Eco-Voice Digest - News and Views for May 16
The Rainy Season has Begun
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The opinions posted on this site are not necessarily those of the site managers or all of our sponsors.
Eco-voice can not verify the accuracy of facts asserted in commentaries but does not knowingly post articles which have serious errors. Please call errors to our attention.
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One Florida Foundation is dedicated to developing sustainable statewide policy that works to preserve and protect Florida’s water resources. This not for profit organization was born through grassroots activism that dares to approach problems from a perspective of problem solving and solution seeking.
Greetings from our Director:
Hello and thank you for stopping by! Our nonprofit organization strives to provide education and propose solutions regarding Florida’s water resources. It’s no secret that we’ve had several tough years with algal blooms in nearly every Florida water body, damaging stormwater discharges as a result of our flood control system, and increasing acknowledgement that we must do more, faster, to stop pollution at its source and get the right amount of water to the right places.
All Floridians need clean, abundant freshwater, and we know that more can be done to ensure we have it and protect it for the future. Our team works to keep our finger on the pulse of the conversation, and our goal is to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of what is being done to improve our waters.
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] at any time with questions, or to become involved! We encourage everyone to join our team and are so glad you’re here!
Sincerely,
Nyla Pipes
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The latest hunting and conservation news and events from the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Apply now through June 15 for fall quota and limited entry hunt permits
If you’re interested in hunting deer or wild hog this fall/winter at a Florida wildlife management area or national wildlife refuge, make plans to apply for quota, special-opportunity and national wildlife refuge hunt permits. The phase I application period opens today and runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on June 15. You can apply at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in person at a license agent or tax collector’s office.
Make sure you check out the fall quota hunt options at the newest WMA: Tate’s Hell – St. James Island Unit in northwest Florida. The FWC, in cooperation with the area’s lead land manger, the Florida Forest Service, is offering quota hunt permits for deer, wild turkey and wild hog. This new 8,182-acre area in Franklin County will also offer opportunities to hunt small game and migratory birds (doves, ducks, geese, coot, snipe and woodcock) during statewide seasons without a quota permit.
Update About Everglades and Francis S. Taylor and Rotenberger WMA quota permits
- To avoid canceling these hunts, the FWC will no longer automatically include these quota permits in the phase I application period.
- Instead, the decision to issue these quota permits will be made in mid-June, after aerial survey results of deer are received and evaluated.
- If survey results support issuing quota permits for hunts on these WMAs, the FWC will announce their availability and how and when to apply.
Please check back to this page in mid-June for information about the availability of these quota permits. Or to receive an update via email, sign up for FWC Hunting News and make sure your email is up-to-date at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
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By Mary Ellen Klas
The political arm of the nonprofit Everglades Foundation announced on Friday that effective May 16 its new CEO will be Anna Upton and it will launch a restructuring, beginning with moving its headquarters to Tallahassee. ... read more ...
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Anna Upton, of Tallahassee, is the General Counsel and Vice President of Government Affairs at the Everglades Foundation. She is a recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award and has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in the areas of business litigation, environmental litigation, civil litigation defense, and employment and labor law. Upton earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wake Forest University and her juris doctor from Stetson University College of Law.
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Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced legislation to enhance the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. The NMBCA is an innovative and cost-effective approach to the conservation of the more than 350 neotropical bird species in the U.S. that travel to Latin America and the Caribbean every year, such as the Scarlet Tanager, Purple Martin, and Baltimore Oriole. Read more and take action
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The Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River Estuary are named in the proposed federal legislation.
A bill mandating federal involvement in the protection of Treasure Coast waterways from toxic algae awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
The bipartisan legislation amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998, requiring the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to submit an assessment of designated Sunshine State waterways to Congress and the president within three years.
No more than 180 days after that, the task force is responsible for developing a plan for “reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida.” The region covers the South Florida Water Management District, which includes Martin and St. Lucie counties.
