The Future of the Everglades

Everglades Coalition Website

                Currently, there are hundreds of thousands of acres in the Everglades that are being used as sugar farms, which cut off the water supply to the marshes, as explained earlier. In 2009, the government had a plan to buy 180,000 acres of it for $1.34 billion, and turn it into protected wildlife land. However, due to the economic climate, the plan was reduced to 75,000 acres for $530 million. It is also not likely that this plan will go into affect for another decade, because there is a stipulation stating that the US Sugar Corporation cannot take any other bids for the land for 10 years. This plan is a step forward in the greater and more beneficial conservation of the everglades, but the severe cut backs on the area of effect creates uncertainty for the resolve of the government to protect the wetlands.

On Point with Tom Ashbrook Website

There has also been a problem with pythons in the Everglades. The python is not a native animal, so when someone's pet snake got loose in the Everglades, it started to reek havoc on the animal population, destroying most of the fox, deer, and even alligator population. Measures have been raised within the rangers in the Everglades National Park to seek out and remove all of these pythons on sight. In spite of these downsides, the general trend in the everglades is a positive one, because of all the conservation programs that have been out into place. The most important part now is to raise awareness,                      so that no new problems arise because of human intervention.

Resources:

            Ashbrook, Tom. On Point with Tom Ashbrook."A Python Invasion and the Future of the Everglades". National Public Radio. 2012. <http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/02/08/pythons-everglades>

             Vettel, Jennifer. State of the Planet. "What is the Future of the Everglades?" The Earth Institute Columbia University. 2009. <http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2009/04/13/what-is-the-future-of-the-everglades/>