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Protect the Everglades!

  • Why should we preserve the Everglades?
    The Everglades is a fragile and delicate ecosystem where thousands of plants and animals live. It is also an important part of Florida's water cycle. Continuing to dry these wet lands that are part of it will be devastating to life and the environment.

  • What can we do to protect the Everglades?
    There are many small things we can do to preserve our environment. Here in Florida where we are surrounded by water canals, being careful with the garbage we throw is an important step. Because eventually everything ends up in the water, making sure that plastics and other non-biodegradable are recycled is an important step. There are several private organizations working towards preserving the Everglades. Margaret Stone Douglas was an important advocate of preserving the Everglades. Being a member of these organizations and sending money contributions to them is another way to help.

Visit the links suggested and learn plants, animals, and how to help preserve and care for the Everglades.

  • links:

http://livonia.lib.mi.us/children/chnet.html

http://www.evergladesplan.org/get_involved/landing_get_involved.cfm

Friends of the Everglades, founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Everglades National Park

http://www.nps.gov/ever/home.htm

Defender of the Everglades: Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Marjory Stoneman Douglas

http://www.nps.gov/ever/eco/

http://sofia.usgs.gov/aboutsofia.html

 

Facts

  • The Everglades is home to a vast array of plants and animals that have adapted to a wet, subtropical environment.
  • Here is a list of some of The Everglades’ plant and animal species:

 

Plants

Marsh Species: Bladderwort, sawgrass, white water lily, spatterdock, maidencane, and the tiniest member of the Everglades plant community the periphyton algae.

Orchids, Bromeliads and Ferns

Mangroves are coastal plants known for their vast root system. Mangroves provide an interface between saline waters and the freshwater marshes. They help reduce soil erosion from wind and waves and build the soil through their growth and decomposition. http://www.everglades.national-park.com/info.htm#eco

Animals

Birds such as wood storks; white and glossy ibises; roseate spoonbill; great blue, great white and tri-colored herons; and snowy and great egrets.

 Land Mammals: raccoon, skunk, opossum, bobcat, and white-tail deer. But the poster-child of the Everglades and the symbol of this wild, vast ecosystem is the Florida panther. It is the most endangered species in the Everglades.

Other Animals: Another keystone species of the ecosystem is the American alligator.

In 1999, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service approved a Multi-Species Recovery Plan for the Threatened and Endangered Species of South Florida. This plan is designed to protect the endangered and threatened plants and animals of the South Florida ecosystem that includes the Everglades. http://www.everglades.national-park.com/info.htm#eco

Activities

  • Create a Poster to persuade others to protect The Everglades.

  • Include at least 5 important facts you learned about the Everglades.

  • Adopt an "endangered" animal of from Everglades and make a report about it. Include at least three suggestions that would help protect it. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/everglades/endangeredglades.html

  • Use the suggested links to do your research.

America’s wetlands filter harmful pollutants from our drinking water, prevents flooding and provide habitats to fish and wildlife. The values and functions provided by wetlands to our environment and our economy are enormous. However, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service statistics, the nation is losing 58,500 acres of wetlands, on average, each year!!  --We need to stop it!!