Florida Everglades Essay

The Florida Everglades is a region of tropical wetlands in south Florida. It consists of the southern half of the state, ranging from the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades. This watershed is referred to as the KOE. Water in south Florida once flowed from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee, then 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

FLORIDA: A HOME INVASION Florida is the most heavily invaded state of alien species in the US, with some of the most dangerous animals in the world found at its doorstep. The Everglades are home to potential ‘man-eaters’ such as the well known Burmese and African Rock Python’s, however researchers have confirmed a new ‘man-eating’ species has come to town – The Nile Crocodile. Residents of urban areas far from the Everglades are no longer safe from the invasion of non-native

diverse treasures - the Florida Everglades. This national park is now the only remaining patch of a river that used to span 120 miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Florida Bay. Dikes and levees created by the Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1940's drained this river to reduce flooding and increase useable water for the development of the region. This major diversion of water lead to a trickle down effect causing the continual decline of the environmental state of the Everglades. Since then, debates

Native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons were first observed in the Florida Everglades in the 1980s. Since then, the large reptiles have been spotted in the Florida Keys, an area in which they had not previously been seen. As shown in the Everglades, the pythons can devastate native ecosystems, causing an imbalance in the natural predator-prey relationship between organisms. This is particularly troubling for the Everglades and the Keys as Burmese pythons have now assumed the spot of top predator

exotic or non-native animals have been introduced into the Florida Everglades. Many of Mickey Cray’s animals in the novel Chomp are animals not native to Florida. The vast majority of these creatures are illegally smuggled into Florida. These creatures are then introduced into the wild by irresponsible owners. They pose serious threats to the environment, damaging the natural equilibrium. Most of the exotic animals currently present in Florida arrived there illegally. They are captured, and then smuggled

1970’s, the public consensus for environmental concerns like in the Florida Everglades “has faded somewhat as a political issue” (Babbitt, 2007; p 44-45). However, it wasn't until 2000, the Clinton Administration signed the Everglades Restoration legislation into law. (Babbitt, 2007), (Dedekorkut, 2003). And once again political attention had been focused on the preservation of ecosystem resources concerning the Florida Everglades. Along with its polarized atmosphere, scholars have long debated the

The Florida Everglades The Florida Everglades have been adversely impacted for decades because of human attempts to control this historical ‘River of Grass’. The reason for our insistence on attempting to control and manage the area can be defined in one word: water. There has always been plenty of water available within the Everglades’ ecosystem, but no logical way to extract it. Our extraction efforts eventually led to devastating results. My paper will focus on the initial policy and practices

python has become an invasive species in the Florida Everglades. The reason for this problem is the rapid growth rate of the species occurring all over the Everglades. The species have become pets and then thrown in canals. They also escape from zoos and move from other states because of the warm moist weather. The environment is an excellent breeding ground for the ever growing population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades. Biologists with Everglades National Park confirmed a breeding population

THE EVERGLADES: RIVER OF GRASS The Everglades, also known as the River of Grass, is one of South Florida's most treasured areas. It is an area still full of wonder and mystery. The Everglades is lined with a specific type of limestone bedrock formed by tiny organisms called byrozoans. These animals, though not related to coral, act like coral by extracting dissolved limestone from the sea water around them and using it to construct protective chambers in which to live. They then attach to

The Everglades, also known as the river of Grass, is one of South Florida’s most treasured areas. This wetland is home to many animals like alligators, crocodiles and the Florida panther. The everglades also acts as a giant filter. The Everglades provides the residents of South Florida with water, jobs and tourist attractions. Unfortunately, we are just now realizing the importance of this ecosystem. The Florida Everglades is a gorgeous, yet endangered ecosystem. Sadly, invasive species such