Water
in South Florida once flowed freely from the Kissimmee River to Lake
Okeechobee and southward over low-lying lands to the estuaries of
Biscayne Bay, the Ten Thousand Islands, and Florida Bay. This shallow,
slow-moving sheet of water covered approximately 11,000 square miles,
creating a montage of ponds, sloughs, sawgrass marshes, hardwood
hammocks, and forested uplands. For thousands of years, this intricate
system evolved into a finely balanced ecosystem that formed the
biological infrastructure for the southern half of Florida.
Today 50% of South Florida’s original
wetland areas no longer exist. The numbers of wading birds, such as
egrets, herons, snail kites and ibises, have been reduced by 90%.
Entire populations of animals, including the manatee, the Cape Sable
seaside sparrow, the Miami black headed snake, the wood stork, and the
Florida panther, are at risk of disappearing. Exotic pest plants such
as melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, and Australian pine have invaded
natural areas, choking out native plants and altering habitats.
Massive die-offs of seagrass beds in Florida Bay have been followed by
the extensive losses of wading birds, fish, shrimp, sponges, and
mangroves. These grim indicators warn of a system under assault and in
jeopardy of collapse.
... Imagine flying like the wind into the swamps experiencing the
awesome feel of the airboat ride traveling in speeds up to 45 miles
per hour. Encounter South Florida’s great outdoors with a trip to the
Everglades. In this vast area of marshy land and water, you will
discover a variety of wildlife and plants unique to North America. The
intriguing beauty of the flat land marshes, wet prairies, sloughs and
tree islands that make up our ecosystem, awe visitors to the
Everglades. Exploring this unusual tropical wilderness while gliding
on their airboat will make your participants naturalists in no time.
|
specialty excursions
