Everglades Restoration Is Progressing, But Scientists Say It Needs Improvement

The long-running effort to restore the Florida Everglades has seen progress at a “remarkable pace” in the past two years, according to a new report. But more could be done to bolster those efforts, said the report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which reviews Everglades restoration progress every two years at the request of the federal government’s builders, the Army Corps of Engineers. Their recommendations include incorporating the varied ramifications of climate change into restoration plans, and doing a better job of partnering with the Seminole and Miccosukee indigenous tribes, which have lived in the Everglades for centuries. Working closely with tribes would better protect cultural heritage tied to the land, and give biologists a deeper understanding of the ecosystem over time — tribal knowledge of how the everglades works has been passed down over centuries. According to the report, Everglades restoration is about both both ecosystems and indigenous cultures. Here’s a look at some of the new report’s findings and recommendations. Climate change and the Everglades The report addresses what’s known as Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a federal-state program that encompasses 68 projects aimed at restoring and preserving the Everglades ecosystem. The plan was signed into law in 2000, when engineers designed the infrastructure projects needed to pull off all the improvements.