The legislation also highlights these coastal waterways, as well as the Florida Reef Tract:
- Biscayne Bay
- Caloosahatchee Estuary
- Florida Bay
- Indian River Lagoon
- St. Lucie River Estuary.
Implementing the legislation would cost less than $500,000 throughout fiscal years 2022-26, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Nutrient pollution and climate change effects, such as warming waters, can fuel blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People, animals and the environment suffer the repercussions.
Fertilizer is largely responsible for the nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and comes mostly from agriculture and some from urban development.
“This will help our coastal communities prepare for and mitigate the devastating impacts,” Rubio said in a statement Wednesday. “I urge President Biden to sign this bill into law so we can begin addressing these challenges.”
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Blue-Green Algal Bloom Weekly Update - May 12, 2022
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
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The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at very low concentrations in one sample from Northwest Florida over the past week. Additional details are provided below.
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In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
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In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at very low concentrations in Walton County.
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Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
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SDWMD Water Level Update
- Lake Okeechobee: 12.91 ft, 0.34 ft below low sub band
- WCA 2A: 10.61 ft, 0.39 ft below regulation schedule
- WCA 3A: 8.50 ft, 1.15 ft below regulation schedule
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the primary agency responsible for Lake Okeechobee management. The Corps makes adjustments to help manage lake levels with consideration to factors including current conditions and protected species. The South Florida Water Management District continues closely monitoring algal activity, oysters, sea grass, and other conditions in and around Lake Okeechobee.
Publicly-Available Resources
Learn More About Long-Term Projects to Improve Water Management in South Florida
The South Florida Water Management District remains committed to advancing projects to improve water levels and reduce harmful discharges to the Northern Estuaries. Learn more here.
To sign up for weekly updates on South Florida’s water conditions, visit our email signup page. Enter your email address and check the “Key Water Conditions, including Lake Okeechobee Discharges” box.
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Review of LOSOM draft documents scheduled for summer 2022
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The release of the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual draft Environmental Impact Statement and Water Control Plan documents for review by federal, state, tribal partners and members of the public has moved to mid-summer because feedback from the initial draft documents requires additional analysis by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District.
“Through the last three years of this process, LOSOM has enjoyed extraordinary levels of engagement from our partners and stakeholders,” said Tim Gysan, project manager for the LOSOM effort. “This latest part of the process continued that trend of unprecedented public engagement. The Jacksonville District team feels the substantive comments we received deserve careful consideration as we work to find the best solution for the future management of Lake Okeechobee. We want to ensure a clear NEPA evaluation is presented and the operational guidance that will inform our water managers moving forward captures the lake management decision process developed through the LOSOM effort.”
The new date for the state and agency review required under the National Environmental Policy Act is now scheduled to begin in late July rather than May, and the Jacksonville District team will put that additional time to good use.
“We are still confident that we will have a new schedule in place early in 2023 and will be ready to leverage the completion of the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation Project,” said Col. James Booth, Jacksonville District Commander.
The Jacksonville District team will post the updated schedule to the project website. More information about the project, along with details on past and future PDT meetings, is available on the district website at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/LOSOM/.
Contact
Jim Yocum
904-232-3914
or
Erica Skolte
561-801-5734 (cell)
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Thanks for helping to get the word out!
Erica
Erica Skolte
Public Affairs Specialist
Corporate Communications Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Palm Beach Gardens
Cell: 561-801-5734
Twitter @JaxStrong
Jacksonville District Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict
Jacksonville District: A team of professionals making tomorrow better "Keep Calm and Essayons”’
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Tickets are now available for our FREE Admission Day at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary! We’re inviting all ages for a free visit (donations welcome) on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 in honor of the 60th anniversary of the National Natural Landmark Program. Immerse yourself in Florida wilderness and explore the 2.25 mile-boardwalk with giant cypress trees over 500 years old. You can also join an Audubon naturalist for a 30-minute program featuring one of our animal ambassadors! Online tickets are required and will go quickly – Click the link below and select tickets for May 18, 2022 to register:
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Max Chesnes
Treasure Coast Newspapers USA TODAY NETWORK
At least 23 bald eagles have died from a highly infectious new bird flu strain spreading through Florida’s wild bird populations, according to state wildlife data.
