Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

Friends of the Everglades Legislative Priorities: 2023

About Friends of the Everglades: Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of the seminal book The Everglades: River of Grass. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America’s Everglades and its interconnected ecosystems. We are proud to advocate on behalf of supporters across the Greater Everglades region. 2023 State Legislative Priorities: JUMP TO: Demand cleaner water, now Restore more wetlands, send more clean water south Smarter, controlled development Stop sugarcane burning 1. Demand cleaner water, now: Poor water quality is the root cause of blue-green algal blooms and red tide, seagrass loss and manatee die-offs and other harmful outcomes. Improved water quality will safeguard marine life, human health and [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-08T07:07:09-05:00February 8th, 2023|All Posts, Demand Cleaner Water, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, Restore More Wetlands, Smarter Controlled Development, Stop Sugarcane Burning|

Your moment of Everglades Zen: One morning on Stuart’s Sailfish Flats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qs-Ih6G7cE Watch the video above. Manatees drift lazily through shallow, jewel-toned waters, not far from paddle boarders out on a clear, sunny morning typical of the Florida winters that draw so many new faces (and license plates). Stuart’s Sailfish Flats generally encompass are a beloved area where the Indian River Lagoon meets the St. Lucie River. For years, this confluence of waterways has been recognized as both a recreational playground and an angler’s paradise — its aquamarine water and sandbars as famous as the once-lush seagrass meadows that historically served as a foundational ecosystem for a spectacular and renowned fishery. The water in this video is beautiful, but even as we appreciate these moments of zen, we are reminded [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-06T11:57:08-05:00February 7th, 2023|Everglades Zen, St. Lucie Estuary|

Bad Bill Alert: HB 41 would limit citizens’ ability to challenge development rules

House Bill 41, filed by Rep. Alina Garcia, emerged as one of the earliest Bad Bills of 2023. Identified first by our friends at VoteWater, “the proposal looks to be yet another sop to developers, prohibiting local initiatives or referendums on land development regulations. State law already prohibits such initiatives or referendums on comprehensive plan or map amendments, except those specifically authorized in a local charter provision enacted before June 2011. HB 41 would essentially expand this to any local push to change land development rules, and make it retroactive.” You can read the full analysis by VoteWater by clicking here.

Allie Preston2023-02-07T15:45:22-05:00February 6th, 2023|Alina Garcia, Bad Bill Alert, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, HB 41, Smarter Controlled Development, Stopping Sprawl|

Spotlight On: Stormwater Treatment Areas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAQdfAEZi4 What's an STA anyway? On the fringes of the Everglades Agricultural Area, south of Lake Okeechobee, sit tens of thousands of acres of man-made wetlands called stormwater treatment areas, or STAs. These marshes, managed by the South Florida Water Management District, were designed to use native and non-native aquatic vegetation to clean water of damaging fertilizer runoff from surrounding agricultural land and the polluted Lake Okeechobee, before the clean, fresh water flows south to nourish the River of Grass. They are a crucial tool for Everglades restoration and for protecting coastal estuaries. The STAs are arguably the most effective Everglades-restoration projects ever built by man — because they emulate Mother Nature. That said, their full strength will be [...]

Allie Preston2023-01-31T08:44:44-05:00January 31st, 2023|Science-driven solutions, Spotlight On|

Bad Bill Alert: HB 359 would punish citizens who challenge comprehensive plan amendments

Residents against the Rural Lifestyle amendment protest ahead of the Martin County Commission meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, in Stuart. As the paving of Florida continues and often haphazard growth leapfrogs across the landscape, a proposed new law would supercharge sprawl by punishing citizens who dare question it. House Bill 359, titled “Local Government Comprehensive Plans,” was filed this week by Rep. Wyman Duggan, a Republican from Jacksonville. The bill stipulates that anyone who loses a legal challenge to a comprehensive plan — or comprehensive plan amendment — must pay the winner’s attorney fees and costs. Current law allows the winning party to recover court costs in cases filed by citizens who allege a development order violates [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-07T15:45:33-05:00January 26th, 2023|All Posts, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, HB 359, Smarter Controlled Development, Wyman Duggan|

