What Happened to the Everglades?

But it is slowly disappearing, and has been for more than a century. Today, the Everglades is about the size of New Jersey – half the size it once was. Much of the damage is caused by humans through water diversion, population pressure and agricultural runoff.

Why was the Everglades destroyed in the early 1900s?

In the early 1900s, two major hurricanes hit Florida and killed thousands of people. This resulted in the building of a levee on Lake Okeechobee, cutting off the flow of water across the Everglades. The 1,500 acres (6.1 square km) of land protected by the levee is known as the Everglades Agricultural Area.

Who Tried to Save the Everglades?

At Marshall's urging, newly elected Governor Bob Graham announced the formation of the "Save Our Everglades" campaign in 1983, and in 1985 Graham lifted the first shovelful of fill for part of the C-38 Canal. Within a year, the area was covered in water, returning to its original state.

Why did humans drain the Everglades?

Early Florida settlers wanted to drain the Everglades, a swampland that covers about 4,000 square miles in South Florida. The goal was to create agricultural land by digging canals that would draw the swamp water and let it flow to the sea. Florida's reclamation efforts were crippled by economic failure.

What are the problems in the Everglades?

The two biggest threats to the Everglades ecosystem are water quality and water quantity. With rapid development on both coasts and an expanding agricultural industry, human demand for water is increasing rapidly, while the supply is not changing.

What is the ultimate goal of restoring the Everglades?

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is a multibillion dollar project approved by Congress in the year 2000. This plan aims to increase freshwater storage, improve water quality, and restore natural water flow through the greater Everglades ecosystem.

350 different species
The Everglades are literally filled with incredible birds. In fact, there are over 350 different species alone. But many are endangered and threatened, including the snail kite, the wood stork, the woodpecker and the bald eagle. As the water level fluctuates in water conservation areas, nesting efforts fail.

When did they start draining the Florida Everglades?

Additional flooding in 1947 led to unprecedented construction of canals throughout South Florida.

Why was Everglades National Park created in 1947?

With the support of many early conservationists, scientists and other advocates, Everglades National Park was established in 1947 to preserve the natural landscape and prevent further degradation of its soil, plants and animals.

Is there any attempt to repair the Everglades?

An ongoing effort to repair damage inflicted in the 20th century on the Everglades, a region of tropical wetlands in southern Florida, is the most expensive and extensive environmental remediation effort in history.

What did the Seminole Indians call the Everglades?

When the Seminole Indians had conflicts with the government, they wanted to hide in the Everglades and they lived there for many years and called this area home. These Indians of the Everglades were labeled Seminoles, which comes from the Spanish word Cimarron, meaning 'wild' or 'escaped slave'.