Part of that comes from the conservation park, the zoo, the water recreation, etc. the State and Federal governments have constructed about 57,000 acres of treatment wetlands (called Stormwater Treatment Areas, or STAs) that remove phosphorus before the water is discharged into the Everglades. Increases in soil surface elevation leads to greater dominance of hardwoods and scrub. 954-434-8111 It consists of 1.5 million acres of saw grass marshes, mangrove forests, and hardwood hammocks dominated by wetlands. 954-434-8111 Ext 102 Check out tips for staying safe while viewing wildlife. Everglades ecosystems will not be restored using a business as usual approach. var bmienmo = ['o','f','a','"','l','y','i','. Everglades National Park was established in 1947 to preserve the biological diversity and … They offer critical habitat for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife, they purify polluted waters, and they help check the destructive power of floods and storms. 954-434-8111 Ext 102 loss of the natural communities of algae that are defining characteristics of the Everglades, loss of water dissolved oxygen that fish need. Pure beauty, awaits in a natural setting on Florida can provide… Here Are 20 Facts About Florida’s Everglades: The Everglades is more […] The park has long been a birders paradise -- it is the winter home of more than 360 different species of birds. 7) Who were Janie’s three husbands? Draining projects and conversion to agricultural lands during the past 100 years has reduced the Everglades ecosystem by almost 50 percent. And because of that, the Everglades belongs to all of America. The Everglades also provides critical, and often undervalued, benefits to people, called ecosystem services. Sign-up to receive Park News, Special Event Info, Exclusive Discount Offers and more... 954-434-8111 Just like us, the Everglades needs water since it is home to so many different plants and animals (remember to visit Everglades Seasons for more information). Throughout a wetland you will find swamps and marshes that are full of shrubs, grassy plants, and really cool animals. As with other peninsulas, animal species richness tends to decline in most taxa from the mainland connection to the tip. Underground you will find limestone and aquifers, which have a very important job. 954-434-8111 Located just west of Miami and east of Naples is the beautiful Everglades. is renowned for its wading birds and wildlife. This part of Florida is not nearly discovered as the other more popular areas and that is why we love it! The wetlands, located at the southern tip of Florida, provide a unique habitat unlike any other The different habitats located within the Florida Everglades ecosystem support a collection of plant and animal species not found elsewhere on earth. When the exotic pet trade boomed in the 1980s, Miami became host to thousands of such snakes. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2) Why does Janie’s grandmother encourage her to get married so young? There aren’t many landmasses as spectacular in America as the Florida Everglades. 3. Today, we know that wetlands provide many important services to the environment and to the public. Everglades is but one of hundreds of national park units throughout the United States. A wetland of international importance, the Everglades is one of the last untouched, natural environments in the United States where families can enjoy sightseeing, airboating and more. Today, only the southern third of this important marshland remains relatively undisturbed. High phosphorus causes impacts in the Everglades such as: By 1990 over 40,000 acres of the public Everglades were estimated to be impacted. Human habitation in the southern portion of the Florida peninsula dates to 15,000 years ago. The Everglades ecosystem: Phosphorus in agricultural and stormwater runoff has degraded water quality in the Everglades since the 1960s. Friends of the Everglades is a conservationist and activist organization in the United States whose mission is to "preserve, protect, and restore the only Everglades in the world." Barrows, C.W., and M.F. It is home to endangered, rare, and exotic wildlife. It is a diverse and dynamic ecosystem that has hosted a variety of plant, animal, and even human life over the centuries. Hosted a variety of plant, animal, and often undervalued, benefits to people, called services. 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