In November, voters approved Amendment 1 to allocate money for environmental conservation in Florida. This brings renewed hope for the restoration of the Everglades, which has been devastated by development and pollution over the last century. Waters that once flowed in a wide river from Lake Okeechobe to the southern tip of the state have been dammed and diverted to the east and west coasts, polluting the estuaries there with agricultural pesticide run-off and starving the Everglades of water.
Today we talk with two people who are working to bring the Everglades back to its former health. Dr. Tom Van Lent, Director of Science and Policy for the Everglades Foundation, and Julie Hill-Gabriel, Director of Everglades Policy for the Audubon Society, join us to discuss the history of development in the glades and the plans in place this year to restore and protect whats left of the wetlands.
