The numbers are in and it turns out national parks lost more than $400 million dollars during the government shutdown last fall. That’s according to a new report released by the Interior Department.

“It’s more than just a business that’s closed for the day. It’s a whole experience that folks aren’t able to have when a national park is closed,” said Myrna Palfrey, the Superintendent of the Canaveral National Seashore

Palfrey has worked in the national park system for more than twenty years.

She opened up about last fall’s government shut down forcing parks across the nation to close their doors for more than two weeks.

It not only affected employees at the parks- but the revenue the parks get from entrance fees.

Palfrey says Canaveral National Seashore lost nearly $26,000 during the 16 day government shut down. That’s money the park would’ve used to fix roads and maintain buildings.

In total national parks lost $414 million in visitor spending during the shutdown.

The new report shows that some states though reaped benefits from the shutdown, using state funding to temporarily keep the parks open.

The report says they received $10 dollars in visitor spending for every state dollar spent.

In fact, Congress is now considering a bill that would reimburse the states that did use state funding.

Many are now questioning the decision of Florida and other states not to use state funding.

Palfrey believes that was the right decision.

“Once the appropriations are passed we are very capable of managing our parks and providing for their opening and their management and operation of the national parks of Florida. So I think it should remain within the federal budget.”

She also says the shutdown allowed everyone, including lawmakers, a chance to see how valuable the parks really are.

Locally, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, and Ocala National Forest were all closed during the shutdown.

A spokesperson for Governor Rick Scott’s office says they are working on a statement regarding the report released this week.