Florida Everglades and Restoration

Abstract

The Florida Everglades is the largest subtropical wetland in the USA. It is recognized both nationally and internationally as one of the world's most unique natural and cultural resources, as it supports many threatened and endangered species. All of Florida resides within the Atlantic Coastal Plain province, and most of Florida is underlain by a thick sequence of carbonate sediment known as the Florida Platform, which was formed during Pleistocene or Ice Age. Hammocks in the northern Everglades consist of more temperate plant species, including the live oak and the hackberry; closer to Florida Bay, the trees are tropical and smaller shrubs are more prevalent. In 2000, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was authorized by Congress to restore, preserve, and protect the south Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region, including water supply and flood protection.