1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World. The Florida Everglades are 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,159 Speaker 1: known as the River of Grass and are one of 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: the wonders of the world. It is a vance subtropical 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: wilderness that has been declared a World Heritage Site, International 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance. The Everglades spans 6 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: across one point five million acres that stretches over the 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: southern part of Florida. It is home to over four 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty thousand acres of mangrove forest, the largest 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: continuous seagrass meadow on Earth, the oldest cypress trees on 10 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: the planet, and over three hundred and fifty different animal species, 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: many of them threatened or endangered. Here to talk about 12 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: the restoration of the Florida Everglades. I am really delighted 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: to welcome my guest, Eric Eickenberg. He is the CEO 14 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: of the Everglades Foundation. Eric, welcome, and thank you for 15 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: joining me on News World. 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 2: Mister speaker, it's the privilege. Thank you for having me. 17 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: My son in law, Paul Lovers, was passionate about what 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: you're doing and asked me to get you involved in 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: I thought, man, we'd start for most of our audience. 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: Can you talk about the history of the Everglades going 21 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: back to the eighteen hundreds. 22 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 2: I know you're a student of history, mister speaker, and 23 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 2: there's been quite a bit here within the Everglades. Back 24 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: in the eighteen hundreds, two future presidents of the United 25 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: States were in the Everglades, Zachary Taylor and Andrew Jackson. 26 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: The history of the Everglades is long. There were certainly 27 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 2: challenges within the history as it relates to the Native 28 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: Americans that called the Everglades home many centuries ago. We 29 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: all know we're in an election cycle this year, and 30 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: go back to the election of nineteen hundred. Candidate for 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 2: governor of Flow, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward running for governor, and 32 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: the enemy at the time was not his opponent but water, 33 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: and he, along with a variety of allies, began the 34 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: process of draining the Everglades, removing water from the peninsula 35 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 2: of Florida, and that, mister speaker, really started the effort 36 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 2: to lose this natural ecosystem for development purposes. We can 37 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: certainly talk about those results, but the history is long, 38 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: it's deep. 39 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: Let me show you down. Why were they trying to 40 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: drain the Everglades. Was it to get land that they 41 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: could develop or what. 42 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 2: Yes, sir, development pressures at the turn of that century 43 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 2: were certainly beginning. Fort Dallas in South Florida was an 44 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: outpost that was growing ultimately the city of Miami Fort Lauderdale. 45 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 2: As these developments or these urban areas began to take shape, 46 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 2: that land, those wetlands, those iconic wetlands, were then targeted 47 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: for draining, and that organic peat soil that's even there 48 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: today was utilized for the development of South Florida. I 49 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 2: might add that Miami International Airport, where you I'm sure 50 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 2: have flown in and out of over the years, that 51 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 2: is built on historic Everglades. So certainly for development purposes. 52 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: That began the first phase. But then wasn't there a 53 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: big effort by the Audubon Society and others to really 54 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: begin to recognize how unique the Everglades were? 55 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: No doubt about it. Certainly the Audubon the significance of 56 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: the trade, the bird trade to ensure that the species 57 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: that call the Everglades home, these magnificent birds, waiting birds, 58 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: all types, were preserved in Audubon Society. When it came 59 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: to for over one hundred years ago really shine the 60 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: light on the need to protect this natural resource. And 61 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: over the decades, a lot of attention has been given 62 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: to the now seventy eight endangered in and threatened species 63 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 2: that call the Everglades home, including the iconic snail kite. 64 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: These animals are critically important to this ecosystem and as 65 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: we talk about restoration, these efforts are making sure that 66 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: these animals and these plants survive future generations. 67 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: Feathers for women's hats were a big factor, and we're 68 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: actually leading to the extinction of attractive species, and so 69 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: many of the conservation efforts were designed to keep the 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: species that are unique and beautiful and otherwise would have 71 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: been destroyed commercially. 