The Everglades is, in many ways, the ecological crown jewel of Florida. However, years of drainage, development, agriculture, and other human influences have caused serious changes to this ecosystem. Jason Lauritsen addressed some of these issues and impacts from a historical perspective for ETR in his article Subduing the Pahayokee. The US House of Representatives has also taken notice and recently passed a bill to begin several restoration projects in the Everglades. Jane Graham has written an article on the Huffington Post to lay out some reasons for why you should care about this restoration. Graham also discusses the on-going Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), “one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in the world,” and the various smaller programs which make it up. The Everglades is a vital component to a healthy Florida, for both people and wild areas, and it’s refreshing to see elected officials dealing head-on with the ecological short-sightedness of the past.
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