The strain was first documented in Florida this January after a hunter killed a blue-winged teal duck in Palm Beach County. It has since spread to at least 23 Florida counties as of May 2.
Eagles make up just a fraction of the “several thousand” estimated cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) among Florida’s wild ducks, vultures, owls, pelicans and several other species, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute spokesperson Carly Jones. Brevard County leads the state with eight eagle deaths, but none have been reported in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. At least one was reported in Indian River County.
The nation’s bald eagle population has largely thrived over the past three decades, despite the threats of car collisions, habitat loss, powerline electrocutions and lead poisoning — its greatest threat, according to Jack Davis, a Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the recent book “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird.“ “It is sad to see the flu’s impact on all birds and will be equally sad if the flu reverses the bald eagle’s comeback,” Davis said. “It and wildlife officials worked hard to restore the population, and Americans have only recently gotten to know and to appreciate the species after more or less living without it for decades.”
Florida has an estimated 1,500 nesting pairs of bald eagles, one of the largest concentrations in the lower 48 states, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).....
Bird flu can transmit to people, but it’s very rare
Bird flu can be transmitted to people, but it’s rare and “low risk,” according to the institute. ...
The public should avoid handling sick or dead birds. If you have to handle them, wear disposable gloves and wash well afterward. Keep wild birds away from pets and poultry.
“Because (bird flu) is very contagious and not treatable in wild birds ... some wildlife rehabbers may not be accepting these animals at this time,” the institute posted on Facebook.
Bald eagles are dying from a new bird flu strain spreading through Florida’s wild bird populations. DAVE ALEXANDER
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By capturing, storing, and filtering water, wetlands provide important benefits for wildlife and people
© DOUGSTEINKE.COM
By Jennifer Boudart
Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. The first part of DU’s mission statement makes clear its primary focus: securing wetland habitats for the benefit of waterfowl. But that second part shouldn’t be overlooked—in particular, the benefits that wetlands provide to people. Many of these benefits, which are also called “ecosystem services,” result from the unique way that various types of wetlands interact with water that is moving over the landscape. DU recognizes the value of these ecosystem services and works to enhance them while pursuing its conservation mission for waterfowl. Following are five important water-related benefits provided by wetlands.
1. Clean Water
As water passes through them, wetlands naturally filter out sediments, excess nutrients, and chemical pollutants. Freshwater wetlands can serve as natural water treatment systems that purify water ultimately used for drinking, manufacturing, and recreation, and DU designs wetland projects for this purpose. ....
2. Reduced Flooding
Wetlands along rivers and streams reduce flood impacts by allowing floodwaters to slow down, spread out, and lose energy. The excess water is temporarily stored before gradually being released back into adjacent waterways. Unfortunately, changes in land use have eliminated many floodplain wetlands, not only increasing threats from flooding but also reducing important habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl. DU projects involve designing and installing infrastructure that allows land managers to create ideal habitat conditions by flooding or draining wetland units individually.
That same water-control infrastructure can help store water to mitigate heavy flooding......
3. Coastal Resilience
Coastal wetlands provide habitat for millions of migrating waterfowl as well as wading birds, shorebirds, fish, and other wildlife. These wetlands naturally buffer coastal landscapes from hurricanes and severe storms by reducing the energy of storm surges and absorbing floodwaters. Consequently, they protect property and infrastructure as well as industries such as recreation and tourism, commercial fisheries, shipping, and energy. Saltwater intrusion, sea-level rise, erosion, and other factors threaten coastal marshes in Texas and Louisiana. Making these coastlines more resilient is key to DU’s Gulf Coast Initiative.....