72 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 2: Those hats being sold in New York and Chicago and 73 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 2: folks wondering where did they come from, and it was 74 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 2: explained down in South Florida, down in the state of Florida, 75 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,559 Speaker 2: and as people were being educated on how this bird 76 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: population was being decimated, it really did drive the conservation 77 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: focus and purpose to preserve. 78 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: So what led to the creation of the Everglades National 79 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: Park in nineteen forty seven. 80 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 2: It was an amazing time because at that similar time 81 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: Congress was debating the Central and South Florida Floodplain, which 82 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: was passed during the Truman administration, which began to build 83 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: the canals and implementing the dams and dykes within South Farida. 84 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: In particular, there's a maze of canals, thousands of miles 85 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: of canals that were dug by the Army Corps of 86 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: Engineers after that congressional authorization in the nineteen forties, and 87 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: all that fresh water on the Florida Peninsula was drained 88 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 2: out to the Atlantic Ocean from West Palm Beach to 89 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 2: Fort Lauderdale down to Miami. It was also realized that 90 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: freshwater had to flow down to Florida Bay in the 91 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 2: Florida Keys, and there was land. I had the privilege 92 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 2: of working a couple of years back at the law 93 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: firm of Holland and Knight Spessard. Holland was the governor 94 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: of Florida in the late nineteen forties and negotiated a 95 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: deal with the federal government to allow state land to 96 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 2: be purchased by the Feds, which then became Everglades National Park. 97 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 2: And a wonderful that took place in December of nineteen 98 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: forty seven when President Truman came to Florida and dedicated 99 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: that national park, Everglades National Park, as a landmark ecosystem 100 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: right here in our own backyard in Florida. And we've 101 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: been now decades later doing all we can to make 102 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 2: sure water flows south to the park. That is the 103 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: beneficiary of all this work that's been going on Everglades 104 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 2: National Park. 105 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: But at that time was there opposition from people who 106 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: wanted to develop all of South Florida who didn't understand 107 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: the importance. 108 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 2: From what I've read and what I understand, it was 109 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: a mix of efforts to conserve and the need to 110 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: make sure these lands in the southern part of our 111 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 2: peninsula were preserved, but also to allow for development. Back 112 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 2: in the forties and fifties, seven eight million people maybe 113 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: thirteen million statewide, the issue was continuing to push encroach 114 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: out towards the Everglades I ninety five. When the interstate 115 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 2: system came around in the nineteen fifties, even more people 116 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: to come down to South Florida, so that encroachment. That 117 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 2: is the balance between allowing development of South Florida along 118 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 2: with the protection not just of Everglades National Park. But 119 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 2: now we have Biscayn National Park, we have the Big 120 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: Cypress Preserve, and we have the River of Grass, the 121 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: Central Everglades that Marjorie Stoneman Douglas wrote about so eloquently 122 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: also in nineteen forty seven. So it's a great balance, 123 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: mister Speaker, of the ability to have development yet also 124 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 2: protect these natural resources and this precious ecosystem. 125 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: And if I remember correctly, Truman himself, we'd go to 126 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: Key West for his sort of winter vacation. So I 127 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: mean he had an awareness and affinity for Florida. 128 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 2: He sure did the Little White House there in Key West. 129 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 2: If listeners haven't had a chance, If next time folks 130 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: are down in Key West, I highly recommend it's a 131 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: great historical location there. But Harry Truman loved Key West. 132 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: Decades later President Nixon reside and spend time on Cubiskin 133 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 2: and also understand the importance of the ecosystem not only 134 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 2: in Biscayn National Park, but also the Everglades as a whole. 135 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: You talk about there like three hundred and fifty different 136 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: animal species in the Everglades. Some of them are now introduced. 