Natural Areas Research Authorization

The Natural Areas Management (NAM) office issues authorizations for research or educational activities to be conducted in parks and preserves. These authorizations facilitate communication between researchers and park staff, minimize conflicts with other scheduled park and preserve uses, and provide a means to collect the data resulting from these projects for inclusion in the adaptive management strategies of our parks and preserves.

NAM processes applications generally on a 60-day cycle and makes every effort to review applications within 30 days to find them complete and an additional 30 days to make a formal decision whether to issue or deny the request. This process is driven by the volume of applications received within the office and the complexity of the requests received, although staff typically review and make a final decision within 45 days. Applicants must plan accordingly and incorporate this time into their projects, and no project or activities should be initiated in any park or preserve without an approved Authorization. Applicants should be sure to explain how their proposed project will benefit the conservation and better management of Miami-Dade County's protected natural resources. Inappropriate impacts to these resources will not be permitted.

Issuance of a Research or Educational Authorization by itself is not authorization to engage activities that are regulated or require approvals by other agencies. Researchers are responsible for obtaining and receiving any needed additional approvals or permits from other county, state or federal entities. If you are unsure if an Authorization is needed for your activity, please contact the NAM office at [email protected].

Requests for activities that sell products, commodities resulting from project(s), or services for a fee should use the Permit to Conduct Private Business on County Property that must be approved by the County as detailed in the PROS Operating Procedures 4.260.

Requests for activities governed by Administrative Order 8-3, Special Events Permits in Park & Recreation Department Facilities, should use the Special Events Permit outlined in the Administrative Order and PROS Operating Procedure 4.258.

Requests for activities governed by or subject to a lease or license agreement, programming partnership agreement, interlocal and/or interagency agreement, or Board of County Commission action should use the procedures outlines in those policies and agreements or as amended.