Leah Voss, Author at Friends of the Everglades

Frights and delights in the Everglades

(Not too) spooky season October is here, meaning spooky season is in full swing. There are plenty of frights and delights to be had in the Greater Everglades. Creepy, crawly critters lurk around every cypress knee, in every gator hole and beneath the surface of the endless waters of the Everglades. But there’s no need to be scared. All of Florida’s native species serve a purpose — that’s what makes the Everglades one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Our recent excursions to Grassy Waters Preserve and Jonathan Dickinson State Park revealed a more harmless haunt. Think: wild mushrooms sprouting up after a good rain, [...]

Leah Voss2026-10-06T09:08:23-04:00October 6th, 2026|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

Turn your sights to the Everglades as the sun sets on summer

Photos by Multimedia Producer Leah Voss Goodbye summer, hello Everglades Labor Day marks the ceremonial end of summer. The long, sunny days in the Everglades begin to shorten and signs of the changing season begin to appear. Eventually, cooler temperatures will lessen the impact of those pesky mosquitoes, which means it’s the perfect time to start planning your winter trip to the Everglades. Need some inspiration? Keep scrolling to read about some of our favorite dry season activities: Stargazing over the wilderness As humidity drops and the summer storm clouds clear out, winter nights in the Everglades turn into some of the darkest, star-filled skies in South Florida. Plan a trip near the new moon to visit [...]

Leah Voss2026-09-04T11:37:33-04:00September 7th, 2026|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

5 important facts about Florida Bay

Florida Bay Dreaming When you think of the Everglades, wide open views of cumulus cloud-dotted blue skies and swaying sawgrass probably come to mind. But the slow moving River of Grass has to flow somewhere, and traditionally, that has been to the large, shallow Florida Bay estuary. Unfortunately, in the last 100 years, man-made changes forced a redirection of the natural flow of water, depriving Florida Bay of the freshwater it needs to thrive. (Thankfully, we know the solution to that problem.) Keep reading for five important facts about our favorite subtropical bay. 1. Florida Bay is the southernmost portion of Everglades National Park A majority of the bay, [...]

Leah Voss2026-07-24T11:59:20-04:00August 4th, 2026|All Posts, Everglades National Park, Everglades Zen, Florida Bay, Rescue the River of Grass|

Statement from our Executive Director on the removal of detainees from “Alligator Alcatraz”

June 17, 2026 Statement from Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples on detainees being removed from "Alligator Alcatraz:" “‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will go down as one of the biggest policy failures in American history. Our government failed to protect the Everglades and failed to follow basic environmental laws — while racking up an estimated $1 billion tab paid by taxpayers. Friends of the Everglades and our many allies have fought for a full year to hold the state and federal government accountable for this assault, and this week’s news shows the pressure worked. But the work is not done. ICE’s decision to remove detainees, if true, is overdue and welcome news, yet threats to the Everglades persist. We [...]

Leah Voss2026-06-17T15:36:21-04:00June 17th, 2026|All Posts, Alligator Alcatraz|

“I am the mangrove” — a visual love letter to the Indian River Lagoon

SIGN YOUR NAME TO RESCUE THE RIVER OF GRASS ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dear Friend, I am the mangrove. I build. Quietly, quietly, through the blazing days, Through the breathing nights, I thrust my grey roots, Building. I have spent this spring documenting segments of the Indian River Lagoon, building a story of the estuary using my cameras. The story is as spectacular as the river is resilient. There is rich Indigenous history, which I learned more about while reading Indian River Lagoon: An Environmental History. There is my own history with this waterway — having told its stories throughout my career, having made my own glorious memories [...]

