The Florida Everglades is the
largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States. It consists of
1.5 million acres of saw grass marshes, mangrove forests, and hardwood hammocks
dominated by wetlands. It is home to endangered, rare, and exotic wildlife.
Origins of the Everglades
Water in
South Florida once flowed from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee. Then it
flowed southward over low-lying lands to Biscayne Bay, the Ten Thousand
Islands, and Florida Bay. This shallow, slow-moving sheet of water created a
mosaic of ponds, marshes, and forests. Over thousands of years this developed
into a balanced ecosystem.
Wading birds
such as great egrets, white ibis, herons, and wood storks were abundant. The
Cape Sable seaside sparrow, Miami blackheaded snake, manatee, and Florida
panther made the Everglades their home. Alligators and crocodiles existed side
by side.
Draining the Everglades
Early
settlers and land developers considered the Everglades to be a worthless swamp.
By the 1800s, developers started digging canals to drain the wetlands. Between
1905 and 1910, large tracts of land were converted to agriculture. This “new”
land stimulated the first of South Florida’s land booms. By the 1920s, visitors
and new residents flocked to towns like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Fort Myers.
As they arrived, more canals were dug. Canals, roads, and buildings took the
place of native habitats.
In 1948,
Congress authorized the construction of a system of roads, canals, levees, and
water-control structures stretching throughout South Florida. However, the
alteration of the wetlands—combined with increasing population—damaged the
natural system.
In the
1960s, a strong crusade to “Save the Everglades” was begun.
The Everglades Today
Today, 50%
of South Florida’s original wetland areas no longer exist. The numbers of
wading birds have been reduced by 90%. Entire populations of animals are in
danger of disappearing. Exotic pest plants have invaded natural areas. Losses
of seagrass beds in Florida Bay have been followed by losses of wildlife.
On a positive
side, these days a lot of attention has been paid to the rehabilitation of the
Everglades.
The first postcard
of the Everglades came from ‘herlovenotes’ (2 May 2014) Swap-bot.
The second postcard of the Everglades came from Heather S. (12 Nov 2015) Postcrossing.
The second postcard of the Everglades came from Heather S. (12 Nov 2015) Postcrossing.
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