has become available for many long-awaited projects, such as reconfiguring the marina, and rebuilding the beautiful mangrove boardwalk that was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma in 2005.