Blog - Page 14 of 63 - Friends of the Everglades

WATCH NOW — How the DOGE cuts are impacting Florida’s national parks

https://youtu.be/hBSyB1Uo1rw?si=ohvBltDPVkAJ4znO Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples weighs in on how the DOGE cuts to national parks staff is anything but efficient in this month's Voice of the Everglades update: The national parks and refuges of the Greater Everglades are spectacular and unique places — each bounded by water and offering respite from the mushrooming metropolis that has subsumed so much of Florida. Wise people who came before us — Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Ernest Coe, Nathaniel Reed among them — had the foresight to protect these swaths of wilderness because they recognized an investment in our collective future. Now these very places are under assault. Federal cuts over the past month have led to the elimination of about [...]

Allie Preston2025-03-13T15:25:25-04:00March 18th, 2025|Voice of the Everglades|

Don’t undermine decades of progress: Keep Everglades facilities open

Slash pines reflect in the water of Pine Glades Lake at Everglades National Park. On March 10, Friends of the Everglades joined National Parks Conservation Association and other environmental allies in signing on to a letter urging the Congressional Everglades Caucus to oppose the proposed lease terminations of key federal facilities in South Florida, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District Headquarters and the National Park Service Florida Natural Resource Center. These facilities play a vital role in Everglades restoration and protecting communities. The letter emphasiezes that federal and state governments have already invested $6 billion in Everglades restoration, and shutting down these offices would jeopardize that progress. Bipartisan action is needed to protect these [...]

Allie Preston2025-03-11T09:28:00-04:00March 11th, 2025|Everglades Restoration, Friends of the Everglades Statements|

Premature approval of EAA rock mine could undermine Everglades restoration

On March 7, 2025, Everglades Law Center sent the following letter on behalf of Friends of the Everglades to the Palm Beach County zoning director urging Palm Beach County to hold off on approving the controversial Southland mining project in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). The letter points out that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) hasn’t finished its review of the project, which is required before the County can consider it a legitimate water resource initiative. Even though Southland is claiming SFWMD has already given them the green light, that's not the case—so far, the District has only taken the very first step in its evaluation process, and a final decision could take a year or more. [...]

Allie Preston2026-10-19T16:33:09-04:00March 7th, 2025|All Posts, Everglades Restoration, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Southland Rock Mine|

Jonathan Dickinson State Park provides perfect oasis for a nature immersion

Turning our attention to nature's gifts Birdsong filled the air on a sunny South Florida morning in the pine flatwoods of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. A group of dedicated Friends of the Everglades supporters — an intimate gathering of Marjory’s Circle members, other supporters and our staff — joined together for a nature immersion led by certified forest therapy guide Kelly Bruce in what’s becoming an annual tradition. As we descended into calm during the guided meditation, the flight of a Red-shouldered hawk above our circle felt like an invitation from Mother Nature to transition into a serene state. Simultaneously, Red-bellied woodpeckers picked at the pines, [...]

Leah Voss2025-03-06T10:16:14-05:00March 6th, 2025|All Posts, Everglades Zen, Marjory's Circle|

Protecting Florida’s economy starts here

An economic case for restoration Here’s the problem: Lake Okeechobee discharges harm local economies, tourism and real estate. Let's break that down. 🏝️ Tourism damage: $2.62 billion in lost revenue from red tide in 2018 🏡 Real estate damage: $1.95 billion in potential property value losses in Lee and Martin Counties (2013 blue-green algae blooms) 🐟 Local businesses feel the pain: $75.75 million lost in 2018 from red tide in Sanibel, Captiva, and Fort Myers Beach 🧹 Cleanup costs: $7.4 million annually spent on small business losses, real estate impacts, and direct cleanup Here’s the solution: Rescue the River of Grass! Everglades restoration not only saves money, it makes money. Using revenue from voter-approved Amendment 1 funds, the State [...]

