The Florida Everglades

By:Matias Belete

Location

The Florida everglades is located on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula, along the Gulf of Mexico.

Significance

This site was listed because it is the largest designated sub-tropical wilderness reserve in northern american continent, has the largest mangrove ecosystem in the western hemisphere and the longest continuous stand of sawgrass prairie. And finally one of the most important reasons is it is home to the breeding ground of wading birds in north america.

Importance

The Florida everglades is a natural site. It is important because it is very endangered site and is the largest subtropical wilderness reserve in the northern american continent which has over 300 reported species of animals in the reserve and 10 or more that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

 

Managing and protecting

The U.S. government protects and manages this site mainly but there are many other organizations that give vital support too. The U.S. department of interior (part of the government)

fund 80 percent of construction for the Central and South Florida Project, 13 of which provide drainage and flood control for

agriculture. Some of the other vital organization that protect and fund projects for the everglades is the National Wildlife

Federation (NWF), They help by secure funding and also ensure implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration

Plan (CERP). Also another organization that helps protect this flawlessly amazing site is the Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF)

represent thousands of concerned Floridians and enforce law of conserving this site.

Conservation threats

There are not so many conservation threats but the few that are there are very effective to this site and its animals. The first one is the site has shrunk less than half size from the original size due to agricultural and residential development which affects the growth of the animals species. Also the ecological balance in the region has been thrown off, resulting in habitat and biodiversity loss which is key to the, as i said before, animal population or growth.

Reason for protection

This site should protected because it is a piece of americas pride for our nature and how much we respect it and how much we love it. To get into more detail of why this site should be protected is because it is the largest designated sub-tropical wilderness reserve in the northern american continent. Next it should be protected for its amazing ecological beauty and its endangered species from aquatic birds to amphibians and many more. So lastly and most importantly the millions of humans that enjoy the beauty and the history of this amazing and flawless site.

Deserving

This site deserves to be in the “World’s Most Fascinating Places” because it is a site that is loved and concerned for from millions of americans and tourists who have visited this amazing site

with its natural beauty. Also because it is the largest designated sub-tropical wilderness reserve in the northern american continent with endangered and an exotic range of animals. And lastly because it is one of the most endangered national parks in the world.

Bibliography

 

"What We Do to Protect the Everglades ­ National Wildlife Federation." What We Do to Protect the Everglades ­ National Wildlife Federation. N.p., 1996. Web. 02 Dec. 2014. 

"Chapter 7: Florida Everglades." U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Department of Interior, 1849. Web. 01 Dec. 2014. 

 

"Florida Everglades." NRDC:. N.p., 2009. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.