137 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean the python, for example, which I guess was 138 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 1: a byproduct of a hurricane in nineteen ninety two of 139 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: knocking down a building which was a patchery for baby pythons, 140 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 1: and they suddenly found wow, this, here's this wonderful swamp 141 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: that felt a lot like Burma, and they become sort 142 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: of an apex predator, haven't. 143 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 2: They They have, And the numbers are chilling, hundreds of 144 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 2: thousands of pthons. Quite frankly, we really don't know the 145 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 2: impact that they're having in the Everglades. We do know 146 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 2: that the fur bearing animals that call the Everglades home, 147 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 2: the rabbits, the raccoons, a lot of them, those populations 148 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 2: have been decimated. I recall finally just years ago, driving 149 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: from Miami to Naples along Tammy Mitrail US forty one 150 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 2: and seeing a variety of bunny rabbits both on the 151 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 2: north and south side of that road. I haven't seen 152 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 2: a rabbit or a raccoon for many years. So that 153 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 2: python population was introduced, that invasive species, and we have 154 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: others too, plants and trees as well. You were in 155 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: South Florida back in ninety seven as speaker, and you 156 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 2: raised the concern about malaluca, the invasive maleluca plant, and 157 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 2: if you recall they were releasing beetles into the everglades 158 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 2: to eat the malaluca, so it could contain that invasive species. 159 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 2: So we're challenged by a variety of species that are introduced. 160 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: I am curious between the alligator and the python who 161 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: ends up as the apex. 162 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 2: And see some video. It's troubling, quite frankly, but sometimes 163 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 2: the python wins and sometimes the alligator comes out on top. 164 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 2: It was recently reported that coyotes had munched on a 165 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: clutch of python eggs, so potentially there's a predator now 166 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: to eat some of these. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 167 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: one of their python experts there was a sixteen foot 168 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 2: python taken out of the ecosystem. That autopsy or so 169 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 2: showed eighty seven eggs inside of this female snake. So 170 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 2: they're quite prolific, and again it's a big problem. 171 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: My daughter and her husband were out walking near keeb 172 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 1: A Skane actually on keep a Scane a couple of 173 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: weeks ago, and they literally just walked up on two crocodiles. 174 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: They were just set a legging there, and I think 175 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: people don't realize you have both American alligators and American 176 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: crocodiles in the ecosystem down there. 177 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 2: Mister speaker. It's the only place in the world where 178 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 2: a crocodile and an alligator can co exis. And I 179 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 2: tell my Republican and Democrat friends, if that can happen 180 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,199 Speaker 2: in Florida, then both parties can come together to ensure 181 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: that the Everglades is protected for generations to come. 182 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: Is it true that the crocodile is a little more 183 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: capable of dealing with salt water? 184 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 2: Correct? The crocodile is a salt order species. You're absolutely right. 185 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 2: And this alligator in freshwater. And you know, we have 186 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: three critical estuaries on the Florida Peninsula. Florida Bay down 187 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: in the Keys is an estuary where you see that 188 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: mix of crocodile and alligator, the mix of salt order 189 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: and freshwater. These estuaries are critically important for that balance. 190 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 2: I like to call it the Goldilocks effect. The fisheries 191 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: and the birds and the habitats. You need to have 192 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 2: a good balance between freshwater salt order for these species 193 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 2: to thrive. 194 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: One of these really amazes me and South Florida is 195 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 1: I mean, you really can access the Everglades easily, whether 196 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: you're in Miami or you're in Ford Myers and Naples. 197 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,599 Speaker 1: I mean, it's right there. You don't have to do 198 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: any great distance. 199 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 2: At all, twenty five minute drive either east or west, 200 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 2: and you're in the heart of that ecosystem. It goes, 201 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 2: it stretches, as we point out, from Miami, the Florida 202 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 2: Keys up to Broward County West, Palm Beach, even Lake Okachobee, 203 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 2: which is the heartbeat of the Everglades, and that beautiful 204 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 2: Kassimi River north of Lake Okachobe. That floodplain extends from 205 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: Orlando south in the central part of the state again 206 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: all the way down to Lake Okachobe, So it's about 207 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 2: the size of the state of New Jersey. You can 208 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 2: access it very easily from either the west or east coast, 209 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 2: tremendous eco tourism opportunities for folks. 210 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:47,199 Speaker 1: Lake Okachobe is critical to the survival of the Everglades, 211 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: and at the same time, because of agriculture, it has 212 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: a huge loading of pollution and particularly nutrients that causes 213 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: a real challenge for the quality of the water going 214 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: into the Everglades. Can you walk us through the whole 215 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: dilemma of dealing correctly with Lake Okachobe. 