Allie Preston, Author at Friends of the Everglades

Cane-burning season means toxic times for Glades communities

Autumn’s in the air. And in the Glades communities, so is toxic smoke and “black snow.” The sugar industry’s burn season began Oct. 1 and runs through May. During that time some 400,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area will be put to the torch as growers burn off the leaves and tops of the plants, leaving only the sugar-bearing stalk to be harvested. For the industry, it’s simple and economical. For the residents of the Glades, it’s monstrous. During burn season, flames can shoot 30 to 40 feet in the air, with plumes of smoke visible from space. State law prohibits burning when the winds might blow the smoke and soot toward the wealthy coastal communities east of the [...]

Allie Preston2021-10-06T13:29:40-04:00October 7th, 2021|Sugarcane Burning|

Your moment of Everglades zen: Rev. Houston Cypress and “What Endures”

We know the bad-news reel gets old. It’s good to stop and remember what we’re working so hard to protect. Here’s your dose of Everglades zen. https://youtu.be/Adgge_pFuuo “Speaking to the world, and listening deeply for her reply.” We were so moved by this short video written and produced by Reverend Houston R. Cypress. In it he expresses a generational relationship to the greater Everglades that is so clearly palpable, the viewer is transported to a place of deep connection — by the views, the sounds, and smells — fostered and shared with us by the enduring culture of the Miccosukee Tribe. “We all grow so elegantly when spoken to so gently,” Rev. Cypress says, reminding us of the fragile yet [...]

Allie Preston2021-10-04T17:04:51-04:00October 5th, 2021|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

VIDEO: Looking ahead at Florida’s 2022 Legislative Session

During today's Clean Water Conversation, state Representative Anna Eskamani made news. She agreed to file legislation that would repeal the "particle emission" protections language approved last year in Senate Bill 88. This part of the "Right to Farm" bill protects the sugarcane industry from legal action related to the harmful impacts of sugarcane burning, leaving communities south of Lake Okeechobee vulnerable to the many health hazards connected to such burning. We applaud Rep. Eskamani's dedication to shielding residents who are disproportionately impacted by these dangers. And we stand ready to help shine a light on this environmental injustice as well as many other policy challenges elected officials will face in the state legislative session that starts in January. We covered [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-30T14:06:03-04:00September 30th, 2021|All Posts|

Friends of the Everglades Legislative Priorities: 2022

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. 2022 Legislative Priorities: JUMP TO: Stop pollution at its source Prohibit oil drilling in the Everglades and Big Cypress Strip "particle emissions" from the list of protected farming practices Fully Fund Florida Forever Send more Lake Okeechobee water south Support legal rights for the natural environment Stop the assault on home rule 1. Stop pollution at its source. Fully implement the recommendations of the [...]

Allie Preston2022-01-03T13:10:07-05:00September 28th, 2021|All Posts, Florida Legislature|

Documenting the discharges by plane – 9-24-21

Our partners at LightHawk have continued to fly surveillance flights over Lake Okeechobee regularly to help us keep an eye on the toxic algae activity within the lake. On Wednesday, pilot Howard Greenberg sent us footage from his latest flight. In the video, evidence of persisting algae blooms appears slight, but recent satellite images confirm that there's still good reason to keep our monitoring going. This summer the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee have enjoyed a much-needed reprieve from toxic Lake Okeechobee discharges — a change that communities on either coasts have been grateful for. But a big storm this time of year could still make releases to the estuaries a reality — and the Army Corps has their eyes on [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-24T14:32:14-04:00September 24th, 2021|All Posts, Lake Okeechobee, Toxic Algae|

Friends of the Everglades supports climate change action to protect the Everglades

Friends of the Everglades joined the Southern Alliance of Clean Energy and others in signing on to the following letter to the Florida Congressional Delegation in support of a Clean Electricity Performance Program in order to take action on climate change and protect America's Everglades. As state, the electricity sector is one of the largest contributors to carbon pollution driving climate change — and a huge consumer of water. Impacts from climate change stand to undermine the significant strides that have been made to restore America's Everglades. The letter calls for historic investment in a clean and water-smart energy future and requests swift action from the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation to cut carbon pollution in the next decade [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-23T13:47:11-04:00September 23rd, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

2nd Annual MSD Legacy Luncheon

Allie Preston2022-10-31T13:31:47-04:00September 15th, 2021|All Posts|

Everglades Illustrated: Dangerous development threatens the Everglades

The map above tells the story of a looming threat to Biscayne Bay. Developers in Miami-Dade County are pushing to convert 794 acres of “farmland of unique importance” to 9 million square feet of industrial development. This green space sits outside the county’s Urban Development Boundary, and within Coastal High Hazard Area — which is “among the areas least suitable for urban development” due to storm surge vulnerabilities, according to county staff. Despite a scathing report by the County’s own planning and environmental staff about the dangers posed by the South Dade Technology & Logistics project, the Board of County Commissioners voted September 9 to transmit the proposal to the state for review. In a shocking display of one-sided politics, [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-14T14:13:30-04:00September 14th, 2021|Everglades Illustrated, Homestead Air Reserve Base|

Friends of the Everglades to Miami-Dade County: Hold the Line on current Urban Development Boundary

The following letter submitted on behalf of Friends of the Everglades outlines concerns about the application filed by Aligned Real Estate Holdings and South Dade Industrial Partners. The application is scheduled for consideration at the Sept. 9 Miami- Dade County Commission meeting. Reports, comments and recommendations of the County's own staff have detailed why this proposal would be a bad public policy choice for the County for this location and at this time. As the County works along with state and federal agencies in the herculean effort to protect the County’s existing public and private investments from sea level rise and salt water intrusion, and restore the health of Biscayne Bay, replacing 800 acres of flood prone natural land outside [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-07T17:32:46-04:00September 7th, 2021|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Homestead Air Reserve Base|

Your moment of Everglades Zen: The Night Sky in the Everglades

We know the bad-news reel gets old. It's good to stop and remember what we're working so hard to protect. Here's your dose of Everglades zen. https://youtu.be/1zeof1-Fe3I The Night Sky in the Everglades Watch the video above and then see if you can come up with a single good reason that a place capable of this level of majesty isn't worth saving. Photographer Anthony Sleiman shared this compilation of time-lapse images of the night sky above different trails in Everglades National Park with us, and the end result is nothing short of breathtaking. When we asked him what motivated his work, he had this to say: "To me, the Everglades is a place full of magic, a place where time [...]

Allie Preston2021-09-23T13:47:33-04:00September 7th, 2021|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

About Allie Preston