National Parks Traveler Episode 162: Saving Everglades' Cape Sable

By Kurt Repanshek - March 20th, 2022

For much of the 20th century, there were efforts to drain the Everglades, the world famous "river of grass" in Florida, to make way for agriculture, industry, and communities. More recently, more effort has been focused on restoring the Everglades, to let the sheet of water that heads south from Lake Okeechobee down to Florida Bay flow more naturally, as naturally as possible.

It’s not a small effort, either. Indeed, it’s considered to be the largest ecosystem restoration project in the world, with billions of dollars being spent to make it succeed. Part of that work entails removing old canals that contributed to the problem by enabling saltwater intrusion and crippling marshlands. The goal is to restore the natural ecosystem so it once again can provide critical habitat for myriad species, such as wading birds, shorebirds, even game fish.

Near the very tip of Everglades National Park, the interior wetlands of Cape Sable have long been viewed as one of the most ecologically productive environments left in Florida. It could become even more so thanks to an upcoming restoration project. Dr. Jerry Lorenz, head of Audubon's Everglades Science Center, explains the project.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Introduction with Kurt Repanshek
1:15 Torch - Bill Mize - The Sound of the Everglades
1:35 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
2:02 Potrero Group
2:28 Washington’s National Park Fund
3:03 Dr. Jerry Lorenz, head of Audubon's Everglades Science Center, discusses work to help restore Cape Sable in Everglades National Park.
21:45 Beyond the Reef - Tim Heintz and Grant Geissman - Seascapes: A Musical Journey
22:01 The Everglades Foundation
22:14 Friends of Acadia
22:38 Nova Scotia Tourism
23:09 Dr. Jerry Lorenz explains how canals are plugged to protect Cape Sable in Everglades National Park.
33:14 Flamingo - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of the Everglades
33:28 Yosemite Conservancy
33:47 Interior Federal Credit Union
34:14 Wild Tribute
34:33 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
34:58 Dr. Jerry Lorenz explains how Cape Sable is being restored in Everglades National Park.
39:36 Long Pond - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
40:34 Episode Closing
41:29 Orange Tree Productions
42:01 Splitbeard Productions
42:10 National Parks Traveler footer

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