America's Everglades

Exploring Lake Okeechobee

Audubon has worked for over a century to protect and restore America's Everglades. Famous for its abundance of bird life, the Everglades has faced many challenges. From the murder of Audubon Warden Guy Bradley by plume hunters as he fought to protect some of the Everglades’ iconic species, to the nearly devastating changes from the twentieth-century efforts to ditch, dike, and drain the watershed for development and agriculture, the Everglades is only now beginning to recover.

The most ambitious ecosystem restoration plan ever attempted is underway to provide the River of Grass with clean freshwater in the right place at the right time. Audubon's work to restore the Everglades is focused on implementing the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and other restoration projects to achieve ecological benefits and restore the characteristic abundance of wildlife. A great example is the 1,000-acre marsh and prairie restoration underway at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; the heart of the Western Everglades.

Our science and policy staff works throughout the ecosystem to ensure that sound science underpins plans for restoration and that projects stay focused on increasing target bird populations as a measure of success. The Audubon Florida state office, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and Florida’s 45 chapters work with other partners and local, state, and federal decision-makers to build widespread support for this effort.

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Here are some of the overall goals of Audubon's Everglades work:

  • Restore freshwater flows to Florida Bay through Everglades National Park to improve the conditions for the Roseate Spoonbill and other wading birds by reversing the effects of harmful flood control and water supply projects.
  • Improve the hydrology of the Northern Everglades while improving the quality of water entering Lake Okeechobee, using the Southern Bald Eagle as an indicator of progress toward reaching these goals.
  • Manage Lake Okeechobee in a way that balances the needs of consumptive users and the environment and reduce the pollutants flowing south from Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades Agricultural Area. Restore flows through the Water Conservation Areas that connect Lake Okeechobee and Everglades National Park using the Everglade Snail Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, and other wading birds as indicator species.
  • Protect and restore the watershed of Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, the Big Cypress National Preserve, and surrounding areas in the Western Everglades. Restoration and conservation activities in this area, which is a key part of the native habitat for the Wood Stork, can be measured by that species’ population in the region.

Learn more about Audubon's work in the Greater Everglades, explore our current and past State of the Everglades Reports.

Northern Everglades
Conservation

Northern Everglades

The Northern Everglades encompasses the Lake Okeechobee watershed, the 3.3 million acre part of the ecosystem that serves as the headwaters of the Everglades.

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Lake Okeechobee and the Central Everglades
Conservation

Lake Okeechobee and the Central Everglades

Lake Okeechobee is the liquid heart of the Central Everglades.

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Florida Bay
Conservation

Florida Bay

The Everglades Science Center at Tavernier was established in the Florida Keys in 1938.

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Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Chapters & Centers

Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Experience the heart of the Western Everglades.

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Everglades Science
Conservation

Everglades Science

One of Audubon Florida’s greatest contributions for the Everglades is our research and monitoring that provides information about some of the most important issues related to the health of the ecosystem.

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State of the Everglades Report
About Us

State of the Everglades Report

Get the latest news from the River of Grass in this bi-annual review.

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News & Updates

Audubon Shares Findings on Invasive Species and More During Annual Conference
Everglades

Audubon Shares Findings on Invasive Species and More During Annual Conference

The 2023 Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (GEER) Conference took place April 17 - 20 in Coral Springs.

In 2021, the Everglades Experienced its Second-highest Nesting Effort for Many Wading Bird Species in 80 Years
Everglades

In 2021, the Everglades Experienced its Second-highest Nesting Effort for Many Wading Bird Species in 80 Years

Are restoration and conservation efforts improving the health of the Everglades? The birds tell us.

Mid-Season Spoonbill Nesting Update
Everglades

Mid-Season Spoonbill Nesting Update

While some chicks have already successfully left the nest, parent birds struggle to find food amidst unpredictable water levels.

Audubon Florida Concerned that the USFWS Proposes Removal of Wood Stork from Endangered Species Act Protection
Press Center

Audubon Florida Disappointed that the USFWS Removes Wood Stork from Endangered Species Act Protection

by Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director, Audubon Florida

Audubon Joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland for Tour of the Everglades
Everglades

Audubon Joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland for Tour of the Everglades

The field trip served as a fitting end to an exciting Everglades Coalition Conference.

Everglades Science Center Sheds Light on Water, Fish, and Spoonbill Fluctuations
Everglades

Everglades Science Center Sheds Light on Water, Fish, and Spoonbill Fluctuations

The semi-annual State of the Slough showcases how restoration projects affect South Florida ecosystems.

New Water Seepage Barrier Key to Restoring Everglades
News

New Water Seepage Barrier Key to Restoring Everglades

The new seepage wall will reduce flooding in this community while allowing the remainder of the water to continue flowing through the Everglades.

Audubon Celebrates 75 Years of Everglades National Park
News

Audubon Celebrates 75 Years of Everglades National Park

Audubon has been advocating for the protection and conservation of the River of Grass since its inception.

How you can help, right now