Thank you for committing your time to our Give Miami Day efforts! Below you'll find step-by-step instructions for setting up your Champions page. Having trouble registering to be a Friends of the Everglades Champion? Contact scott.brown@everglades.org with questions!
https://youtu.be/tn1pNXgJiEs?si=ZTXNEJ_fekLlbUrI From Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples brings you your Voice of the Everglades update: Last month’s assault on Florida’s state parks was both brazen and bumbling. In just eight days, Gov. Ron DeSantis was forced to do an about-face on stealthy plans to build golf courses, hotels, and other harmful development on environmentally sensitive public lands. The retreat signaled a temporary victory for those of us who love wild Florida — and a reminder of the power of speaking out, showing up and working together. Friends of the Everglades was honored to stand in solidarity with so many of you. Now, we must bring our might to another battle before us: [...]
https://youtu.be/C7N-_YfSfR8?si=BMOj3l3u5ffxo0ip Community Partner Spotlight: Planet Saving Productions Melissa Azzarito is a high school student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. She founded Planet Saving Productions, a non profit production company that partners volunteer student videographers with environmental organizations to expand their reach and impact through video. This month, we offered guidance to Melissa and her small team as Planet Saving Productions developed a video to contrast the beauty of the Everglades with the issues that threaten it. The result (above) embodies the central mission of Friends of the Everglades and the work we do every day in the footsteps of our founder and namesake of MSDHS, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Below we hope you'll also enjoy experiencing [...]
https://www.youtube.com/live/3KjlhxmU-6Q?si=iLxEmrNkI3TKILX3 If ever you need reassurance that your voice matters, we hope you'll remember the fight to keep Florida's state parks wild. We saw that united energy again today when hundreds of you joined us for a live update on the recent sneak attack to bring harmful development to these beloved natural spaces. That grassroots activism is responsible for keeping our parks safe this year, but Florida Springs Council's Ryan Smart was spot-on in summarizing the threat that remains: "We have to win every time. The developers only have to win once.” The big takeaway is this: — This fight isn't over. We do anticipate that this harmful proposal will rear its head again in another form down the [...]
“This isn’t Everglades restoration. This is exploitation. This is another nail in the coffin of the Everglades.” Watch this video. Friends of the Everglades Policy Director Gil Smart told the South Florida Water Management District on September 12 that the Southland Water Resource Project, pitched as an EAA water storage project, but appearing to be first and foremost a rock mining operation, must never come to fruition. The project has been withdrawn, but could reappear in front of the SFWMD governing board for approval or as a legislative proposal. We’ll be watching for these billionaires to continue to try to make a buck off the back of this fragile ecosystem and we’ll be sure to enlist your help [...]
Thank you for being a Friend. At Friends of the Everglades, your support is the heartbeat of our mission to safeguard Florida’s most precious and vital ecosystems. To better understand who you are and how we can align our work with your motivations, we're conducting a brief supporter survey. Just press the yellow Start button below to begin. As a thank you for sharing your time and insights, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a Patagonia backpack filled with Friends of the Everglades merchandise! One randomly selected winner will be notified via email on September 26. Survey must be completed in full to qualify. Click to view more giveaway details.
Liz Roa, Young Friends of the Everglades fall 2024 intern. We are pleased to announce the recipient of our 2024 Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholar award, Lizbet Roa. Born and raised in Belle Glade, Florida, Liz is a recent high school graduate and soon-to-be college freshman. Passionate about the environment, she helped start a pollinator garden at her school and has one of her own at home, believing that small gestures can make a big impact on saving our environment. Lizbet is excited to become an intern with Friends of the Everglades and is eager to learn more about how to help save our beautiful natural resources. She aspires to become an environmental scientist. To learn more about [...]
As we get into the swing of the 2024-25 school year, we’re excited to share some incredible moments from our first season of summer programming. In June and July, Young Friends of the Everglades hosted 16 In-House Field Trips throughout South Florida to enrich students’ summer learning experiences by introducing them to the wonders of the Everglades! Our camp sessions had a broader content scope than our classroom presentations, which focus on grade-specific topics related to Florida’s education standards. With an emphasis on Animals of the Everglades, more than 600 students in Kindergarten through 6th grade explored biodiversity, adaptations, food chains, and water flow through various interactive, hands-on activities. One of the highlights was [...]
Nature’s mosaic is on bold display at Jonathan Dickinson At the top of Jonathan Dickinson State Park’s Hobe Mountain, the mosaic of scrubby flatwood, pine forest and rolling sand hills seem to stretch on forever. Looking east, there is a panoramic view of the never ending Atlantic Ocean, where the rising sun casts rays of light over the water each morning. To the west, pine trees are layered for miles until they meet the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River. This ancient sand dune, standing 86 feet above sea level, is the highest natural point south of Lake Okeechobee, so you won’t find these majestic views anywhere else. [...]