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Did you know that the Florida Everglades
was once a vibrant, free-flowing river of
grass that provided clean water from Lake
Okeechobee to Florida Bay? Today, this
extraordinary ecosystem is dying. Over the
past half-century, the health and size of the
Everglades have steadily declined. Severely
impacted by drainage and development, the
Everglades is suffering from a critical
shortage of clean, reliable water sources.
To restore and preserve south Florida's
natural environment, enhance water
supplies, and maintain flood protection, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in
partnership with the South Florida Water
Management District and numerous other
federal, state, local and tribal partners, has
developed a plan to save the Everglades.
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Plan (CERP) includes a series of ecological
and water system improvements. During
the next 30 years, the Corps, the District,
and their sponsoring partners will restore
water quality, quantity, timing, and
distribution in what is being referred to as
"the largest environmental restoration
project in history."
To find out more about Everglades
restoration, visit our official website at
www.evergladesplan.org. |
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A partnership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District and many other federal, state, local and tribal partners. |
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Be sure to meet up with the CERP Outreach Team at one of these key events throughout the south Florida community or visit www.evergladesplan.org for
additional information on
public meetings:
May 16, Pembroke Pines Public Workshop, Physical Model for the Water Conservation Area 3
Decompartmentalization & Sheet Flow Project
May 17, LaBelle
Public Meeting, Caloosahatchee River (C-43)
West Basin Storage
Reservoir Project
May 26, Miami-Dade County
Tenth Annual Roots and Culture Festival |
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Please join the CERP
Outreach Team in
welcoming Elizabeth
“Beth” Myers, Acting Deputy for Small
Business. If you are interested in learning
about the business opportunities with the
Corps, please contact Ms. Myers at
904-232-1150. Interested persons can
also reach Ms. Myers via e-mail.
To learn about business opportunities
with the South Florida Water
Management District, please contact the
Procurement Hotline at 1-800-472-5290.
To request a presentation for a group or
organization, please contact Erica
Robbins at 561-472-8893 or Bernadette
Morris at 305-948-8063, ext. 201.
People interested in learning about the
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Plan can leave their name and mailing
address on the toll-free line at 1-877-
CERP-USA. |
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In this edition, you will find the latest news and information about the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and community outreach efforts throughout south Florida. As you read through this issue, you will discover more about what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District are doing to inform, involve, and engage our citizens, businesses and communities in the Everglades restoration plan and to protect our future water supply.
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Haitian-Americans are one of the largest and fastest growing minority groups in south and central Florida. There are an estimated 250,000 descendants and recent immigrants from this island nation living in the 16-county region, with many more throughout Florida and the nation. A goal of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is to include all residents impacted by or interested in CERP, with year-round outreach efforts targeted at specific minority groups.
In observance of an important Haitian celebration, Flag Day on May 18, special efforts will be made to communicate the CERP message. |
An informative Everglades restoration kiosk will be introduced to the public in Creole. It is the first tri-lingual CERP kiosk, with English and Spanish as the other languages. Also in May, the CERP Outreach Team will participate in the Tenth Annual Roots and Culture Festival on May 26 in Miami-Dade County with Creole products, bilingual staff, diverse materials about Everglades restoration, and much more to inform and engage visitors in CERP.
Year-round efforts to involve Haitian-Americans in CERP include translation of materials, production of media programs, and participation in Haitian oriented community events in south Florida.
For additional information, please call Celine Elveus at 305-948-8063. |
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A public meeting will be held in LaBelle on May 17 for the Caloosahatchee River (C-43) West Basin Storage Reservoir Project, which is a component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
The project, which proposes an aboveground water storage reservoir on approximately 20,000 acres, will benefit the Caloosahatchee estuary in Lee County. Today, large volumes of fresh water from Lake Okeechobee are discharged through the river to the estuary. This can damage the coastal estuary. The project will improve the timing, quantity, and quality of freshwater flows to the Caloosahatchee River estuary.
The meeting will be held at the LaBelle Civic Center, 481 West Hickpochee Ave. (State Road 80), behind city hall, in LaBelle. |
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Doors open at 6 p.m., presentation begins at 6:30 p.m., and public comment follows.
To learn more, view the draft report, or comment online through June 11, visit www.evergladesplan.org and click “upcoming public meetings.” For more information, please call 561-472-8893, e-mail erica.a.robbins@saj02.usace.army.mil, or call 1-877-CERP-USA. |
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Many animals of the Everglades may be rare and elusive, and we may never see them in the wild. However, we now have the opportunity to bring these unique and interesting animals to our homes, offices and schools.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has released the first in a collector’s series of Everglades Mobiles. The collector’s edition mobile features four of the more popular animals in the vast greater Everglades ecosystem.
The wood stork, largemouth bass, Florida panther cub and American crocodile are all widely associated with the Everglades. The mobile, which requires some assembly, features delightful illustrations of each animal in accurate detail.
“We hope this unique product will raise an awareness of some of the wildlife of the Everglades ecosystem and that the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan will restore and protect their habitat,” said Nanciann Regalado, chief of corporate communication for the Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. “We want to encourage involvement and interest in the plan to restore America’s Everglades.”
Initially, 2,500 mobiles were printed and introduced in April 2007 in observance of Earth Day. They will continue to be distributed, as quantities last, at upcoming community and educational events. The mobile will also be available online in a downloadable format on www.evergladesplan.org at “Learn & Teach.”
For additional information, please contact Erica Robbins at 561-472-8893. |
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| The spring edition of a newspaper on Everglades restoration – specifically designed for minority communities – will be available as early as May 2007.
Community Outreach in Action is a four-page newspaper on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and how to get involved. This issue features articles on citizen involvement, environmental education and Lake Okeechobee. Some 100,000 copies are inserted into African American weekly newspapers serving central and south Florida. Community Outreach in Action is also mailed to community organizations for distribution. A companion Spanish language version will follow this summer. Both English and Spanish versions are also available online at www.evergladesplan.org under “News & Events.”
For information on obtaining copies for your organization, please call Ellen Underwood at 561-472-8885. |
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More than 500 children and adults enjoy a special Earth Day celebration at the Sawgrass Mills Shopping Center on April 22, sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lt. Col. Paul Baker is pictured. |
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Teachers and science coordinators from across the United States learn about the Corps' elementary education curriculum on the Everglades, at the National Science Teachers Association conference in St. Louis in March. |
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Jose Rivera, of the Corps of Engineers outreach staff, talks to visitors about the Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration Plan at the Water Matters day in Broward County in March. |
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