The Everglades, dubbed the “River of Grass,” is the largest subtropical wetland ecosystem in the United States. This immense, slow-moving sheet of water flows from the Kissimmee River basin down to Florida Bay, creating an intricate mosaic of habitats that support an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. Despite its status as a World Heritage Site, the Everglades is severely threatened by human actions that have fundamentally altered its natural processes. Protecting this irreplaceable environment requires a comprehensive approach: large-scale engineering to fix core ecological damage, addressing biological and chemical threats, and engaging communities in sustained conservation efforts.
Understanding the Core Threat: Altered Water Flow
The most significant threat to the Everglades is the systematic disruption of its natural flow regime. In the early 20th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project, a vast network of canals, levees, and water control structures. This project was designed primarily for flood control and to drain land for agriculture and urban development.
The C&SF Project compartmentalized the Everglades, preventing the natural, slow, southward flow of water and reducing the ecosystem to half its original size. Forty percent of the water that once nourished the southern Everglades is now diverted to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This deviation has caused severe ecological consequences, including the drying out of the southern Everglades and harmful changes in coastal water salinity. For example, reduced freshwater inflow to Florida Bay has caused periods of hypersalinity that damage seagrass beds. Furthermore, water releases now occur in sudden, unnatural pulses through the canals, flooding some habitats while starving others, fundamentally altering the timing and distribution of life-sustaining water.
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
The primary governmental response to fix the historical disruption of water flow is the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Authorized by Congress in 2000, CERP is a massive, multi-decade undertaking and a 50/50 cost-share partnership between the federal government and the State of Florida. The overarching goal is to restore the quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of water to the ecosystem.
A main strategy involves building infrastructure to capture, store, and clean water currently being discharged to the coasts or lost. The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project, a key component, aims to construct a 10,500-acre reservoir capable of storing 240,000 acre-feet of water, alongside a 6,500-acre Stormwater Treatment Area. This project is designed to reduce damaging freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Instead, it will send clean water south toward the Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
Another significant aspect of CERP focuses on reconnecting fragmented portions of the ecosystem by removing man-made barriers and modifying existing structures. Projects like the Picayune Strand Restoration involve plugging canals, removing old roads, and constructing pump stations to restore natural flow patterns. This “decompartmentalization” allows the shallow sheet flow to return to previously blocked or drained areas. The Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) also includes modifying water control structures and constructing seepage barriers to allow more water to flow south, improving hydrology and increasing freshwater delivery to the bay.
Controlling Invasive Species and Nutrient Pollution
Protection efforts must address biological and chemical threats that compromise the ecosystem’s integrity. Invasive species, both plant and animal, thrive in the altered conditions of the Everglades and actively suppress native life.
Invasive Species Control
The Burmese Python, an apex predator introduced through the exotic pet trade, is a significant danger. Pythons decimate populations of native mammals like raccoons, marsh rabbits, and deer, which impacts native predators such as the Florida panther. Control efforts rely on coordinated python removal programs. Trained agents and contractors use techniques like the “scout snake” method, tracking male pythons fitted with transmitters to locate large breeding females.
On the plant side, the invasive Melaleuca tree forms dense, fire-prone monocultures that crowd out native sawgrass and cypress. Melaleuca was originally introduced for landscaping and to dry out swamplands. Control utilizes an integrated management approach combining mechanical removal, herbicides, and biological control agents. For instance, the Oxyops vitiosa weevil reduces the plant’s growth and seed production, making it more vulnerable to other control methods.
Addressing Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient pollution, particularly from phosphorus, presents a distinct chemical threat. It primarily originates from agricultural runoff north of the protected areas in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). The Everglades is a naturally low-nutrient system, and excess phosphorus disrupts this balance, favoring the growth of invasive plants like cattail over native sawgrass.
The solution involves a two-tiered approach. The first tier is enforcing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on agricultural lands to reduce nutrient runoff at the source. The second tier involves channeling the remaining nutrient-rich water through Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs). These massive, constructed wetlands, totaling over 57,000 acres, use specialized aquatic plants like cattails and submerged vegetation to naturally absorb and filter phosphorus. STAs reduce phosphorus loads by over 80 percent before the water is released into the main Everglades ecosystem.
Individual and Community Action
While large-scale engineering requires government action, the long-term protection of the Everglades also depends on individuals and communities. Responsible tourism is an effective way to prevent harm. Visitors should adhere to park regulations, stay on marked trails, and practice “pack-it-in, pack-it-out” principles to prevent litter. Never feeding wildlife is also crucial, as it alters their behavior and can lead to conflicts.
Community involvement through advocacy is a powerful tool for sustaining restoration momentum. Supporting dedicated organizations and contacting representatives helps ensure continued funding and political will for complex projects like CERP. Residents of South Florida can also reduce their impact on shared water resources by reducing water use at home and minimizing the use of lawn fertilizers and pesticides, which contribute to nutrient pollution.