216 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate you bringing this up because the lake 217 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 2: is a special place for many people, great bass fishing, 218 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 2: tremendous bass fishing tournaments that take place in Florida around 219 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,719 Speaker 2: Lake Okachobe. But as you point out, over the decades, 220 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 2: nutrient pollution, primarily phosphorus, has negatively impacted Lake Okachobe. For years, 221 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 2: the sugar industry south of the lake about half a 222 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: million acres of sugar cane production. The industry was backpumping 223 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 2: its dirty water into the lake because you couldn't send 224 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 2: it south to the Everglades. So dirty water being dumped 225 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 2: into the lake, you had point source pollution from dairy farms, 226 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 2: some cattle ranching, agricultural interest. You certainly have communities around 227 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 2: the lake now that are on septic tanks that are 228 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 2: adding to the pollution. Lake Okachobe is a sick body 229 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 2: of water as we visit here today, and it is 230 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 2: no longer acting as a sponge to take the nutrients 231 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: and to absorb those pollutants. It's now becoming its own source. 232 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: As we visit here today, about forty five percent of 233 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: the lake is covered in blue green algae. And as 234 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 2: the summer rolls on and the temperatures rise. By July August, 235 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 2: you're going to see almost ninety percent of the lake 236 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 2: covered in a neo green algae form. And that is 237 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: extremely troubling because again, as the lake rises, the Army 238 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 2: Corps of Engineers has one option at this moment, and 239 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 2: that's to open the gates on the east and west side, 240 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: and all that pollution gets dumped to the Saint Lucie 241 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 2: River to the east and to the Closahatchie River to 242 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 2: the west. And it's quite troubling to the Florida economy. 243 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: And what does that do to the ecosystem of the 244 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: lake to have that much algae? 245 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 2: Oh, it's terrible. The fish is impacted by it. You 246 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 2: certainly don't have enough vegetation to absorb the phosphorus out 247 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 2: of the water. The water table is consumed by excess phosphorus. 248 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 2: So the lake is managed right now way that it 249 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 2: gets so high, and at times when we have drought 250 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: conditions it gets extremely low. The good news is there's 251 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: a plan coming this August which will give the Army 252 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 2: Corps of Engineers greater balance in how they manage Lake Okachobe, 253 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 2: because it's its own ecosystem and it needs to be 254 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 2: managed so that water will flow south. We have the 255 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 2: mechanism now. Actually, thanks to your speakership, there is land 256 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 2: south of all those sugar cane fields that can treat 257 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 2: this water. And we want to deliver as much water 258 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 2: possible from Lake okachobe down to the Everglades and ultimately 259 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 2: to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay. 260 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: I mean, if you don't do that, don't you oughtenly 261 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: have saltwater intrusion from the south if you have an 262 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: adequate freshwater coming in. 263 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: We saw that in twenty fifteen because we were not 264 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 2: getting fresh water flowing south. You had salinity levels in 265 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 2: Florida Bay down in the Keys ten times as salty 266 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 2: as the ocean, and we had fifty thousand acres fifty 267 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: thousand acres, mister Speaker, of dead seagrass floating on the 268 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: surface of that estuary. They called it zombie grass. And 269 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: from the tourism based economy of the Florida Keys, to 270 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 2: the great fishery, to the wading bird population, all was 271 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: impacted because we're not getting enough water flowing in the 272 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 2: direction God created, which is south from Lake Okachobee. 273 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: So how much of this also relates to the sugar industry. 274 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 2: It's a heavy relation to the sugar industry. It's been 275 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 2: there predominantly since nineteen thirties, certainly was elevated after the 276 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 2: Cuban Revolution in nineteen fifty nine. In the sixties it expanded. 277 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 2: So again you have just under a half a million 278 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 2: acres directly south of the lake which is sugarcane production, 279 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 2: and it's propped up by a federal system. You're familiar 280 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 2: with the program, a program that inflates the price domestically, 281 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 2: so we pay twice the price for sugar here in 282 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: the United States than they do on the world market. 