Alafia's Park Manager Dustin Allen has been named as the new Park Manager of Blue Spring State Park.

Florida native Dustin Allen’s love of the outdoors led him into the Florida Park Service more than a decade ago. He began working part-time at Wekiwa Springs State Park in 2010 at the encouragement of his father, who worked there as a park ranger. After only a year, Dustin became a full-time ranger at Bald Point State Park, where he later promoted to park services specialist. While at Bald Point, he became a certified prescribed burn manager and a certified first responder at the local Alligator Point Volunteer Fire Department, all while honing his skills as a volunteer manager. During his time at Bald Point he also met his wife, Amanda Allen, who was a ranger at another Florida State Park at the time. By 2016, Dustin was promoted to assistant park manager at Fanning Springs State Park, where he led an extensive cabin restoration project. In 2018, he was promoted to park manager at Paynes Creek Historic State Park where he accomplished numerous projects such as organizing pioneer re-enactments, meeting with community groups to increase park attendance, helping to re-establish the park’s Citizen Support Organization, introducing prescribed fire to areas that had not been previously burned, leading the completion of extensive ranger residence restoration projects, and removing six acres of invasive bamboo. In 2020, Dustinwas promoted to manager at Alafia River State Park, where he again oversaw large-scale remodeling projects and acquired numerous vehicles and equipment to support park operations ranging from controlled burns to exotic plant removal. Dustin’s latest promotion to Blue Spring State Park manager brings him closer to his birthplace of Orlando, and to the home of one of Florida’s most famous springs. Dustin hopes to protect this environmental treasure while providing educational and recreational opportunities for the tens of thousands of people who visit annually. The father of three, who enjoys camping and visiting the beach with family, believes that his work to conserve Florida’s natural jewels – and teach people about them -- will help leave a lasting legacy for future generations. He welcomes the opportunity to learn from, and talk to, everyone who cares about Blue Spring.

Effective 2/11/2022 Tracy Felts from the District 4 office will be overseeing Alafia River State Park until a new park manager is named.