DU works with farmers, water providers, public land managers, and other partners to create “recharge” wetlands that add water back to the South Platte when it’s needed most. River water is diverted into these wetlands in winter or early spring, when irrigation demand is low and waterfowl use is high. Water then seeps into the aquifer and slowly makes its way back to the river channel, augmenting water supplies during the summer irrigation season. ....
5. Water Efficiency
Water efficiency is an important component of DU’s work, especially in arid western states where wetlands depend on allocated water. ...
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Federal environmental regulators should take over wetlands permitting in Florida to prevent “catastrophic” environmental damage where development and sensitive lands are in conflict, says Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried.
At issue is a late-2020 decision, in the final months of the Trump administration, to transfer authority over wetlands permitting from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Fried opposed that transfer at the time, along with environmental groups who said it would lead to more development of wetlands.
She has renewed her objection in light of legislation waiting to be signed into law that she says would further erode wetland protections in Florida.
In a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Fried wrote Wednesday that the 2022 bill (SB2508) awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ approval or veto would, (among other things) fast-track wetlands destruction atop the transfer of wetlands-permitting authority in 2020 from the federal EPA to the state Department of Environmental Protection......
Meanwhile, Florida DEP, controlled by the governor’s office, is a named defendant in a lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of environmental organizations seeking to reverse the transfer of authority. A reversal of the decision under the Trump administration would allow the Biden administration’s EPA to resume control of the program. Florida is one of only three states where the EPA does not control dredge-and-fill activities in wetlands protected by the federal Clean Water Act.....
That lawsuit, filed in January 2021, is pending in federal court in Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, Earthjustice filed another federal lawsuit involving Florida waters. That action, filed in federal court in Orlando, demands the EPA intervene under the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act to force Florida to set and enforce stricter water-quality standards in the Indian River Lagoon, where pollution has killed seagrasses, causing hundreds of manatees there to starve to death. More than 1,100 manatees died statewide, mostly due to pollution-fueled destruction of its primary food source.
Fried and DeSantis are running for governor in 2022.
SB2508
GENERAL BILL by Appropriations
Environmental Resources; Providing requirements for budget amendments requesting the release of state funds for specified water project components; requiring the South Florida Water Management District to make a specified certification to the Legislature regarding its recommendations to the United States Army Corps of Engineers; authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection to enter into agreements or contracts with certain entities to expedite the evaluation of certain environmental permits; specifying that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may acquire land or certain related interests in land for specified public purposes, etc.
Effective Date: Except as otherwise expressly provided in this act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 2022
Last Action: 3/14/2022 Senate - Ordered engrossed, then enrolled -SJ 1219
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May is a magical time in Southwest Florida! Wildflowers are blooming, butterflies are appearing in large numbers, and baby birds are all around us.
The sights and sounds of Spring at Lemon Creek Wildflower Preserve are exceptional. Each day brings new discoveries!
Lemon Bay Conservancy members are welcome to visit the preserve every day. Come out and explore! If the main gate is closed when you arrive, park in one of the spaces near the fence and enter through the pedestrian gate adjacent to the butterfly habitat.
Both LBC members and the general public are invited to LCWP for our upcoming guided walks and events.
Wildflower 101: Intro. To the Preserve, May 26, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Take a guided nature walk with Tonya & Steve Bramlage and get an introduction to the beautifully restored habitats at the Preserve. This walk is especially designed for those who may not have visited the Preserve recently, but everyone is invited to come out and enjoy this leisurely walk.
Juvenile Tarpon Research – May 21, 7:45 a.m.
With some of our winter volunteers headed north, we are short-handed for the upcoming juvenile "net pull" research. Will you help? Volunteers work with Florida Fish & Wildlife staff in pulling in the long seine net in Lemon Creek and completing the research activities. Advance registration required. Contact Jim Cooper at 941-979-6258 for full details.
