Everglades Restoration 2026: Can America Save Its Greatest Wetland?

SUSTAINABILITY AWAKENING Everglades Restoration 2026 America's River of Grass Fighting for Survival The $20 billion plan to save America's most iconic wetland

The Everglades in Numbers 1.5M acres of remaining wetland (half of original extent) 60% of original Everglades already destroyed by drainage

A Century of Destruction 1948: Army Corps drains the Kissimmee River for farming 1971: Lake Okeechobee canalized — flow disrupted 1,800 miles of canals & levees block natural water flow 90% of wading birds LOST since 1930s

CERP: The Rescue Plan $20B Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Signed into law: 2000 68 major projects over 35 years Goal: restore natural water flow from Lake O to Florida Bay

2026 Restoration Progress Kissimmee River — RESTORED 70 miles re-meandered, birds return Picayune Strand — underway 55,000 acres of pumps & canals removed EAA Reservoir — under construction Will store 240 billion gallons Water quality: still a challenge Algal blooms persist

Wildlife at the Crossroads Florida Panther: ~200 remain From near-extinction in 1970s American Crocodile: recovering Wood Stork: nesting again Burmese Python threat: 100,000+ invasive pythons devastating mammal populations

Sea Rise: A New Threat 1-3 ft projected sea level rise by 2100 Saltwater intrusion already threatening freshwater supply Miami drinking water at risk Restoration is now also climate adaptation

8 Million People Depend on It Biscayne Aquifer feeds Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach $1.4T value of Florida's water supply ecosystem services provided by healthy Everglades wetlands Source: University of Florida

Agriculture vs. Restoration Sugarcane industry uses 700,000 acres south of Lake O Phosphorus runoff from farms fuels toxic algae blooms EAA Reservoir (in progress) will filter farm runoff FIRST before water flows south A decade-long political battle won

Can We Save It? Scientists say yes — if: Federal funding continues Water quality standards hold Sea level rise is managed The Everglades is not just a wildlife refuge — It's South Florida's lifeline SustainabilityAwakening.com