283 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 2: But quite frankly, there in the middle. The effort here 284 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 2: is to get water flowing south. There are seventy thousand 285 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: acres south of those sugar fields that act as kidneys 286 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 2: for the Everglades, so that you're effectively removing phosphorus and 287 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 2: nitrogen from the water. And that would kickstarted in nineteen 288 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 2: ninety six when you led efforts to put money in 289 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 2: the Farm bill to buy the Talisman Sugar Company, and 290 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 2: those lands today are being used to treat the water 291 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 2: and send that clean water south to the Everglades. 292 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 1: I found in my great sugarrim The very first time 293 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: I ran in nineteen seventy four, I had sugar reform 294 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: as one of my campaign themes, and I just governed 295 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: once it got to Congress. Is actually not the cane 296 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: sugar guys that are the problem. It's because the beach 297 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: sugar is raised all over the country, and the beach 298 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,719 Speaker 1: sugar guys figured out that the cane sugar guys were 299 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: the proxy for the highest possible price, and that they 300 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: would actually pay much lower price for beach sugar if 301 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: the cane sugar guys weren't protecting them. And so because 302 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: you have very little cane sugar really raised in the 303 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: US anymore Louisiana, tiny bit in Hawaii and Florida, but 304 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: they are absolutely protected by state after state that has 305 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: these beach sugar farmers, and so it's really a hard 306 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: program to reform. And yet it was clear that the 307 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 1: cost to the ecosystem in South Florida was far greater 308 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: than the economic benefit. I'm glad that we one phase 309 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: one of that fight. We probably still have some more 310 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: to come in the future. But one of the things 311 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 1: I'm very impressed with there's a poll from Florida Atlantic 312 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: University and the National Parks Conservation Association. Nine ten percent 313 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: of Floridians value the conservation of Florida's natural resources. Eighty 314 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: six percent of Floridians agree the leaders of an obligation 315 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 1: to protect and restore the Everglades, eighty three percent believe 316 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: investigating an Everglades restoration is critical for Florida's climate resilient future, 317 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: and eighty five percent of respondents in Miami Dade County 318 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: agree that the Everglades and our sensitive lands and waters 319 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: must be protected from harmful over development. That's really an 320 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: amazing public coalescence around a set of ideas, and you 321 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: must find in that sense that you are operating in 322 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: a relatively friendly environment. 323 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 2: In a time of divisiveness. Yes, it is an issue 324 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 2: that brings everyone together because it is about water. It's 325 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 2: all about water South Florida. As we turn on the 326 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: tap in South Florida, it is fueled by the Everglades, 327 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 2: the Viscayne Aquifer. So regardless of your socioeconomic background or 328 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 2: your political ideology, we all need water in South Florida 329 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 2: to survive. So it's very unifying. And I might add 330 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,239 Speaker 2: too that back in twenty fourteen, seventy six percent of 331 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 2: Florida voters amended the state constitution to siphon one third 332 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 2: of real estate tax every time a real estate transaction occurs. 333 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 2: One third of those taxes are now put into a 334 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: conservation trust fund for Everglades restoration, for beach renourishment, for 335 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 2: protection of our natural springs in North Florida. So conservation 336 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,439 Speaker 2: is very much on the mind of Florida voters. And 337 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: this generation of Floridians understands what's at stake the economics 338 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 2: of Florida, and we need to do all we can 339 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 2: to get cross that finish line. And I'm optimistic we're 340 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 2: going to do it by the end of the decade. 341 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: Part of this is that people say that the Everglades 342 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: Agricultural Area Reservoir is sort of the crown jewel of 343 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: restoring the Everglades. Can you walk us through Wywen, what 344 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: does that mean? 345 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 2: It is the project within the comprehensive of Everglades Restoration 346 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: Plan that is now twenty four years in the making. 347 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 2: This project, once built and it's scheduled by the Army 348 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 2: Corps to be completed by the end of the decade, 349 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 2: it will be the reconnection of Lake Okachobe water down 350 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 2: to the Florida Keys. So again we talked about the 351 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 2: pollution and the polluted water in Lake Okachobe. It will 352 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 2: move through massive canals, through the sugar fields. It will 353 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 2: fill up this reservoir thirty five feet high. It's going 354 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 2: to hold about twenty eight feet of water, roughly seventy 355 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 2: eight to eighty billion gallons. The water will trickle out 356 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 2: of this reservoir and will go into this maze of wetlands. 