There’s a war being waged in the south of Florida. A war between two forces, Mother Nature and her precious creations and the devastating power that is man. What began as a skirmish during the time of the railroads arrival to this part of the state, has escalated into an all out battle pitting the Everglades against the insatiable consumption and growth of human kind. Unfortunately, the side that nature fights on is no match for the size, ingenuity, greed, and delusion of its fierce adversary. Our generation and certainly generations of the near future are staring down the barrel at what will undoubtedly be one of the greatest environmental losses ever witnessed.
Miami, city of magic, land of eternal sun. A seemingly picture perfect existence blessed not only by fine weather year round but gorgeous beaches of white sand and shimmering blue green water. Plants, some native, many introduced, cloak its streets and provide a green canopy and much needed relief from the relentless sunshine.
Art Deco architecture provides a Disney World like backdrop to neighborhoods such as those of South Beach and the Modern high-rise office towers and condominiums of downtown provide an answer, sort of, to the cities of the north. Transportation networks consist of a dizzying array of highways and toll roads and cars have become as plentiful as the summer rains. The greater Miami Dade county region with its 2.3 million residents pales in comparison to the tens of millions of tourists, around 80 million to be a little more exact, that flock to South Florida annually in search of warm weather, Palm trees, broad beaches, and excitement. Miami has become a city of international proportions and its ever-increasing size and footprint on the land are becoming more and more conspicuous. The city has become the uber playground of the rich, famous, beautiful, or well connected. Automobiles worth 100K or more cruise the streets and crowds of people gather on sultry nights to sample from the city’s scintillating nightlife.
The Everglades on the other hand, is at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum. Many an individual is clueless to the existence of this region and if they have heard mention of it, it’s usually in reference to alligators or humid, mosquito infested swampland. While eco-tourism has become all the rage, many a south beacher would scoff at the idea of driving down to visit this area. While the Everglades, star of the famed Everglades National Park, is home to a sizable population of alligators and mosquitoes, it’s much, much, more than this. Nicknamed the “River of Grass” by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of the famous book of the same title, Everglades: River of Grass, this jewel has its source in the mammoth Lake Okeechobee and Kissimmee Rivers of central Florida. As water from the profuse summer rains fall upon the Lake, the ensuing flooding causes a shallow stream of water to flow south eventually reaching its southern terminus in the Gulf of Mexico. As it makes its way to the ocean, this “River of Grass” supports a myriad tapestry of habitats and ecosystems from the never ending saw grass prairies to the sub-tropical tree islands locally know as hammocks. The 10,000 islands region of the park along the Gulf coast is home to pristine mangrove keys interlaced with a rich network of streams, bays, and channels. Wildlife is prolific with hundreds of species of birds, and an amazing array of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and marine life. The park is also home to endangered species such as the Manatee and American Crocodile. A walk along the boardwalks that weave through the rich parklands of the Everglades reveals a land far from the imposing hustle and bustle and sprawl of Miami. A visit to this wonderful park transports the individual to a time in Florida where pristine and untouched were the rule not the exception and nature still reigned supreme. As you walk through the hundred year old Mahogany stands and stare up at the majestic beauty of the Royal Palms, you can’t help but think that nature is the true embodiment of perfection and that human beings in their attempt improve upon, manipulate and control their surroundings can only endanger what took so long to create.
There is nothing inherent about humans who makes themselves adversaries of Mother Nature. You see, Native Americans have been living in harmony with the environment for millennia. The Tequesta, inhabitants of the Miami area fished the waterways, set up villages, and conducted life in away that embraced the bounty of nature and revered it, placed it on a pedestal if you will. They weren’t consumed by greed and ambition. They saw their land as an asset, as a resource to be kept in balance. Waste was not an issue and the sense of expendability that we have with respect to the environment was non-existent. Populations were small and manageable and were nourished by these same resources in a non-invasive way. If we leap forward to the present state of things we will see Miami, and not just Miami but south and central Florida as well in a situation were nature has been forsaken. The waters that once flowed from Lake Okeechobee and that give birth to the Everglades have been sequestered and strangled. They’ve been diverted to facilitate irrigation and farming, to provide drinking water for the ever-increasing population of humans and the encroaching hospitality industry that puts up new hotels and condominiums at alarming rates. The Everglades are literally being sucked dry and the water that supports its fascinating ecosystems and diversity of life is unable to reach its intended destination. In an area that thrives and depends on the rains of the wet season to reinvigorate the periods of dormancy associated with the dry winters, very little is left over to meet this goal. At this very moment all water flow into the Everglades is regulated and controlled by human hands. This means that if we release water into the park at the wrong time and in the wrong quantities, Alligator nesting sites will be flooded killing all hatchlings before they can ever reach water. This is just one example of how human intervention poses a serious threat to natural balance. The fact is, man created this situation. South Florida, Miami cannot continue to expand indefinitely and support mega populations while depending on natural resources that are finite. We have to stop placing the construction of four star resorts and hotels above the needs of our environment. In places such as South Beach, parks and open space are at a premium and you can’t see the ocean for the high rise real estate in the way unless your fortunate enough to have several hundred thousand dollars dispensable to buy a bedroom in one of these buildings. Then you’ll have a grand view from your balcony, ironic isn’t it…….? Miami, big and bold, audacious, loud and boisterous. The home of millionaires, image, fancy cars and an even fancier lifestyle. A place where all seems well and the vagaries of mankind are hid by its accomplishments. The Everglades, wild, untamed, beautiful, a bastion for delicate forms of life and a personality that soothes the soul and inspires a sense of awe. A place where the interference of man is unnecessary because nothing can perfect what is already perfect. We must put aside our selfish needs and make an honest assessment of the destruction we are orchestrating. We must fight for those things that are voiceless and fragile. We must make open space and the conservation of resources our primary goal. So next time your living it up in the Magic city, remember that your little slice of heaven translates into another life form’s slice of hell. Have fun, Miami is a great place to experience but educate yourself about places such as the Everglades and do your part to ensure that the breathtaking beauty and serenity of this land doesn’t end up in the form of a distant memory on a DVD.
-Alexis Corchado
