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Individuals can make a real difference on the Everglades
The Everglades is globally known for being the home of several untamed life. It is the only ecosystem where both crocodiles and alligators co-exist. It possesses a wide variety of orchids, wildlife trees and plants. The Everglades is the most extensive sub-tropical wetland environment in the United States, spreading over 2 million sections of land across the south and central Florida. It is an essential part of the Floridian ecosystem that has been exposed to pollution and exploitation. Because the Everglades cleans the environment and provides water for drinking and farming, individuals can help prevent pollution caused by industrialization by reclaiming the Everglades.
The Everglades as a source of water
In the pre-industrialization era, the Everglades played a critical role in the distribution of rainwater to Florida. According to Kate Patrick, a contributor at Inside Sources, rain from the middle and northern Florida wetlands could flow down and get collected at Lake Okeechobee. The water would spill over the banks of the lake into the southern side and the Everglades. The Everglades served as a natural water management system for Florida. One-third of the population in Florida get their drinking water from the Everglades biological system (National Wildlife Federation 2020).
Moreover, the flooding avails plenty of water for agriculture. Due to the availability of freshwater, Florida had a booming sugar and agricultural industry. Reengineering the Everglades’ natural system is problematic because it cannot be used to cater for the different needs people have. Thus, it is essential to ensure the Everglades and lake regain their natural function. It is crucial to reviving the Everglades’ ecosystem because it availed nutrients to the soil in the southern region of the lake. As a result, the land was fertile, and the nutrients in the ground were utilized for sugar farming.
The Everglades Cleans the Environment
The Everglades plays a critical role in sifting through toxins. As a result, it increases the quality of water. Additionally, the Everglades cleans the environment by renewing springs, lessening flooding, and increasing the abundance of supplements. Initially, the wetlands were massive. It could be waning water through the Kissimmee River Floodplain and the Lake Okeechobee ecosystems to the Florida Bay. However, as the population in Florida increased individuals acquired portions of the wetlands and turned it into agricultural lands. Also, human-made structures were constructed to redirect water from the Everglades to urban aquifers and for use by the coastal population.
Pollution of the Everglades
Industrialization brought significant changes to human societies. Although the development accomplished through manufacturing were progressive, there were downsides. Due to industrialization, the environment became densely populated. In Florida, industries produced phosphorus-laden pollutants which harmed the Everglades. Although the Everglades provided water and soil nutrients for sugar farming, the sugar industry released runoff rich in nutrients into the Everglades. The pollution resulted in mercury poisoning and increased the salinity of groundwater. As a result, living organism that depended on the Everglades lost vast portions of their population. Richard Luscombe, a contributor for the Guardian, states that the native wading birds, for example, decreased by 93% and other endangered or rare wildlife was lost. Industrialization and human development projects have harmed the Everglades. It threatens the existence of the inhabitants of the wetlands and the ability for the Everglades to function as a natural water distribution system.
Reclaiming the Everglades
The Everglades are a critical part of the Floridian ecosystem. Reclaiming the Everglades requires the implementation policies that would protect the wetlands from getting polluted. In 1994, the Everglades Forever Act was enacted, which made it possible for sugar lands were turned into stormwater treatment areas. As a result, it became possible for polluted water from Lake Okeechobee to be stored and clean. The primary purpose of the Act was to ensure the quality of water at Lake Okeechobee improved by reducing the amount of phosphorus to a natural level. Also, a regulatory program was established under the Act to ensure farmers reduced the amount of nutrient waste by engaging in best management practices. Mary Ellen, of Miami Herald, reports that in 1996, Florida State Constitution was amended to incorporate “polluter pays”, a requirement for industries which have contributed to the pollution of the Everglades to pay for the damage they caused.
Conclusion
The Everglades is a biological system that as provided the state of Florida with water for drinking and farming. The Everglades were exploited for the benefit of humankind. Over time, it became apparent that the wetlands were losing its natural function, as well as the organisms that were native to the region. The Everglades are a crucial part of the Floridian ecosystem. Therefore, to return it to the way it was, farmers have to effectively manage their nutrient waste and the level of phosphorus in Lake Okeechobee has to go back to a more natural level.
Additional References
Ellen, Mary. “Sugar’s Decades-Long Hold Over Everglades came with a Price”. Miami Herald, 2016, https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article88992067.html. Accessed 19 Apr 2020.
Luscombe, Richard. “In The Fight To Save Florida’s Fragile Everglades, It All Comes Back To Politics”. The Guardian, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/22/florida-everglades-obama-climate-change. Accessed 19 Apr 2020.
Patrick, Kate. “Stemming Florida’s Red Tide Requires Government And Business To Work Together – Insidesources”. Inside sources, 2018, https://www.insidesources.com/government-business-red-tide-florida-conservation-climate-change-algae-toxic/ Accessed 19 Apr 2020.
The National Wildlife Federation. “Protecting the Everglades.” Retrieved from https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Waters/Great-Waters-Restoration/Everglades. Accessed 19 Apr 2020.