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Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge, located within the biologically important Kissimmee River Basin of Florida, is an area considered as one of the great grassland and savanna landscapes of eastern North America.
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Several wildlife-dependent recreational uses have been determined to be compatible on the refuge.
Location and Contact Information
- Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
- (772) 581-5557
- 4055 Wildlife Way
- Vero Beach,
- FL
- 32963-9446
- VIEW DETAILS
- Refuge Land
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USACE to host informational meeting on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
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USACE to host informational meeting on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project on May 18 2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, will host a virtual informational meeting May 18 to share information about progress on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), a key project of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
Central Everglades Planning Project Virtual Informational Meeting (All Phases)
Wednesday, May 18, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Join by phone
+1-844-800-2712 US Toll Free
Access code: 199 597 3444
“Project managers from the Corps and our partners at the South Florida Water Management District will provide updates on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project, or CEPP, including the CEPP South, CEPP North, CEPP New Water and CEPP Everglades Agricultural Area phases,” said CEPP Senior Project Manager, Christyn Figueroa. “We will talk about the current project status for each phase, including design and construction, and future plans.”
CEPP focuses restoration on more natural flows into and through the central and southern Everglades by increasing storage and treatment south of Lake Okeechobee, improving conveyance to the Central Everglades and removing barriers to flow to Everglades National Park.
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan outlines the projects for returning the lifeblood of the Everglades – water – to its historic quantity, quality, timing and distribution. The overarching objective of the Plan is the restoration, preservation, and protection of the south Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region, including water supply and flood protection.
Contact
Erica Skolte
561-801-5734 (cell)
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USACE announces BBSEER Project Delivery Team Meeting on May 18
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District announces a Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting for the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (BBSEER) Project Study on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
“The purpose of this Project Delivery Team Meeting is to review refinements to the alternatives for Round 1 modeling, progress on model refinement and tool development, and to provide an update on the ecological performance measures. The team has engaged coordination with the Interagency Modeling Center on model development and will share plans for the first round of modeling. BBSEER alternative plans are intended to restore freshwater flows to terrestrial and coastal wetlands in Biscayne Bay and the Southeastern Everglades,” said April Patterson, BBSEER Senior Project Manager. “We appreciate the continued engagement of the interagency Project Delivery Team and members of the public during the planning phase of this complex project. Your participation during our extended meetings and workshops, your input, local knowledge, expertise and shared data are absolutely critical to the development and success of this project.”
Please join the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Restoration Project for a Virtual Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
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Gators gone viral: Inside the wild world of a swamp photographer in Florida
PALM BEACH, Fla. —
Wildlife photographer Bobby Wummer has captured on camera everything from elephants in South Africa to whales in Alaska.
But South Florida is home to his favorite spots to photograph, such as Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Everglades, for their alligator populations.
"They're dinosaurs," Wummer said. "They're the last of something we haven't seen in hundreds of thousands of years."
Wummer had shared his photos and videos with the world for years when he recently came into newfound Internet fame amid an active gator mating season.
A night video Wummer posted in April of an alligator roaring and aggressively posturing in the waters of Big Cypress National Preserve, amassed more than 660,000 views on Facebook, shown on TV news outlets nationwide and written about in articles online.
Wummer explained that the video was taken at one of his honey holes, a spot where animals are known to come to eat and drink....
Wummer hopes his work continues to spotlight the beauty and complexities of Florida’s wildlife, especially those that are threatened. He’s passionate about conservation efforts for Florida bears, panthers and alligators and uses his platform to educate people on how to protect these animals.
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Fort Myers News-Press
The fliers started showing up in Southwest Florida mailboxes this week. “Are toxic harmful algal blooms affecting your health? The University of Miami wants to know and needs your help.”
Those following the region’s water woes might be forgiven for initially confusing the invitation with others issued recently.
