This is a pivotal moment for the Everglades — and for all of us who value clean water. 

Today, after months of research and planning, we are unveiling an initiative that maps out a lasting solution for this one-of-a-kind ecosystem and those who depend on it.

Over the past century, more than half of the Everglades have been cleared and drained for agriculture and urban development. The remnants are fragmented, rife with challenges that make its survival more critical than ever. Restoration efforts have been halting.

We now know clearly what it would take to finish the job — to Rescue the River of Grass.

Our science team has quantified exactly how much land is needed south of Lake Okeechobee, in addition to the EAA Reservoir, to prevent harmful discharges to the northern estuaries and restore the ecological health of the southern Everglades and Florida Bay. We also identified the mechanism for acquiring that land: State funds are available via voter-approved Amendment 1, which will generate $1.3 billion-$1.6 billion annually for the next 10 years — money designated for land acquisition.

There’s no greater bang for Floridians’ bucks than reconnecting the River of Grass.

This is a rare moment. We know the solution. The money is available to fund it. 

It’s also an increasingly urgent cause: Big Sugar has proposed an 8,000+ acre rock mine south of Lake Okeechobee. It’s not restoration — it’s exploitation.

We can’t let the very polluters who brought the Everglades to the brink of collapse pretend they’re going to mine their way to a solution.

Today, we invite you to join the groundswell of voices leading the movement to preserve the future of Florida. 

Together, we can sustain Florida’s economy, environment and public health. The solution is within reach, and the onus is on all of us to advance it. For a healthier Everglades, a stronger Florida — we must seize this moment to buy the land. 

It’s time to rescue the River of Grass.

Rescue the River of Grass is a movement to secure the public acquisition of critical land in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). It aims to address Florida’s pressing water storage and treatment needs, restore the natural flow of clean water to the Everglades and Florida Bay, and prevent harmful discharges that devastate the northern estuaries.