Everglades

Enjoy Florida's Wetlands Before They Disappear

Tricia Woolfenden — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:03:00 +0000

The recently-wrapped 2013 Florida Legislative session was an active one for those who track environmental issues in the Sunshine State.

Father Saves Boy From Alligator Attack With Stranger's Help

Bill Chappell — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:30:20 +0000

A 6-year-old boy's day off from school Friday left him with a vivid story to tell his classmates, after he was seized — and eventually released — by an alligator in South Florida.

Nine Awesome Everglades Animals (Aside From The Alligator)

Tricia Woolfenden — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Is there any animal more closely associated with the Everglades than the American alligator? OK, the Burmese python has been the 'glades press "darling" as of late, but invasive, non-natives do not count for the purposes of celebrating the Everglades. While Florida's iconic reptilian king deserves all of the attention it gets, there are plenty of other cool critters that inhabit the Everglades.

Rediscovered Photographs From 1910 Offer A Glimpse Of Seminole Life In The Everglades

Tricia Woolfenden — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:02:00 +0000

Throughout the month, WLRN will celebrate the Everglades in audio, visual, and written form. On Sunday, Florida's singular River of Grass got a national shout-out when the weekend edition of NPR's "All Things Considered" profiled an exhibition of recently "rediscovered" photographs of Seminole subjects living in the Everglades in 1910.

In her introduction to the story, host Jacki Lyden spoke of her annual spring pilgrimage to the Everglades: "There's nothing quite as evocative as the Florida of mangrove swamps and inhospitable terrain that you will find in the Seminole territories..."

How WLRN Will Celebrate 'Everglades Day' Throughout April

WLRN Staff — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:42:54 +0000

On Sunday, April 7th, Florida will celebrate its first official “Everglades Day.” Established by the Florida Legislature, Everglades Day honors South Florida’s unique wetland ecosystem, the wild inhabitants who live there and all the passionate Floridians working to conserve this magical place.

For Inspiration, Everglades National Park Inserts Artists Deep In The Swamps

Tricia Woolfenden — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Discussions of South Florida artist enclaves and art incubators typically reference places like Wynwood in Miami, FAT Village in Fort Lauderdale, or downtown Boynton Beach. Rarely do the Everglades enter into the conversation. Artists in Residence in the Everglades (AIRIE) could change that.

Impact Of Tamiami Trail Bridge 'Will Be Huge,' Says Conservationalist

Tricia Woolfenden — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:02:50 +0000

State officials, local dignitaries, and conservationalists gathered last Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Tamiami Trail bridge project. The plan took more than two decades to achieve and is part of a larger effort to restore fresh water flow to the Everglades.

There Everglades Runs Through Their Blood

Michael Keller — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:59:04 +0000

The Jones family has lived in the Everglades for five generations. They’ve made their livelihods in Mack’s Fish Camp, a spit of marshland that straddles the county line between Broward and Miami-Dade out west. They live among seven-foot alligators, painted turtles, blue herons and white egrets. They make a living fixing airboats, renting out bungalows and serving as guides for tourists and government researchers. They are known as Gladesmen.

Tagged Vultures May Solve Mystery About Why They Attack Cars In The Everglades

Tricia Woolfenden — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:03:02 +0000

In January, WLRN reported on the curious -- and destructive -- habits of some of the Everglades National Park's vulture population. The birds have been reported to "attack" parked vehicles, picking off rubber and vinyl. The baffling and costly behavior has led Everglades' staff to pass out anti-vulture kits to park visitors.

Environment Back On The Table This Legislative Session, Says Senate Majority Leader

Tricia Woolfenden — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:07:47 +0000

Tough economic times put environmental issues on the Florida Legislature's back burner in recent years, but this session should be different, according to Sen. Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater), who sat on the panel at Monday night's Town Hall Session 2013 hosted by WLRN and the Miami Herald.

The Snake's A Snitch: Why Florida Released Biggest Python Caught In Hunt

Mark Memmott — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:18:44 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifRqSwGc-HY

Tallahassee Lawmakers Hear How Rising Seas Threaten South Florida

Gina Jordan — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:10:35 +0000

The rising sea level threat facing South Florida communities is on the radar of the region's lawmakers.

They recently met at the Capitol to hear from a panel of experts.

Monroe County administrator Roman Gastesi says the waters off Key West have gone up 9 inches in the last hundred years, and the rise is accelerating.

“What we’re looking at now is 9 to 24 inches in the next 50 years,” Gastesi says. “Three to seven (inches) in 20 years.”

The Python Challenge Final Tally: 50 Dead Snakes And A Whole Lot Of Unanswered Questions

Tricia Woolfenden — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

The wacky challenge that grabbed national headlines -- and perhaps more than its fair share of derision -- will come to a head Saturday morning, when the 2013 Python Challenge awards are presented in Miami.

What Gov. Rick Scott's $74.2 Billion Budget Would Mean For South Florida Environmental Projects

Tricia Woolfenden — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

If Gov. Rick Scott's proposed $74.2 billion budget passes the Legislature intact, it would include $75 million for conservation land projects spearheaded by the Florida Forever Coalition. The 2013-2014 budget also includes $60 million for Everglades restoration and $6.5 million for restoring springs.

