Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

A gathering on historic grounds to Rescue the River of Grass

https://youtu.be/PFC4VQyGEpk?si=fT_2WvG9wq10EVIv Last week’s Rescue the River of Grass Town Hall brought together passionate advocates and community members like you for a meaningful conversation about the future of the Everglades. There was something especially meaningful about gathering with our partners at Tropical Audubon Society at the historic Doc Thomas House — the very place where Friends of the Everglades founder Marjory Stoneman Douglas once met with Doc Thomas to discuss shared conservation goals and their love of South Florida. We returned to that same space Friday night to discuss the next chapter of Everglades restoration and the timely opportunity to advance solutions through the Rescue the River of Grass campaign. Rescue the River of Grass is a community-driven movement [...]

Allie Preston2026-11-03T08:18:32-05:00November 3rd, 2026|Rescue the River of Grass|

“Love alone isn’t enough” | Georgia Evaul’s Everglades Story

Marjory’s Circle launched in 2020 to sustain the legacy of our spirited founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The group that emerged hails from all over, possessing different backgrounds and motivations, but is connected by a desire to see the Everglades protected and preserved. https://youtu.be/hSYyBfvjHrA?si=LFks_6Rcd9gq2vEQ Meet Georgia Evaul Name: Georgia Evaul Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Member since: 2021 When Georgia Evaul was in fifth grade, a teacher took her class on a swamp slog in the Everglades. She calls it her "eco-action baptism" – the day she learned that "the Everglades are telling a story, if you can just be still enough to listen." This early experience planted a seed that helped shape Georgia’s relationship with nature and inspire a lifelong [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-28T17:32:41-04:00October 29th, 2026|All Posts, Marjory's Circle|

Wetlands: Where will the water go without them?

Water, water everywhere — and what happens when there isn’t anywhere for it to go? Floridians know (or ought to know) how crucial wetlands are for flood control, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat and more. Nearly one-third of the state is wetlands, up to 14 million acres; and the health of these wetlands is crucial to Florida’s future, particularly as sea level rises and weather patterns like the looming “super” El Nino dump ever-more rain. As such, Florida’s elected leaders must do all they can to protect wetlands. But instead, they’re doing the opposite. Wetlands here and across the country are under unprecedented threat due to a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision; subsequent rulemaking and legislative proposals have upped the [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-27T17:45:55-04:00October 28th, 2026|Everglades Unfiltered|

Truce needed in the war over data centers

The skirmishes over data centers in Florida look to be turning into a full-blown war. Data center developers have proposed or already built some 24 projects across Florida, representing $20.8 billion in investments. And as investigative reporter Jason Garcia has documented, they’ve spent at least $30 million on political contributions to help data center-friendly candidates do well on election day. Yet even as this onslaught intensifies, more and more communities are saying “no,” or at least, “wait.” Nineteen Florida counties have reportedly instituted moratoriums or freezes on data center applications and development, while another seven have banned them outright. More are likely to follow as concerns grow about water and energy usage, noise, habitat disruption and more. So who [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-27T14:30:52-04:00October 28th, 2026|Everglades Unfiltered, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Amendment 3 opposition grows; will it be enough?

Now we’ve got two, count ‘em, TWO former Florida Senate Presidents who have come out against Amendment 3. Republican Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, who served as Senate President from 2022 to 2024, actually helped get Amendment 3 on the ballot this year; the measure would reduce property taxes by increasing homestead exemptions for non-school property taxes and lowering the cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties. But in early October she said she would vote against it, because it could hammer rural communities and special districts that rely on property taxes and have little recourse if revenue falls. Then on Oct. 20, Passidomo’s successor as Senate President, GOP Sen. Ben Albritton, said he would vote against Amendment 3 for [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-27T14:28:37-04:00October 28th, 2026|2026 ballot: Amendment 3, Everglades Unfiltered|

1,200 parking spaces in the heart of the Everglades

We walked the site of “Alligator Alcatraz.” This is what we saw: A blacktop parking lot for 1,200 cars stretches across the landscape in the middle of Big Cypress National Preserve — on the same ground that Friends of the Everglades was founded to protect in 1969. Before “Alligator Alcatraz,” grasses grew from this land. Now, some of the parking spaces are stained from vehicle leaks. Rectangular patches of asphalt cover what used to be drainage basins, and water pools on the pavement. More than 20 acres of new pavement were laid here. I stood on this parking lot in August, during a visit to the “Alligator Alcatraz” site with the Miccosukee Tribe and other allies [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-19T21:12:54-04:00October 20th, 2026|Alligator Alcatraz, Voice of the Everglades|

Florida Oceanographic Society’s Mark Perry: The Florida he remembers and the future he’s fighting for

https://youtu.be/s5Zea7uhxQk "We've proven we can do it with man-made marshes...by gosh, we can restore the Everglades if we want to." — Mark Perry, Executive Director, Florida Oceanographic Society For nearly five decades, Mark Perry has been a tireless champion for Florida's waterways. As Executive Director and CEO of Florida Oceanographic Society, he's dedicated his career to protecting the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, witnessing firsthand the devastating consequences of pollution, habitat loss and decades of misguided water management. But for Mark, this fight is also deeply personal. Growing up on these waters, Mark experienced a thriving ecosystem that he hopes his young grandson will one day get to enjoy, too. He dreams of taking him fishing and [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-13T17:00:17-04:00October 14th, 2026|All Posts, Rescue the River of Grass, St. Lucie Estuary|

What if your 2027 calendar could help protect the Everglades?

A year of Everglades beauty, captured by Clyde Butcher There's nothing quite like seeing the Everglades through the lens of legendary photographer Clyde Butcher. His breathtaking black-and-white images capture the wild beauty of this extraordinary ecosystem — and remind us why it's worth protecting. Now, you can enjoy that beauty all year long with a special 2027 calendar created in partnership with Friends of the Everglades. More than a collection of stunning photographs, each month in this interactive calendar pairs Clyde's iconic imagery with information and QR codes connecting you to our ongoing work to protect and restore the River of Grass. Clyde’s team will generously donate $10 for every calendar purchased through our special link. Bring a little [...]

Allie Preston2026-11-02T11:07:01-05:00October 13th, 2026|All Posts|

Federal wetland protections are critical for the Everglades

Friends of the Everglades submitted the following letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of the Army regarding a proposed "Water of the United States" (WOTUS) rule change at the federal agency level. The proposed rule could strip federal protections from millions of acres of Florida wetlands, threatening critical Everglades habitat, clean water and billions of dollars invested in restoration. Read our full letter below to learn why we’re urging federal agencies to protect seasonal wetlands and intermittent streams. READ THE LETTER IN FULL

Allie Preston2026-10-09T12:03:20-04:00October 9th, 2026|Everglades Restoration, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

2026 ballot: Vote NO on Amendment 3

At first glance, Amendment 3 may sound like a simple property tax cut. But there’s a lot more at stake. Here’s how it could impact the future of the Everglades. Amendment 3 would reduce the property tax revenue available to local governments and special districts, including water management districts. The South Florida Water Management District relies on these dollars to help fund critical work across the Everglades ecosystem including: Cleaning up polluted water through Stormwater Treatment Areas that filter pollution before it reaches the Everglades Managing invasive species, including efforts to control Burmese pythons and other threats to native wildlife Buying, protecting and managing more than 1 million acres of public conservation land — places that serve as home [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-01T20:24:53-04:00October 1st, 2026|2026 ballot: Amendment 3, Everglades Restoration|

About Allie Preston