Nine Essentials of Everglades Restoration

FIXING THE EVERGLADES & ESTUARIES

Fortunately, when Congress passed the original bill for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in 2000, it recognized that the 30-year plan for this large-scale restoration would almost certainly call for scientists, engineers and policy leaders to employ “adaptive management” to meet their original goals.

Because Adaptive Management allows us to revise strategies with new technologies—or, to rethink original objectives like rising land or construction costs. In other words, Adaptive Management provides an avenue to make changes without compromising the original intent of the restoration.

And we must adapt. It’s a different world since 2000 when the state and federal governments agreed to the 50-50 partnership, and the Everglades Foundation has developed a "Road Map" to how and why a new strategy for Everglades Restoration must be developed.

The first step is to agree, in broad concept, on what those needs are. Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) eight years ago; however, key elements of the plan have not been implemented. Wildlife habitat and the spatial extent of the Everglades continue to disappear as development, invasive species, and poor water management decisions further threaten the sustainability of the remaining ecosystem.

Both the Everglades Foundation's Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) and the Everglades Coalition have identified NINE restoration "essentials"--or benchmarks-- that must be achieved if CERP is going to deliver benefits as originally promised. These essentials are the cornerstone of the Foundation's efforts to advance Everglades restoration.

Essential No. 1 -- Protect Water Quality

Essential No. 2 -- Restore the Kissimmee River

Essential No. 3 -- Provide Drought Storage

Essential No. 4 -- Provide Additional Wet-Year Storage

Essential No. 5 -- Reconnect Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades

Essential No. 6 -- Restore Sheetflow in the Everglades

Essential No. 7 -- Restore Florida Bay

Essential No. 8 -- Impose Sustainable Development

Essential No. 9 -- Improve the State and Federal Partnership