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

Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow FAQ
Everglades

Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow FAQ

A unique bird faces an uncertain future.

More than 100 American Flamingos Counted in Florida During February Census
Everglades

More than 100 American Flamingos Counted in Florida During February Census

More than 40 people counted 101 wild American Flamingos.

Exploring the Extraordinary Everglades
News

Film Director Explores the Everglades

Guest post by Tomas Koeck.

Flamingos in Florida
Everglades

Flamingos in Florida

Conserving and restoring the Sunshine State's wetlands could bring this iconic species flocking back to Florida.

Storage Solutions North of Lake Okeechobee Needed to Reduce Discharges
News

Looking North of the Lake for Storage Solutions: The Lake Okeechobee Component A Reservoir Project

For decades, Audubon has advocated for water treatment and storage solutions north of Lake Okeechobee to address these issues while supporting broader Everglades restoration goals.

Urban Development Boundary Expansion Halted – For Now – In Miami-Dade County
Everglades

Urban Development Boundary Expansion Halted – For Now – In Miami-Dade County

Since its creation, the Miami-Dade County Urban Development Boundary (UDB) has been threatened by urban sprawl.

Lake Okeechobee Discharges to East and West
Everglades

Lake Okeechobee Discharges to East and West

Everglades restoration key to preventing the need for future releases.

EAA Reservoir Stormwater Treatment Area Ribbon-Cutting Celebration
Everglades

EAA Reservoir Stormwater Treatment Area Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

A step forward for Everglades restoration.

How you can help, right now