On August 13, 2026, Friends of the Everglades joined a coalition of South Florida conservation organizations urging Miami-Dade County commissioners to restore funding for the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program to $20 million in the FY 2026–27 budget.
EEL protects more than 29,000 acres of critical wetlands, pine rocklands, hardwood hammocks and other natural areas that safeguard drinking water, reduce flooding, protect wildlife and strengthen the region’s climate resilience. The coalition warns that EEL funding has fallen dramatically in recent years, putting approved conservation acquisitions and irreplaceable ecosystems at risk.