Anyone in the region can apply, and participants will be given a number of medical tests, including pulmonary function, as well as their results....
Learn more or volunteer for the study
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Registration opens for June in-person conference in DC
Registration has opened for CCL’s June conference in Washington, D.C.! This year’s conference is the first in-person CCL event in two years, and will be from Jun. 11-13.
You can expect to hear from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Citizens’ Climate Lobby Board Member Mark Reynolds, Maryland Regional Director at Climate Xchange Wandra Ashley-Williams, and many others.
Conference-goers can add Saturday seminars onto their registration tickets for deeper dives into climate topics, such as working across the political divide, finding CCL’s next climate policies, and inclusion discussions.
Training and breakout sessions will help attendees build their skills as leaders and volunteers in the climate movement and learn how to engage members of Congress.
While CCL National will not be organizing in-person D.C. lobby meetings during this conference, volunteers can organize in-person or virtual lobby meetings with their members of Congress in consultation with congressional liaisons and state coordinators. Our lobby week will be in conjunction with the first International Week of Action in partnership with Citizens' Climate International. We can’t wait to see you there!
In other news this week:
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Sea Level Rise Study
According to a recent policy position paper by Professor Harold R. Wanless, Ph.D., Sea level rise over the next 30 years will average 10–12 inches along the U.S. coastline. That's as much as it rose in the last 100 years.
More specifically, there will be a 4-8" increase along the Pacific Coast, 14-18" along the Gulf Coast, with 10-14" expected along the Atlantic Coast. These NOAA projections are based on data from the most recent National Climate Assessment.
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The State of Florida and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a consensus on new strategies for improving water quality in America's Everglades. Based on months of scientific and technical discussions, these strategies will expand water quality improvement projects to achieve the phosphorus water quality standard established for the Everglades.
Under these strategies, the South Florida Water Management District is implementing a technical plan to complete several projects that will create more than 6,500 acres of new stormwater treatment areas (STAs) and 116,000 acre-feet of additional water storage through construction of flow equalization basins (FEBs). Flow equalization basins provide a more steady flow of water to the STAs, helping to maintain desired water levels needed to achieve optimal water quality treatment performance. A flow equalization basin (FEB) is a constructed storage feature used to capture and store peak stormwater flows. Water managers can move water from FEBs into STAs at a steady rate to optimize STA performance and achieve water quality improvement targets.
The strategies also include additional source controls – where pollution is reduced at the source – in areas of the eastern Everglades Agricultural Area where phosphorus levels in stormwater runoff have been historically higher. In addition, a robust science plan will ensure continued research and monitoring to improve and optimize the performance of water quality treatment technologies.
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The Western Everglades Restoration Plan (WERP) seeks to use a series of active and passive water management features and water quality features, and make alterations to existing canals and levees. The goals of the project are to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water in the Western Everglades in the effort to re-establish ecological connectivity, reduce the severity and frequency of wildfires, and restore low nutrient conditions.
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A new report from a United Nations climate panel is warning of deadly impacts of climate change both now and in the future — finding that those impacts are currently worse than scientists had believed they would be.
A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns the increasingly numerous and widespread impacts of climate change may soon overcome our ability to adapt, unless action is taken to reduce emissions.
What the IPCC Report Means for Our Ocean
On February 28, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest climate assessment report. Written by 270 scientists from 67 countries—including our own Sarah Cooley—the report makes it clear that we can no longer hit “snooze” on the alarm that the IPCC is sounding.
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The plan for Everglades Restoration
What, when, by whom, how much, project status
Integrated Delivery Schedule Status
A formal re-evaluation of the Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) was completed in 2015. The IDS was updated in July 2018, October 2019, and September 2020.
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Everglades Restoration Integrated Delivery Schedule |
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It features environmental education topics including watersheds, habitat, and sustainable fishing as well as fun activities for kids to learn and explore the Florida outdoors.
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