357 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: The plants that are in these wetlands effectively remove the 358 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: pollution from the water, and then you're distributing through a 359 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 2: natural sheet flow. Again, as God designed the Everglades for 360 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 2: that water to flow south. So this reservoir is the 361 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 2: source of water for South Florida. It will recharge the aquifer, 362 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 2: It will provide benefits to the fishing industry, to the 363 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 2: boating industry, protect real estate investments. When Bill Clinton signed 364 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 2: the Comprehensive Plan in December of two thousand, it was 365 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 2: this project that was listed in the Water Resources Development 366 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 2: Act of two thousand. Here we are now twenty four 367 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 2: years later and it's finally coming out of the ground, 368 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 2: mister speaker. It is a critical project and it's well 369 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: on its way. 370 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: Something pointed out that it's the largest ecosystem restoration project 371 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: in the entire world. 372 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: It's about a four billion dollar project. It's the largest 373 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 2: reservoir the Army Corps of Engineers wherever I have built. 374 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,239 Speaker 2: But when you look at the comprehensive plan, something that 375 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 2: you were critically influential as it moved towards authorization by 376 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 2: Congress years ago. Once finished, some twenty eight billion dollars 377 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: estimated final cost, it will be the largest ecosystem restoration 378 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 2: effort in the history of the world. 379 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: Now, the Everglades Foundation, for over thirty years has been 380 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: committed to restoring and protecting the ever Was Can you 381 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about what the foundation has done 382 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:04,119 Speaker 1: and what drives it? 383 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 2: Yes, sir, It started in Islamorada, down in the Keys. 384 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 2: Two fishing buddies, the late George Barley and Paul Tudor Jones, 385 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 2: were neighbors in Islamorada, and they saw an algae bloom 386 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 2: in Florida Bay and they were asking scientists what is happening, 387 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 2: What's going on with this tremendous estuary. And it was 388 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 2: pointed out that all the pollution coming from the north 389 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 2: flowing through the Everglades. It needed to be resolved. So 390 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 2: that kick started the Everglades Foundation to now thirty years later, 391 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 2: science based organization. We have great experts in the science 392 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 2: of the Everglades, the hydrology, the biology, the chemistry, the 393 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,120 Speaker 2: economics of the Everglades, and we take the science and 394 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 2: mister speaker, you can appreciate you can have science all 395 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 2: day long, but then you have to work the political science. 396 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 2: You have to be in Washington and in Tallahassee working 397 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 2: with policymakers to ensure that funding, that money flows to 398 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 2: these critical projects that are part of this comprehensive plan. 399 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 2: And then it's also to educate not only the current generation, 400 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 2: but future generations. And our education program is spreading across Florida. 401 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 2: Every child that graduates from a Florida school will be 402 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 2: literate in the importance of the Everglades because there will 403 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 2: be a day when we achieve restoration and then we're 404 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 2: going to pass it off to that next generation for 405 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 2: perpetual protection. The Everglades Foundation has been leading the way 406 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 2: on this for as you point out, now over thirty 407 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 2: one years. 408 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: I noticed that you you stor we're a very good 409 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: friend of mine. Representative Clay Shaw, who really did a 410 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 1: remarkable job of leadership on this project. 411 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 2: He's my mentor. I miss him every day. He left 412 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 2: us too early. Clayshaw understood, as a Florida native, the 413 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,199 Speaker 2: importance of the Everglades. He worked across the aisle, not 414 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 2: just on the Everglades, but welfare reform, which I know 415 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: you were heavily engaged in back in ninety five and 416 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 2: ninety six, as well as protecting our seniors. As the 417 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 2: chairman of the Ways and Means Social Security can So, 418 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 2: clay Shaw understood what was important to Floridians, but as 419 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 2: it related to the Everglades. He took great pride in 420 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 2: the fact that he worked to get that historic plan 421 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 2: passed in two thousand and I'm just privileged to be 422 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 2: carrying on his legacy each and every day at the 423 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 2: Everglades Foundation. 424 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 1: What do you do as the CEO of the Foundation? 