For the first time in American history, a large tract of wilderness was permanently protected not for its scenic value, but for the benefit of the unique diversity of life it sustained. A recent emphasis has been on climate change effects. Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and system-wide context. Its wetlands and wildlife draw large numbers of birders, anglers, boaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts. The Everglades also provides critical, and often undervalued, benefits to people, called ecosystem services. Ecological Goods and Services (EG & S)-benefits arising from the ecological functions of healthy ecosystems Chapter 6 Ecosystem goods and services provided by the Everglades Oxygen the many plants in the Everglades provide humans and other organisms with oxygen through Synthesis of Everglades Research and Ecosystem Services (SERES) is a project intended to produce a body of scientific work that synthesizes field data, historical information and modeling results of the last 1-2 decades of intensive Everglades freshwater research. Popular activities include wildlife viewing, nature hikes, fishing, camping, bicycling, motor boating, and canoeing. The Synthesis of Everglades Restoration and Ecosystem Services (SERES): a case study for interactive knowledge exchange to guide Everglades restoration Rena R. Borkhataria Paul R. Wetzel On Dec. 11, 2020 it’ll be 20 years since Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan to restore, protect and preserve South Florida’s ecosystem while providing for water-related needs of the region. Everglades National Park provides important foraging and breeding habitat for more than 400 species of birds, is a significant breeding ground for wading birds in North America, and functions as a primary corridor and refuge for migratory and wintering wildlife populations. Known as the “river of grass,” the Greater Everglades Ecosystem encompasses 18,000 square miles from the Kissimmee Prairie near Orlando to Florida Bay at the southern tip of Florida. While nine distinct habitats have been … The park’s legislated wilderness is known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness Area. Total water storage, timing, flow patterns and water quality within the Greater Everglades ecosystem have been substantially altered. Everglades National Park includes natural and cultural resources that are part of the ancestral territory of American Indian tribes of Florida (including the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and other American Indian groups such as the Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples). Everglades Research and Ecosystem Services. Everglades National Park contains other resources and values that may not be fundamental to the purpose and significance of the park but are important to consider in management and planning decisions. 33034, Ecological Integrity / Dynamics (Restoration), Ecosystem Services Including Economic Values. The Everglades: An Ecosystem on the Brink A Case Study in Community Ecology • By the early 1980s, the wood stork, a member of the Florida Everglades community, had earned a spot on the Endangered Species List. The Everglades also provides critical, and often undervalued, benefits to people, called ecosystem services. As the only conservation organization working throughout the ecosystem, Audubon’s goal for the Everglades is to reestablish colonies of wading birds that have been displaced by drainage, development, and dirty water. Significance statements express why Everglades National Park resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation. Everglades National Park contains the largest subtropical wilderness area in North America and the largest legislated wilderness area east of the Rocky Mountains. Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Restoration (BBSEER) The Biscayne Bay Southeastern Everglades Restoration (BBSEER) Project, a part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration … #NowMoreThanEverglades is our plan of action that will save us billions. Everglades National Park was established when the enabling legislation adopted by Congress was signed into law on May 30, 1934. Everglades National Park preserves part of the remaining Everglades ecosystem, a vast "River of Grass" that originally extended from its headwaters in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes through Lake Okeechobee and into the Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park, including the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay. For example, the Everglades ecosystem provides drinking water for one-third of Floridians and irrigation for much of the state’s agriculture. A wide variety of recreational opportunities is available to visitors. Want a printable version of this Foundation Document overview? 33034. Conservation impact on 7.7 million acres; improved outcomes for six priority bird species. The purpose statement identifies the specific reason(s) for establishment of a particular park. Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit. “One of the top three missions of the Civil Works program is ecosystem restoration, so breaking ground on the Central Everglades Planning Project and improving the distribution and flow of water to southern Florida is a great accomplishment for the Taskforce and the Subcabinet.” The C&SF started building the C-38 canal in 1962 and the effects were seen almost immediately. As the first national park designated for the protection of biological resources, Everglades National Park is the only place in the United States jointly designated as an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance. Carbon Sequestration. Waterfowl, wading birds, and fish disappeared, prompting conservationists and sport fishers to demand the region be restored before the canal was finished in 1971. For example, the Everglades ecosystem provides drinking water for one-third of Floridians and irrigation for much of t… Students will evaluate different benefits (ecosystem services) that the Everglades provides to humans. This program supports multi-year monitoring, modeling, and research projects that span the entire range of scientific disciplines. FIU experts are available to discuss the … Everglades National Park boast contains the largest contiguous stand of protected mangrove forest in the hemisphere. Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to merit primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. tourism (transportation, shelter, food & drink, etc) and real estate. The Everglades also provides crucial ecosystem services to humans, who live all around this region, including in the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. For the first time in American history, a large tract of wilderness was permanently protected not for its scenic value, but for the benefit of the unique diversity of life it sustained. Everglades National Park contains a vast and hydrologically connected ecosystem, with wetland sloughs and prairies, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rocklands, extensive mangrove estuaries, and Florida Bay with its expansive seagrass meadows. We have reviews of the best places to see in Everglades National Park. Wildlife is important to the heritage, culture, and heart of America, and we want to preserve it as a legacy for our children. The Everglades ecosystem historically spread across roughly 4,000 square miles in central and south Florida, stretching southward from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to Florida Bay. At least 100 miles of it … Everglades National Park preserves archeological and historical resources spanning approximately 6,000 years of human history, revealing adaptation to and exploitation and alteration of its unique environment. Conservation Everglades Science. Everglades National Park preserves the largest subtropical wilderness in the nation, a vast natural area in the southern Everglades and Florida Bay known throughout the world for its unparalleled ecological values, natural hydrologic conditions, vibrant cultural heritage, and unique recreational and educational opportunities. These diverse habitats support a mix of tropical and temperate plants and animals, including iconic species such as the ghost orchid, Florida panther, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, Florida leafwing, American alligator, American crocodile, roseate spoonbill, West Indian manatee, smalltooth sawfish, wood stork, anhinga, snook, and tarpon. That the Everglades provides this critical ecosystem service is, surprisingly, not well known in south Florida. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in December. The USGS Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Program provides science to support management and restoration of America’s Everglades. From initial settlement by American Indian tribes about 6,000 years ago to more recent use of Everglades resources throughout the 20th century, the story of Everglades National Park includes links between natural resources and human use (both historic and prehistoric) of the area. Science, grassroots reach, sophisticated policy work, and partnerships with landowners, businesses, … With the dedication of Everglades National Park in 1947, a new precedent was set in the growing conservation movement. There has been a substantial reduction in the size of the Everglades. Agriculture and Urban Landuse- BMPs. The purpose statement lays the foundation for understanding what is most important about the park. Everglades National Park includes and protects a large remnant of an endangered, vast, interconnected, and recovering ecosystem that has been impacted by and still faces unprecedented pressure from the regional water management system. Due to a federal government shutdown during the sampling period, the project was not completed as platmed. 40001 State Road 9336 In general, C&SF projects ha… One of Audubon Florida’s greatest contributions for the Everglades is our research and monitoring that provides information about some of the most important issues related to the health of the ecosystem. These are referred to as other important resources and values. Restoration initiatives are focused on improving water quality and restoring the hydrology and ecology of the Everglades ecosystem — stretching from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, to Lake Okeechobee, through the remaining Everglades and on to the waters of … The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project's final construction project was straightening the Kissimmee River, a meandering 90-mile (140 km)-long river that was drained to make way for grazing land and agriculture. We have a stronger economy, diverse food products, and advancements in medical research as a result of wildlife and natural ecos… Our comparison of trade-offs is conducted at three relevant spatial scales4—lo-cal (the ranch), regional (headwaters of the Everglades), and global. This expanse of interconnected wetlands once included the four million-acre “River of Grass” known as the Everglades. A diverse biological community thrives in the park within an expansive patterned wetland in a subtropical climate. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in Everglades National Park, Florida on Tripadvisor: See 6,869 traveller reviews and photos of Everglades National Park tourist attractions. Mangrove habitat serves as a valuable nursery for a variety of recreationally and commercially important marine species. The Everglades is surrounded by human development, including the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The Everglades Complex of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) covers 736,881 acres and includes Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMS, Holey Land WMA and Rotenberger WMA. Even though experts have identified 9 distinct habitats, the landscape is still dynamic. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Everglades National Park provides the public with the opportunity to experience the Everglades wilderness for recreation, reflection, and solitude in proximity to one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. regulating, and cultural services—and the trade-offs among these services and converse disservices. Its ecosystem is … Although you cannot put a value on all the ways the natural world enriches our lives, there are many tangible benefits to living in a world with strong and healthy ecosystems. These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. 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