Hemingway’s Key West

17 hours ago
2 min read

FOUND Miami, March 19, 2026

The Everglades Foundation's CEO Eric Eikenberg wears a navy polo and cap speaks at a podium outdoors, with flags and grassy wetlands in the background. The mood is serious.

Conservation Minded

ERIC EIKENBERG, CEO, The Everglades Foundation

Neighborhood you work in:

Palmetto Bay

⁠It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?

The Everglades Foundation offices are located off Old Cutler Road in Palmetto Bay, so every morning, I’m greeted by the beautiful turquoise colors of Biscayne Bay. Most Thursday mornings, our offices are buzzing with scientists, educators, and policy experts all working toward one goal: restoring America’s Everglades. The view outside motivates us to fight to protect this national treasure right here in our backyard.

What’s on the agenda for today?

No two days are ever the same — that’s what I love about my job. I just got back from Washington, D.C., where my colleagues and I met with White House officials in support of a massive reservoir being built south of Lake Okeechobee. This project is the reconnection of freshwater from the lake down to the Florida Keys. Political support is strong, and the economic benefits will be monumental for South Florida once the reservoir is constructed by 2029.

Today, I’m heading across the state to meet with business leaders in Naples and Sanibel about the economic value of clean water. The Everglades is, after all, a trillion-dollar asset for Florida. Later this week, our science team will lead a tour of key restoration projects for state legislators, and we’ll also host a group of grad students whose Everglades research we fund. In the afternoon, our education team will present new Everglades lessons being rolled out in the 31 school districts across Florida where our education program has been implemented. It’s all part of keeping the momentum going for the world’s largest ecosystem restoration project. Read the full FOUND Miami interview here: https://miami.itsfound.com/p/hemingways-key-west

Want to learn more?

You’re in the right place. For more than 30 years, The Everglades Foundation has been the premier organization fighting to restore and protect the precious Everglades ecosystem through science, advocacy, and education.

Join the movement to restore and protect the global treasure that is America’s Everglades. Sign up to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). Give a gift of any amount you can to support our mission at EvergladesFoundation.org/Donate.