The Florida Everglades

Paper Summary:

The paper explains the Everglades' environmental challenges of a decreasing size and a reduced animal, bird and plant population. The paper maintains that special interests, such as the sugar industry, need to look toward the future and not merely at today's profits. The paper further asserts that people have to stand up and fight to restore the Everglades to their former glory.

From the Paper:

"The Everglades, or the "River of Grass," as it is known, has a long history in southern Florida. Scientists believe it was formed at least 6,000 years ago, when the Atlantic Ocean's elevation changed and flooded some low-lying territory in what is now Florida. The fresh and saltwater marshes and swamps that resulted are fed both by rainwater and by streams and rivers in the entire area. Sub-tropical plants began to populate the area, such as mangroves, willows, bald cypress, and many others. Eventually, a huge area of sawgrass formed, creating the "river of grass" as the Everglades have come to be called. Today, that river is 60 miles wide and 300 miles long, creating a habitat for hundreds of unique wildlife, from birds to crustaceans and even coral reefs (Editors, 2002). Unfortunately, the immense area of the Everglades has shrunk by millions of acres due to "reclamation" efforts in the nineteenth century that led to draining large areas to reclaim them for farmland and building development."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Editors. (2002). Florida everglades FAQ. Retrieved from the National Resources Defense Council Web site: http://www.nrdc.org/water/conservation/qever.asp 28 Aug. 2007.
• Gonzalez, G. A. (2005). The comprehensive everglades restoration plan: Environmental or economic sustainability?. Polity, 37(4), 466+.
• Kirsch, M. (2003). The politics of exclusion: Place and the legislation of the environment in the Florida Everglades. Urban Anthropology and Studies of Cultural Systems and World Economic Development, 32(1), 99+.
• Wood, A. (2001). Ethiopian wetlands research programme. Retrieved from the Centre for Wetlands, Environment and Livelihoods Web site: http://wetlands.hud.ac.uk/pdf/pbn5.pdf 28 Aug. 2007.

More papers on The Florida Everglades:

• Essay # 39151 : "Florida Everglades"
• Essay # 14983 : "Florida Everglades National Park"
• Descriptive Essay # 146569 : "Florida's Everglades"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: