The New York Times calls it a “good deal for the Everglades” and newspapers across Florida are weighing in to support the state purchase of U.S. Sugar land in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). Earlier this month, the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted unanimously to extend the contract deadline to purchase these lands, keeping the vision of achieving Everglades restoration alive.

But Florida lawmakers need to hear from you today. Lawmakers are being asked to scuttle this purchase and push back Everglades restoration for another generation.

Here’s what newspapers are saying:

A Good Deal for the Everglades
What the taxpayers need to remember is that this is a very good deal for the environment.
…some of those projects — a string of underground storage wells, for instance — made little sense to begin with and none are as important as the land deal.
New York Times Editorial, March 17, 2010

Extend U.S. Sugar Deal Deadline
…the deal’s biggest selling point is its huge value in taking so much land out of sugar production and putting it in the public’s hands forever. Such a chance might never come again.
Putting the brakes on the U.S. Sugar acquisition would cast a pall over the newfound, justified optimism that one day the Everglades will again be a true “River of Grass.”
Miami Herald Editorial, March 11, 2010

U.S. Sugar Land Deal Worth Keeping Alive
…the move is a historic opportunity to return the natural water flow to South Florida.
…taking control of land south of Lake Okeechobee appears to be a better strategy for holding and cleaning the southward water flow than a highly engineered network of wells.
…this land purchase remains a remarkable opportunity for long-term progress if the ultimate price is fair and the public finances work.
St. Pete Times Editorial, March 12, 2010

Proceed Carefully with Glades
…does offer a rare opportunity to undertake a far more effective restoration effort than would be possible otherwise.
The project will create thousands of construction jobs, help clean Florida Bay, provide an adequate water supply for South Florida and save the Everglades. All are worthy goals.
Tampa Tribune Editorial, March 10, 2010

Here’s what we are saying:

When It Comes to Cleaning Up the Everglades, Don’t Mess Up a Good Deal For Taxpayers

Save Tax Dollars
The current proposal by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to buy 73,000 acres will save taxpayers money in the long run. It will reduce the need for numerous “micro” projects and avoid potential condemnation takings, which will cost taxpayers millions more than the current deal.

No New Taxes
The current SFWMD proposal buys the land at near rock-bottom prices and has an opt-out clause if current funding sources will not fund the purchase.  In short, taxes will not be raised to make this purchase.

More Effective Glades Cleanup
Large land purchase and use of broad swaths of land will be a far more effective solution than scattered projects.

Supported By Independent Groups
In addition to numerous news outlets, including the New York Times, St. Pete Times, Miami Herald, and the Tampa Tribune, this proposal is strongly supported by virtually every consumer, citizens and environmental organization in the state.

Clean Water For South Florida
The only serious way to scrub ground water is via large tracts of land, and this proposal does just that. As a result, it will help heal the River of Grass and provide clean water for South Florida for generations to come.

A Jobs Generator
This purchase will help move forward thousands of construction jobs almost immediately and will preserve our tourist economy in the Glades and in the Keys for generations to come.

No Wonder It’s Being Called
“A Remarkable Opportunity”
“A Historic Opportunity”
“A Rare Opportunity”
“A Good Deal For the Everglades”

Write to your state Legislators today in support of this critical land acquisition.

For more information on the benefits of the monumental River of Grass acquisition, view Audubon of Florida’s fact sheet “River of Grass Land Acquisition: Securing Florida’s Future for People and Nature.”

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Statement of Audubon of Florida on the 2010 State of the Birds Report

The 2010 State of the Birds Report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Audubon and other leading conservation organizations shows that climate change will have an increasing impact on birds and their habitat—and the ecological and other benefits they provide to people. It issues an urgent call for sound energy policy that will reduce carbon emissions, and for strategic conservation investments that will help species adapt to a changing climate. If we can help the birds weather this unprecedented threat, we can help ourselves.

In Florida, some of the most threatened birds include coastal species, such as the red knot and royal tern. The Florida scrub-jay, our state’s only endemic species, as well as the ruby-throated hummingbird, prothonotary warbler and roseate spoonbill, are all at risk from climate-induced habitat changes.

“The report makes it clear that these birds will not survive the human-caused changes to our global climate,” said Eric Draper, Executive Director of Audubon of Florida. “Like canaries in a coal mine, the dangers they face warn of dangers to us as well. It’s up to us to reduce the threat.”

Everglades restoration that achieves ecological benefits, protection of our important beaches and coastal habitats, and putting meaningful renewable energy and energy and water conservation policies into place are all winning strategies that Audubon of Florida is working hard to achieve.

What Florida Audubon is doing complements innovative federal efforts to help species adapt; efforts that come with new investments that will create jobs and protect beautiful and sensitive habitats across America. And we’re part of ongoing Audubon efforts to pass ground-breaking climate and energy legislation to control the emissions that cause climate change while there’s still time to make a difference.”

As Glenn Olson of the National Audubon Society said at the news conference announcing the findings, “If you love nature and care about the health of our planet, there is no time to lose. This isn’t just about birds; it’s about our chance to shape our future.”

• View Audubon’s factsheet on Florida at-risk species.
• Read the 2010 State of the Birds Report.

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Legislative Session 2010 is upon us. One of the best ways to stay informed during these next few, fast-paced months is with the Advocate and the Florida Conservation Network. Subscribing to the Advocate is free and it gives you the timely information to help make a difference on behalf of Florida’s economy and environment. Know what is going on and how you can personally make a difference.

Check out the latest Advocate released last week. Subscribe to the Advocate and receive it automatically. What you will find in last week’s Advocate:

  •  Florida Springs Day Takes Over Capitol
  •  Florida Forever and Everglades Funding
  •  Water Quality Legislation
  •  Jobs For Florida–What’s Really at Stake?
  •  House Continues to Consider Nearshore Drilling
  •  Unfinished Business with Renewable Energy
  •  Bills That Address the Python Issue

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Audubon intervened in court proceedings last year to support the South Florida Water Management District’s (SFWMD) efforts to validate bonds needed to purchase 73,000 acres of land in the Everglades Agriculture Area to restore the River of Grass. Audubon and other Everglades advocates, working to see the purchase completed, received good news from the courtroom this week.  The Supreme Court of Florida ruled that it alone would decide the outcome on two separate cases regarding the River of Grass acquisition, rather than allowing the cases to proceed separately, under different timelines, and before different judicial bodies.  This decision eliminates a potentially significant delay in approving financing for the purchase.  The court is set to hear arguments on the case April 7th.  Meanwhile, the SFWMD Governing Board and US Sugar representatives likely will decide next month whether to approve an extension of the closing date to accommodate the court’s schedule.

The River of Grass purchase will help achieve ecological benefits of Everglades restoration decades earlier than previously thought possible, fulfilling the need to store and treat the massive quantities of fresh water necessary for true restoration.  Audubon will continue to support the purchase and participate in ongoing planning efforts to ensure that this monumental land purchase restores the systems ecological health to support abundant populations of birds and wildlife.

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The C-111 and other canals that cut across the southern Everglades divert the freshwater so important to the wildlife that once flourished there. Reducing the drainage capacity of these canals will begin to rejuvenate the wetlands and the fish communities that support wading birds and other top predators. The opportunity to un-do decades of damage caused by draining, ditching and damming the Everglades is always reason to celebrate.

For this reason, spirits were high as Audubon scientists and advocates joined Everglades restoration partners on Jan. 26 at a ceremony to begin construction of the C-111 Spreader Canal project. The third groundbreaking in six weeks, the crowd soaked in an important message: We must keep this momentum moving forward to advance progress on Everglades restoration.

The massive C-111 canal complex began operation in 1968 and drained more than half of the headwaters basin of Taylor Slough, the primary freshwater entry point to Florida Bay. Additions to the C-111 canal system in 1983 diverted even more water away from its natural entry to Florida Bay. As a result, wetlands were drained and salt water began to inundate Everglades National Park, harming the freshwater plant communities and causing decreased productivity of the prey species that are primary food sources for wading birds. The large supercolonies of wading birds once supported by these freshwater wetlands have declined dramatically.

The successful completion and operation of the first phase of the C-111 Spreader Canal project will create a hydraulic ridge and push freshwater back into Taylor Slough, its intended entry point to Florida Bay. When greater quantities of water enter Florida Bay through Taylor Slough, rather than the C-111, the productivity of wetlands will return.

First, submerged grass species favored by prey fish will expand their coverage, followed by increased densities of prey fish that are critical to supporting populations of not only wading birds, but also to support the fish species popular for recreational fishing in Florida Bay. Rejuvenating these plant and animal species are some of the ecological benefits that will indicate whether the C-111 restoration is successful.

Breaking ground on the C-111 project is a good start to restore the flows necessary for an ecosystem rebound. The South Florida Water Management District deserves special recognition for expediting this critical project. The next step is to make sure the project is operated to send sufficient volumes of freshwater into the parched system. This will be a true measure of restoration success.

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The funding requested in the FY 2011 budget for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and related restoration activities will complete some projects and allow others to begin construction, which is essential to produce the ecological benefits necessary to restore health to the unique Everglades ecosystem.

Audubon applauds the dedication and commitment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Department of Interior (DOI) to restoring America’s Everglades. With continued support for key restoration projects, visible ecological benefits and wildlife recovery will be achieved throughout the Everglades.

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Audubon scientists and policy advocates attended the groundbreaking for the first phase of the C-111 spreader canal restoration project on Tuesday, January 26 and applauded the progress to bring back the freshwater flows so important to recover the historic productivity of aquatic species, wading birds and wildlife in Florida Bay.

Years of Audubon scientific study and advocacy demonstrate the need to increase freshwater flows through the southern Everglades to Florida Bay and making on-the-ground progress on the Western component of the C-111 Spreader Canal project is key to advancing this goal.

Great colonies of wading birds once congregated on the shores of Florida Bay. The measurement of restoration success is bringing those colonies back. Increasing freshwater flows to Taylor Slough will restore habitat and the birds will respond to increased flows by building nests and hatching chicks.

The successful completion and operation of the first phase of this restoration project will create a hydraulic ridge and push water back toward Taylor Slough, the intended freshwater entry point to Florida Bay. These wetlands have long suffered from too little freshwater, and thus, decreased productivity of prey species that support wading bird populations.

Located at the southern end of the greater Everglades ecosystem, Florida Bay has received far too little fresh water for too long. What little water makes it to the southern Everglades is diverted toward the massive C-111 canal.  As a result, the productivity of foraging grounds for wading birds such as roseate spoonbills is greatly reduced and the species has experienced significant population declines in Florida Bay. True restoration requires bringing the quantities of clean, freshwater back and we must work toward that goal while celebrating this success.

The first phase of this project is a critical piece of the suite of projects needed to improve freshwater deliveries to the southern end of the Everglades ecosystem.  To achieve full restoration of the southern Everglades and Florida Bay, the delivery of more freshwater through the Water Conservation Areas and past the Tamiami Trail is essential.  This requires not only the ability to move existing freshwater south by implementing restoration projects, but to treat and convey additional freshwater to the southern Everglades, which will be made possible by the River of Grass land acquisition.

There is still much to do to make sure this project is operated to achieve ecological benefits including thriving wildlife populations and to demonstrate that successful restoration of the Everglades is possible. And Audubon will continue to apply its research and science-based advocacy to ensure that this project and others restore the ecological productivity of the ecosystem and bring back the wading birds.

Read more about the C-111 Project.

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Read this edition of the Restore that reports on the state of the Everglades. The report is broken up into regions:

Southeast Everglades
Bridging Tamiami Trail Opens the Way to Wildlife Abundance in the Everglades
Florida Bay One Step Closer to Increased Flows

Southwest Florida
A Victory for All Supporters of Save Our Swamp
Picayune Strand Receives Major Federal Funding for CERP Construction

Northern Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades Agricultural Area
Planning Efforts to Restore the River of Grass
Audubon Recommends Strong Rules to Control Sewage Sludge
Audubon Wins Battle Over Proposed Landfill Near Water Treatment Marsh

Federal & State Partnership
Federal Government Steps up Funding for Everglades Restoration
Water Managers Approve 2010 Budget for Everglades Restoration Activities
Federal and State Governments Sign Important Everglades Restoration Agreement

Sign up for the free electronic resource Restore to receive information on and advocacy opportunities for the Everglades.

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Yesterday Julie was in Clewiston arguing to the Wildlife Commission that new imperiled species rules should include birds. Earlier our colleague Charles Lee was in front of the state Environmental Regulation Commission pushing for a ban on dumping sewage sludge in watersheds. I was working the halls of the Legislature locking down votes against proposed oil drilling off Florida’s beaches.

The Fight for Wildlife never ends. And your support makes it possible to fight the good fight. I have one request—please make a year-end gift to support Audubon advocacy for wildlife, water, and health habitats. Just click on the Contribute button to help.

Your support in 2009 made it possible to:

* Defend growth management policies, Florida Forever, and citizen access to water supply decisions by asking Governor Crist to veto bad laws.
* Help secure a major piece of US Sugar land to jumpstart Everglades restoration – and we successfully filed lawsuits to get the River of Grass flowing again.
* Support new state and federal policies to solve climate change and achieve renewable energy.
* Protect Florida’s beaches from the awful proposal to drill for oil right off our beautiful Gulf coast.

Now I am asking you again for support so we can Fight for Wildlife in 2010. On behalf of our advocacy team that works at every level of government to defend water and wildlife, I am asking you to make a generous contribution to Audubon’s conservation work.

Your funds will go into an exclusive conservation fund to be used to influence decision-makers to keep our water clean and flowing and to keep our wildlife safe from the impacts of habitat loss.

Look through the list above and I am sure you will recognize some of the campaigns you helped us with. Help us one more time—keep Audubon focused on the important decisions that are made every day at all levels of government. Your voice, and generous support, will keep our voice strong.

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Jerry Lorenz, the Tavernier-based state director of research for Audubon of Florida, voiced his view on the bridge (see the post below). “This one-mile bridge is not likely to accomplish the goals that Florida Bay really needs, but it will help,” Lorenz said. “It’s the first step in a much larger process.”

Project designers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have written that the $81 million Tamiami Trail project may increase the flow of fresh water into Taylor Slough and eastern Everglades National Park by 70 percent or more. Some of that water will reach Florida Bay, helping to reduce the bay’s unnaturally high salinity level. Yet even the freshwater flow to be opened by the bridge remains far below historic flow levels in the River of Grass that created the South Florida ecosystem.

“It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a surgical victim,” Lorenz said. “In a sense, the importance of the bridge is as much symbolic as substantive. It shows we’re finally doing something.” Read the full article.

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Check out the latest version of the Naturalist, the Winter 2009-10 edition. In it, you will find articles on the upcoming 2010 Legislative session, a summarization of Audubon’s Assembly, Audubon’s 2010 regional conservation priorities, an article on the highlighted importance of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, recent updates, and more. Sign up for the Naturalist today by becoming a member of Audubon. Also, view the Naturalist archive.

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The South Florida Water Management District recently awarded a $610,000 multi-year contract to Audubon’s Tavernier Science Center for ecosystem monitoring in Florida Bay. In October, Audubon was awarded the contract, which covers three years and four months, to add five additional sites to an existing network of estuarine monitoring stations. Audubon researchers, led by Dr. Jerry Lorenz, will collect data, such as water quality, submerged aquatic vegetation cover, and prey-based fish community populations, in order to analyze how the ecosystem is responding to increased freshwater flows from a critical Everglades restoration project, called the C-111 spreader canal.  Eventually, if the restoration project increases flow sufficiently, Florida Bay’s roseate spoonbill population should respond by nesting in greater numbers in the portion of Florida Bay that has been most impacted by water management practices.

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“Over the past nine years, Florida had taken the lead to invest resources into Everglades restoration while the federal government’s commitment waned. A new day dawned this year when President Obama’s Administration made a clear commitment to restore federal funds to bringing this unique natural treasure back to health. And just in time. As a result of years of human activities to cultivate the land for urban and agricultural purposes the health of the Everglades declined as its size was dramatically reduced and its essential ingredient — water — was diverted to the coasts.”

See the full article at National Parks Traveler.

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