The Florida Everglades Essays -- Geography Environmental Nature Essays

The Florida EvergladesThe Florida Everglades have been adversely impacted for decades because of human attempts to control this historical River of Grass. The reason for our insisting on attempting to control and manage the area merchantman be defined in one word water. There has always been plenty of water procurable within the Everglades ecosystem, but no logical way to extract it. Our extraction efforts eventually led to devastate results. My paper will focus on the sign policy and practices involved in the extensive downgrading of this once biologically unequaled ecosystem as well as discuss recent policy initiatives that have been implemented in order to restore the Everglades to its once magnificent status. I will attempt to define the pertinent issues, priorities, actors, and instruments, as well as discuss lessons that can be taken from this case study. BackgroundIn its natural state, the South Florida ecosystem was connected by the flow of water south from Lake Okeechob ee through vast fresh water marshes, known as the Everglades, to Florida Bay and on to the coral reefs of the Florida Keys. The Everglades covered approximately 18,000 square miles and were the heart of a unique and biologically productive and unique region, bread and butter vast colonies of wading birds, a mixture of temperate and tropical plant and animal species, along with abundant coastal fisheries. These exceptional natural resources were nationally accept with the establishment of Everglades National Park in 1947. In 1948, sexual intercourse authorized the Central and Southern Florida Project in response to a series of devastating floods that had occurred in the area. This project authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to provide flood control... ..., for the undertaking would be too great for either to accomplish alone.References1) A Comprehensive plan for the return of the Florida Everglades United States Department of the Interior January 19, 1996.2) Restoring the Eve rglades, an American Legacy Act Committee on Environment and Public Works, One coke Sixth Congress July 27, 2000.3) Derr, Mark Some Kind of Paradise William Morrow & Company, New York1989.4) Glenn, A. Adam Birthday Gift for the Glades ABCNEWS.com December 2000.5) Maddox, Jennifer House Panel Chairman Everglades Restoration going to go forward Naples Daily News March 2000.6) Martin, John Whos in Charge Few Results from Massive Everglades Restoration Project ABCNEWS.com April 2000.7) Phinney, David Restoring the Everglades Congress Must First Pass Plan ABCNEWS.com July 2000.