425 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 2: Well, I manage a great team. I take the adage 426 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 2: that you surround yourself with people smarter than you, and 427 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 2: I have done that. We have again a great team 428 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 2: of scientists, we have advocates, we have policy experts, and 429 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,200 Speaker 2: we're at the forefront. We are constantly working with our 430 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 2: congressional delegation with members of Congress from other states who 431 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 2: are on the Appropriations Committee and the authorizing committees. We 432 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 2: have a great partnership with Governor DeSantis and the Florida 433 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 2: Legislature to move this forward, and then we also work 434 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 2: with a broad coalition and Miss Speaker. I'm most proud 435 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 2: of the fact in the last couple of years we've 436 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 2: engaged tremendous Florida realtors, We've engaged chambers of commerce along 437 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: the Florida Coast, small business owners, fishing guides, boat manufacturers, 438 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 2: everyone who thrives on a tourism based economy, because that's 439 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 2: what this state is now, driven by tourism. And the 440 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 2: Everglades Foundation brings people together to ensure that we accomplish 441 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: the job. We achieve restoration, and we do it in 442 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,680 Speaker 2: a very collaborative spirit, and we operate with government at 443 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 2: the highest levels. 444 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: If somebody wants to get involved, if they listen to 445 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 1: this and they're intrigued with helping the Everglades, how can 446 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: they be involved with the Everglades Foundation? 447 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate that. Before I answer your question, I 448 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 2: want to point out that you have a quote back 449 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety seven where you said that the Everglades 450 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 2: is a laboratory. It's a laboratory not only for the 451 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 2: state of Florida, but for the world. And we have 452 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 2: to get this right and we will, and others are 453 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 2: watching very closely on how we accomplish success here in 454 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 2: the Everglades. Those folks that are listening who this topic 455 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 2: interest them, I encourage you to go to Evergladesfoundation dot org, 456 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: our website. We have a tremendous amount of information on 457 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 2: that web page that can bring you up the speed 458 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 2: on what's at stake here. We cover all the social 459 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 2: media platforms with concise information, important information. Folks need to 460 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 2: come off the sidelines, if you will, and understand what's 461 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 2: at stake here. The Florida economies at steak, our resource, 462 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 2: our water, the endangered and threatened species. But more importantly, 463 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 2: I put this in the same light as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite. 464 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: We've got a national park here that is the beneficiary, 465 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 2: and every American should rally to make sure we protect 466 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 2: Everglades National Park and the Everglades as a whole. 467 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: Din Tyler, I'm very excited by what you're doing. Of 468 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: the many things I got involved with in my career, 469 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: I used to teach environmental studies and I've had a 470 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: long passion interest in natural history and one of the 471 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: things I was proudest of as speaker was helping launch 472 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: the restoration of the Everglades. So this chance to chat 473 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 1: with you, Eric and to talk about all this and 474 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: to encourage our listeners to go to your website Evergladesfoundation 475 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 1: dot org. I just think it's a for everything, and 476 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: if they want to visit the Everglades then go to 477 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 1: the National Park Service website at NPS dot gov. And 478 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: I recommend highly if you've never seen what a remarkable 479 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: ecosystem this is, the Everglades ought to be part of 480 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: any trip you take to Florida. So Eric, thank you 481 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: so much for sharing with us. 482 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 2: I look forward to seeing in Florida. 483 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest, Eric Eickenberg. You can get 484 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: a link to the Everglades Foundation website on our show 485 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: page at Newtsworld dot com. News World is produced by 486 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: Game of three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is 487 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: Guernsey Sloan. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for 488 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: the show was created by Steve Penley, special thanks to 489 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 1: the team at Gingrish three sixty. If you've been enjoying 490 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: Newt World, I hope you'll go to Apple Podcasts and 491 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: both rate us with five stars and give us a 492 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: review so others can learn what it's all about. Right now, 493 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: listeners of neut World can sign up for my three 494 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: free weekly columns at gingrichtree sixty dot com slash newsletter. 495 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: I'm Newt Gingrich. This is neut World.