WATCH NOW — Dissecting DeSantis’ executive order

We're hearing a lot of questions about Gov. Ron DeSantis' latest executive order on the environment. Will it curtail the pollution that's plagued Florida's water and air? Will it help restore the Everglades? How exactly will the promised $3.5 billion be spent? The success or failure of this cash infusion is entirely dependent on the projects it pays for. And, on that front, DeSantis is vague in the executive order. That's why tracking the money will be essential — and we're committed to it. Watch the 3-minute video take on the order below from Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples, then check out this helpful analysis from our friends at VoteWater. Exactly four years ago, DeSantis issued his first [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-07T13:58:22-05:00January 19th, 2023|DeSantis, Everglades Restoration, Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature|

Everglades Illustrated: Persistent Red Tide

Along the coast of Southwest Florida, red tide is lingering. Through January 6, 2023, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission detected low to high concentrations in 59 samples collected from Pinellas to Charlotte County, as detailed in the image above. Conditions have varied since October when the blooms first appeared, due to ever-changing wind and currents that move blooms inshore and offshore, as well as up and down the coast. Marine animals and residents alike are feeling the repercussions, as fish kills and respiratory irritation reported by beachgoers are linked to the persistent blooms. In Sarasota Bay, researchers have discovered that bottlenose dolphins tracked by marine scientists will “cough” and “sneeze” when they swim through strong red tide blooms, [...]

Allie Preston2023-02-14T15:59:32-05:00January 10th, 2023|Caloosahatchee Estuary, Everglades Illustrated, Red Tide, Wildlife Habitat|

Your moment of Everglades zen: Rare moments of all play and no work in Chokoloskee Bay

Once a year, our Friends of the Everglades staff takes a group trip to explore part of the greater Everglades ecosystem. It’s a stark contrast to our daily grind — when we can be found most often behind our computer screens, studying the details of environmental challenges, projects and policies. It’s in these moments, when we are immersed in the places we’re working so hard to protect, that we find inspiration to carry on fighting. Our recent trip to Everglades City and Chokoloskee was illuminating. We found a taste of authentic Old Florida during our stay at The Rod and Gun Club in Everglades City, a sleepy town that boasts [...]

Allie Preston2023-01-03T13:32:31-05:00January 3rd, 2023|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

Close out 2022 with one final gift to Friends of the Everglades!

A roseate spoonbill explores the freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp on Friday, Dec. 16, near Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery in Ochopee. As we move steadily toward the final days of 2022, we’ve got our eyes trained on new goals in the year ahead. In 2023, our focus will turn quickly to the looming 60-day state legislative session — a time when lawmakers consider bills that have a significant impact on Florida’s fragile environment. We expect the 2023 session, which will run from March 7 to May 5, to require in-depth analysis, citizen engagement and fast action. Rest assured, you can count on Friends of the Everglades to track important bills, highlight key players, and [...]

Allie Preston2022-12-22T11:19:09-05:00December 27th, 2022|All Posts, Florida Legislature, Marjory's Circle|

75 Marjory’s Circle members for 75 Years of Advocacy

Give the gift of Marjory’s Circle by dedicating a membership to a loved one this holiday season! By joining Marjory’s Circle, you’re committing to protecting one of the world's great ecosystems and sustaining the legacy of Friends of the Everglades founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Joining only takes a couple of clicks. Your membership in this special giving society drives our efforts to preserve, protect and restore the Florida you and yours know and love. As a grassroots organization with over 53 years of integrity and uncompromising loyalty to America’s Everglades, there is no better circle of Friends to be in right now. This year we celebrate both the 75th anniversary of Everglades National Park and the 75th anniversary of [...]

Allie Preston2022-12-20T16:34:17-05:00December 21st, 2022|All Posts, Marjory's Circle|

About Allie Preston