Many homes are being built near the Everglades

Help For Endangered Species?

Florida has a very unique and beautiful place, the Everglades. The Everglades has hundreds of animals and plants. For the past years we have been treating this unique place badly. Scientists and other people who are environmentally experienced have begun to study ways to save the Everglades. Some of these ways are turning off faucets when we are not using them, taking quicker showers, and not disturbing the wildlife on field trips or in your backyard.

Many homes are being built near the Everglades. This is not very good for the wildlife. When it rains, rain falls off rooftops and onto the ground. Since the ground is mostly made of pavement water has nowhere to go. The Everglades and surrounding areas flood. This is because the water gets blocked by canals and has to go to the Everglades.

Environmentalists are planning to buy land for the water to flow into. Hopefully, this will stop the flow of water going into the Everglades. If this idea is not approved, the Everglades in Miami Dade and Broward Counties will practically become swamps.

The wildlife in these areas will have no place to go. Without homes some endangered species may become extinct.

The first map shows the old route of water. All of the water spreads over South Florida. Because of this the Everglades had enough water to use, but not too much. The second map shows where water goes now. Most of the water is diverted east by canals. Too much water reaches the Everglades.

The last map shows how environmentalists plan to help the Everglades. At Lake Okeechobee, water levels will be controlled so nearby animals' homes will not be flooded. At stop number two water will be conserved and stored for the Everglades in dry seasons. At stop number three, marshes will be created for dirty sugar cane water to flow into. At stop number four the land will be bought to filter the water for the Everglades and nearby cities. At stop number five the floodgates will open to nourish the Shark River Slough. And at stop number six canals and levees will be altered to restore the water flow to Taylor Slough.

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