Friends of the Everglades —
Preserve, Protect & Restore The Everglades
At Friends of the Everglades we compel government agencies to comply with existing environmental laws, and resist any efforts to weaken such laws. Encourage politicians to recognize the long consequences of their actions. Spread awareness of the importance of the Everglades to the South Florida ecosystem.
“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them…”
— Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Video Library —
Welcome to Friends of the Everglades
Friends of the Everglades was founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1969. Friends initial goal was to stop the construction of a major airport near Everglades National Park. We succeeded. Since then Friends has remained faithful to its mission to protect, preserve, and restore the only Everglades in the world.
Our Issues
Public Comments —
Lake Okeechobee Operations
Feedback concentrating on the desired outcome and suggested mechanism to achieve it for the new lake regulation schedule.
Scientific Report —
The case for improving the EAA Reservoir.
We hired a wetlands expert to examine the projects effectiveness and articulated 20 concerns to the Army Corps of Engineers.
Latest News
Relief on the horizon?
Is relief from harmful discharges and toxic blue-green algae finally in sight for the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries? In meetings around the state this week, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials heard praise and criticism [...]
VIDEO: The Army Corps must make LOSOM a system-wide win
"Cautiously optimistic." That's the way we're feeling as the process to write a new Lake Okeechobee management plan, known as LOSOM, continues into the optimization stage with Plan CC as the foundation. During today's Clean Water [...]
Help us make public health a priority for LOSOM Alternative CC
Your voices helped us secure Plan CC as the foundation of the new Lake Okeechobee playbook. As the most balanced plan proposed, it was the right choice, offering us the greatest opportunity to protect communities from toxic algae events [...]
Documenting the discharges by plane — 7-23-21
https://youtu.be/bOzIao3lH2M Our partners at LightHawk are helping us keep a close eye on the toxic algae crisis in Lake Okeechobee. This past Friday, pilot John Kusianovich flew a route along the northwest shoreline of the lake. [...]
Army Corps’ choice of Plan CC for Lake O presents opportunity for relief from toxic discharges
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers heard our voice — and yours. Now the hard work really begins. After more than two years of meetings, modeling, debates and advocacy, the Corps whittled down the list of [...]
Plan CC makes LOSOM a win for this entire region
The following comments were made during the July 15, 2021, meeting of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board by Gil Smart, policy director of Friends of the Everglades. Good morning, my name is Gil [...]
