Everglades Restoration

restoration Back in March, the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers released an update about the massive restoration effort that was launched back in 2000. The update: the cost of the restoration has doubled to $16.4 billion. This report is issued every five years to update Congress on progress of the project done by both the Corps and Florida.

The official name of the report is called the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The CERP is the largest environmental plan to date. Originally, the plan was estimated to last two decades, but it may take another few decades to complete.

The increase in cost is due to inflation, design changes and additional projects. The restoration plan includes 68 projects across the 18,000 square-mile region of the Everglades. The overall goal of the plan to restore the natural flow of water in the Everglades, which is currently threatened by sea levels. Also, the plan aims to even remove exotic species and trees. In the last five years, these are the projects that were started or completed: a reservoir, stormwater treatment area on the Caloosahatchee River, a massive pump in the Picayune Strand, other pollution removal projects, and a spreader canal to

The reason the Everglades needs such an extensive restoration project is because the wetland is in peril. Back in the 1800s, people started to enter the Everglades to dig canals and drain water. Unfortunately, these projects hurt the environment while helping humans receive fresh water and flood protection. As the human population in the area increased, the number of birds and other wildlife got smaller; some species even disappeared from the area. More than half of the wetlands in the Everglades have been lost to the development of canals and levees.

According to Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, “The next five years hold the promise of even more tangible, beneficial change in the south Florida ecosystem and we look forward to continuing progress with the Department of the Interior, the State of Florida, and our other partners.”

Explore the Everglades

The Everglades is a precious gem that needs to be protected. Although it’s a large undertaking, these restoration efforts need to happen before the wetlands disappear before our very eyes. Airboat tours of the Everglades give visitors an up-close-and-personal view of the country’s national treasure. Call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377 or click here to book a trip today!