A Lawsuit And Public Outcry: A Busy Week In The Everglades

Tricia Woolfenden — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

The soon-to-wrap Python Challenge isn't the only headline-making activity in the Everglades this month. Florida's imperiled wetlands have been the focus of several contentious issues in the past week.

6 Reasons To Attend Everglades Day Festival On Saturday At Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Tricia Woolfenden — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000

It's often said that there is no other place in the world like Florida's Everglades. Despite man's best efforts, the 'glades endure as one of the world's most widely recognized sources of biodiversity and an example of the fragile nature of human/ecological relations.

Got Opinions On Florida's Environmental Future? State Agencies Want To Hear From You

Tricia Woolfenden — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Citizen scientists and environmental stewards take note: Two state agencies are in the process of soliciting public comment on issues that could impact Florida's overall ecological outlook.

The Python Challenge Scoreboard So Far: 37 Less Burmese Pythons In The Everglades

Tricia Woolfenden — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:10:54 +0000

With just a little more than a week remaining in the hunt, the 2013 Python Challenge has seen the capture and (hopefully relatively swift and painless) killing of 37 Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission -- which is sponsoring the hunt -- announced the latest kill count on Tuesday morning via its official Facebook page.

Now, It's Personal: Sen. Bill Nelson Headed To The 'Glades To Hunt Enemy Pythons

Rick Stone — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:43:22 +0000

The big Everglades python hunt starts Saturday and, so far, 670 people have signed up for the fun and a chance at cash prizes.

Why Wading Birds Are Getting A Little Less Busy In The Everglades

Arianna Prothero — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Breeding numbers were down for some bird species for the third straight year in a row in the Everglades.

Nesting numbers for wading birds fell by 38 percent compared to the past decade. That's according to an annual survey compiled by the South Florida Water Management District.

Why The Everglades National Park Is Handing Out Anti-Vulture Kits

Arianna Prothero — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Next time you go to the Everglades you'll have the option to pick up an anti-vulture kit.

The park is offering the kits so people can protect their cars against vultures during the winter months. The black vultures sometimes rip the rubber and vinyl parts--such as windshield wipers and sunroof seals--off of cars.

State To Send Hunters After 'Glades Pythons

Rick Stone — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:31:12 +0000

Evidently at its wits' end over the Burmese pythons swarming the Everglades, Florida has declared a month-long snake season for armed amateurs. They'll go into the 'Glades to compete for cash prizes by killing as many as they can.

What could possibly go wrong?

Everglades Violent Past Remembered

Patricia Sagastume — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:47 +0000

In the late 1800's, the Everglades was a place for Native Americans, newly-freed slaves, naturalists, poachers, settlers and expansionists.

But by the end of the century, a massive influx of settlers were flocking to the Everglades for one thing: to kill birds for their feathers.

It has been said that Marie Antoinette started the trend of using plumes to adorn her royal head - before she lost hers.

Why The Woodstork Is Leaving The Everglades

Elaine Chen — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:05:19 +0000

Florida’s only wading bird on the endangered species list, the wood stork, is on the mend. From a low of about 2,500 nesting pairs in most of South and Central Florida in 1984, the bird has since grown to around 7,000 to 9,000 nesting pairs.

But it doesn't mean all is well with the Everglades.

Congressmen Fail To Get A Tight Grasp On Python Bill

Ashley Lopez — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:30:00 +0000

A bill that should help fix Florida's python problem is slipping out of the hands of lawmakers in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, has been trying to get legislation passed that would broaden a ban on invasive species in the U.S. In effect, the bill would slow down a recent influx of invasive snakes taking over the Everglades in Florida.

Where Do Goat Cheese, Trickle Down Economics And Swing State Voters Meet?

Kenny Malone — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:56:24 +0000

There were just over 21-hundred jobs in the agriculture and mining sector in Lee County, by the last census numbers.

Our Dispatches from the Swing State project dropped in on one of the less conventional agriculture positions at the Umbuzi experimental farm in Buckingham, Florida.

Herald photographer Patrick Farrell and I are driving around the state to cut straight to the Florida voters and issues of the 2012 presidential election.

At the Umbuzi farm, we met award-winning goat cheese maker Jim Ellis.

DISPATCH: The Forgotten Gladesman

Kenny Malone — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:18:36 +0000

David Shealy makes a lot of his money off Florida’s version of Bigfoot. He sells T-shirts, bumper stickers and hot sauce out of the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters off the Tamiami Trail in Ochopee, Florida.

Proposed Windfarm Becomes A Debate Over Creating Jobs And Protecting Wildlife

Patricia Sagastume — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:54:45 +0000

When it comes to clean energy projects like wind farms, where people stand on a proposal sometimes depends on where they sit. Take the case of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, certainly a champion of green causes — until someone proposed building a wind farm off Cape Cod, where the liberal lion liked to do his sailing.

He fought the wind farm until he died.

The Everglades Runs Through Their Blood

Michael Keller — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:10:43 +0000

The Jones family has lived in the Everglades for five generations. They’ve made their livelihoods in Mack’s Fish Camp, a spit of marshland that straddles the county line between Broward and Miami-Dade out west. They live among seven-foot alligators, painted turtles, blue herons and white egrets. They make a living fixing airboats, renting out bungalows and serving as guides for tourists and government researchers. They are known as Gladesmen.