Leah Voss2026-06-15T13:15:58-04:00June 10th, 2026|All Posts, Everglades Zen, Florida Legislative Tracker, Rescue the River of Grass, St. Lucie Estuary|

Three native wading birds you’ll find nesting in the Everglades this spring

The beauty of Everglades wading birds The Everglades are home to more wildlife than alligators. More than 360 bird species have been recorded in Everglades National Park, attracting bird watchers from around the world. Among the most iconic are wading birds who thrive in the slow-moving River of Grass, dining on fish, frogs and snakes in a variety of habitats. Beyond the park, there are plenty of opportunities for observing native birds in the Greater Everglades. One of the can’t-miss locations is Wakodahatchee Wetlands, a place we visit each spring for inspiring, up-close views of hatchlings. Keep reading to learn more about three of our [...]

Leah Voss2026-04-14T16:49:09-04:00April 15th, 2026|All Posts, Everglades Zen|

Friends of the Everglades presents River of Grass

This event is SOLD OUT https://youtu.be/A17GnLP3DHA?si=_6NIa4H7pjWCJYm6 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please join us for a special screening of Sasha Wortzel's new award-winning documentary, River of Grass, a moving ode to the Everglades, told through the prescient writings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and those who today call the region home. After the May 6 screening at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart, FL, there will be lively conversation about Marjory's legacy and a Q & A session with the Director/Producer Sasha Wortzel and Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples. It will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. Members of Marjory’s Circle, our special donor group for those who give $1,200 or more annually, will receive a discounted $10 ticket. [...]

Leah Voss2026-05-04T14:49:48-04:00April 9th, 2026|All Posts|

We just left court in our fight against “Alligator Alcatraz” — defending environmental laws and the Everglades

Today, on the birthday of our founder Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we had a long-awaited day in court. Before a three-judge panel in downtown Miami, our legal team argued to restore the preliminary injunction we won last summer that halted harmful activity at “Alligator Alcatraz.” Our lead counsel, Paul Schwiep of Coffey Burlington, made a compelling case for requiring the government to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act — a bedrock environmental law that requires the government to do three things: study the environmental impacts of its actions; take public input; and consider alternatives. None of those three things happened when “Alligator Alcatraz” was built last summer, on public lands encircled by Big Cypress National Preserve. Since then, at least [...]

Leah Voss2026-04-07T14:14:03-04:00April 7th, 2026|All Posts, Alligator Alcatraz|

WATCH NOW — Live 2026 Florida legislative post-session review

https://www.youtube.com/live/jULkINTRERM _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How were issues facing the Everglades addressed during the 2026 Florida legislative session? Today's livestream with Executive Director Eve Samples and Policy Director Gil Smart gave an overview of bills filed — and explained how the most brazen assaults on Florida’s environment faltered at the end. We can rest for now, but we’ll be paying attention to the Legislature’s return to Tallahassee on April 13, when they meet to hash out a budget. For a brief overview of what happened this year, read our recently published 2026 post-session report. For the full analysis from Eve and Gil, watch the recording of today’s live conversation. Stay engaged, stay informed and thanks to everyone who tuned in. Special thanks [...]

Leah Voss2026-04-02T13:54:01-04:00April 2nd, 2026|Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature, Friends of the Everglades LIVE|

Our new report shows Florida is failing to meet court-ordered phosphorus pollution limits for the Everglades

Everglades restoration will not work unless the water is clean. However, a new report from Friends of the Everglades shows the state of Florida is falling far short of court-ordered pollution limits as deadlines for compliance quickly approach. The report, Everglades Water Quality and Stormwater Treatment Area Performance, relies on the state’s own data to illustrate a gaping divide between recent phosphorus pollution levels and the legally mandated Water Quality Based Effluent Limit (WQBEL) for water entering the Everglades — three decades after the cleanup effort began. Despite assertions of “great progress” from the South Florida Water Management District and DeSantis Administration, the state is on a trajectory to violate the WQBEL during the water year that begins May [...]

Leah Voss2026-06-19T09:04:18-04:00April 2nd, 2026|All Posts, Rescue the River of Grass, Stormwater Treatment Areas|

About Leah Voss