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Toxic algae almost took this dog’s life
https://youtu.be/RTOTyPtxOwc?si=2hc_gURCKM-sp-DE “It's scary to know that I have been exposed — my children have been exposed, my pets have been exposed — to that type of environment that could have been prevented.” Costa was a healthy 3-year old golden retriever when an encounter with toxic water left her life hanging in the balance. She’d escaped from her backyard and made a run for the St. Lucie River during an active blue-green algae bloom in 2018. Shortly after ingesting some of the algae-laden water, she began vomiting — her body’s desperate attempt to clear itself of the poison. Unbeknownst to her panicked family, Costa was already experiencing organ failure. Only the fast action of emergency vets who quickly diagnosed her [...]
Voice of the Everglades: We demand public action on the EAA rock mine
https://www.youtube.com/live/NsCkwFVHnlc?si=8gpmcg6yS9VKWJZ5&t=3767 WATCH as Eve Samples voices concerns about a proposed plan to mine the Everglades at the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting February 13, 2025. Just three weeks after the Rescue the River of Grass movement launched, thousands of you have stepped up and signed on. It’s a remarkable showing of strength. We have strong allies in every corner of the ecosystem — including Tropical Audubon Society in Miami, Calusa Waterkeeper in Southwest Florida, Indian Riverkeeper on the Treasure Coast and Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada. They and more than 100 other organizations have signed the Rescue the River of Grass petition. This is a bold campaign to meet these urgent times. As we speak, some [...]
The Indian Riverkeeper speaks up for the Everglades
https://youtu.be/C03W3ImxUgk?si=xIiPV7GuH2RbGQI7 "If we lose these places, we lose the resiliency that we need to combat all of the changes that are coming our way. This Rescue plan is so wise, so timely, so responsible. To move the water cleanly into the South Florida system and to restore the River of Grass is vital to us all." — Jim Moir, Indian Riverkeeper For decades, Jim Moir, the Indian Riverkeeper, has watched one of the most biodiverse estuaries in North America become a shadow of its former self. Polluted, opaque discharges from Lake Okeechobee have wiped out once-legendary seagrass meadows that serve as the basis for life in the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. This incredibly diverse and resilient [...]
Thousands have signed the petition to Rescue the River of Grass — Will you join them?
Reminder that a rock mine in the Everglades isn’t restoration — it’s exploitation. Our voices are being heard — and we need to get louder! Thousands of you have added your signatures in the past 12 days. We’re not letting up and we’ve got good reason. As we speak, a proposal to mine the Everglades that sparked outrage in 2024 has resurfaced and is quietly advancing under the ludicrous guise of a “water resource project.” The ploy involves land owned by U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals in the Everglades Agricultural Area, and it's an urgent example of the crossroads we’ve arrived at in the history of Everglades restoration. (Check out the instagram video featured left for [...]
Friends of the Everglades State Legislative Priorities: 2025
About Friends of the Everglades: Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a driving force behind the creation of Everglades National Park and author of The Everglades: River of Grass. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving the only Everglades in the world, we have identified the following priorities for the 2025 session of the Florida Legislature. 2025 State Legislative Priorities: JUMP TO: Rescue the River of Grass Protect Wetlands Protect Florida's state parks Take bold steps to improve water quality Don't ban fertilizer bans Smarter, controlled development Stop sugarcane burning 1. Rescue the River of Grass: Acquiring more land will mean a healthier Everglades and a stronger Florida. To ensure a sustainable future [...]
Feeling helpless about red tide? Here’s something you CAN do.
Red tide is once again wreaking havoc on Southwest Florida’s coast — killing fish and other wildlife, polluting the air and threatening economies. While the natural origins of the blooms vary, we know which conditions exacerbate and prolong these disasters: polluted discharges from Lake Okeechobee, fueled by the weak water policies that cater to Big Sugar. It’s easy to feel helpless as this catastrophe unfolds YET AGAIN, but we’re not powerless. By restoring the flow of clean water south through the Everglades, we can help stop the toxic cycle of Lake O discharges. That’s why we launched Rescue the River of Grass, a campaign that demands safeguards for Florida’s communities and economies [...]
Register now for the 2025 Marjory Stoneman Douglas Legacy Celebration!
We invite you to join us for the Friends of the Everglades Marjory Stoneman Douglas Legacy Celebration, April 4, 2025, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, featuring keynote speaker Clyde Butcher. Kindly RSVP by March 21, 2025. CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR THIS EVENT Registration Levels and Benefits Host a Table: $3,000 ● Reserved table of ten with table signage ● Private sponsor reception with Clyde Butcher for Table Host and one guest ● Host listing in program and on website Patron Table: $1,500 ● Reserved seating for two ● Private sponsor reception with Clyde Butcher ● Sponsor listing in program and on website [...]
The future of Everglades restoration depends on what happens to the EAA
https://youtu.be/OSBsq6BdxiE?si=PJNpkjjc0inaoigX If we want a future in which the Everglades thrive, we must take the next step — acquiring land in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) to restore the natural flow of clean, freshwater south. That point was made clear at last week’s Everglades Coalition Conference — a gathering of more than 400 policymakers, advocates and enthusiasts on Miccosukee tribal lands — where experts put a spotlight on what’s at stake for this one-of-a-kind ecosystem and all who depend on it. Dr. Thomas Van Lent of Friends of the Everglades put it simply: “It just keeps coming down to the same answer — the future of South Florida depends on what happens to the EAA.” Without more land to [...]
3 reasons why it’s time to Rescue the River of Grass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hKp0jrgcvY Thank you to everyone who has taken action so far to defend Florida’s future by acquiring more land for water storage and treatment in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Thousands of people have already signed our petition urging Florida lawmakers to Rescue the River of Grass. This is just the start. The real work lies ahead and we need your help inspiring more people to take a stand for clean water and true restoration of the Everglades. We know this campaign has sparked questions, so we shot a short video with our Executive Director Eve Samples to break down the details, the urgency and what’s at risk if we don’t act now to finish the job. Watch the [...]