Allie Preston2025-03-04T16:31:11-05:00March 5th, 2025|Rescue the River of Grass|

Environmental Scholars: $10,000 scholarship and internship awaits!

https://youtu.be/vwA9HQdv9Pc?si=jbIjdz1AG9pAPhyE Friends of the Everglades is pleased to launch the third year of our Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program scholarship and internship. Our 2024 recipient Liz Roa (featured in the video above) is a Belle Glade native who is passionate about breaking down language barriers to spark curiosity about the Everglades in children. Liz played a key role in translating several lessons from our Everglades Learning Exploration Kits into Spanish, helping us better reach and engage diverse student populations across Florida. This fall or summer, one undergraduate or graduate recipient will be awarded $10,000 and participate in a 12-week internship at Friends of the Everglades in Stuart, Florida. While supporting the work of the Young Friends of the Everglades [...]

Allie Preston2025-03-03T15:09:13-05:00March 4th, 2025|Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Internship and Scholarship, Young Friends of the Everglades|

WATCH NOW — Did you miss our live 2025 legislative preview?

https://www.youtube.com/live/02pJLQ6XI7c?si=eqjdVzwM_rGpYbob Florida's 2025 legislative session begins next Tuesday, March 4, in Tallahassee. We’re focused on preventing a recurrence of last summer’s sneak attack on state parks, keeping bad bills at bay and working with legislators to strengthen bills that would better protect our beloved natural spaces. Today's livestream with Executive Director Eve Samples and Policy Director Gil Smart led us through the most important bills filed so far, highlighted key lawmakers to watch and pointed to how you can make a difference. Holding legislators accountable is a passion for us. It’s crucial for safeguarding Florida's environment and ensuring its future. To help the public understand dense policy measures and how they impact both the natural world and the human environment, [...]

Allie Preston2025-02-28T13:53:04-05:00February 28th, 2025|Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature|

Friends of the Everglades 2025 Florida Legislature: Pre-session report

Will our state parks be saved? After the massive outcry last summer over plans to develop golf courses, massive hotels, pickleball courts and more in Florida’s award-winning state parks, Gov. Ron DeSantis scuttled the proposals. Now the legislature, responding to the public anger, is proposing a pair of bills to prohibit inappropriate development in our state parks. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 80, sponsored by Sen. Gayle Harrell, and House Bill 209, by Rep. John Snyder, may not be tight enough. Both bills articulate specific uses that would be prohibited, like golf courses, but it’s impossible to list every use that won’t be permitted. We’re bound to omit something — and that means new inappropriate development proposals could arise from this [...]

Allie Preston2025-02-27T14:24:44-05:00February 28th, 2025|Florida Legislative Tracker, Florida Legislature|

Stand with our National Parks

Across the nation, Americans are banding together against the damaging job cuts at national parks and wildlife refuges brought about by DOGE. The layoffs include park rangers, educators, scientists, emergency first responders and more — all critical personnel who act as stewards of these treasured and protected spaces. These lands belong to all of us. Together, we can protect them. Take action now: Take 1 minute to tell your representatives in Congress that you do NOT support these damaging job cuts.

Allie Preston2025-02-25T16:18:58-05:00February 26th, 2025|Action Alerts, Wildlife Habitat|

“Recovery Operations” harm more than they help

On February 20, 2025, Friends of the Everglades sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlining a summary of adverse impacts from Recovery Operations on the Northern Estuaries. Since Lake Okeechobee “Recovery Operations” began on Dec. 7, 2024, the northern estuaries have experienced negative impacts from the discharges including high turbidity, stressful salinity fluctuations and ranges, dissolved oxygen dips, and mobilization of nutrients. Release of this heavily polluted water can intensify red tide on the west coast and lead to seagrass loss, harmful algae blooms, fish kills, stress for organisms such as oysters, and loss of food for manatees. 75 days into "Recovery," there is still no guarantee of improved health in Lake Okeechobee. The only [...]

Allie Preston2025-02-21T10:43:45-05:00February 21st, 2025|All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Lake Okeechobee, LOSOM|