The Everglades Foundation has shown how the saw-grass marsh so characteristic of the Florida landscape became fragmented between 1913 and 2004. Farming, urban pressure from Miami in particular, deforestation and increased demand for water have impacted this region that covers the Everglades National Park created in 1928, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This ecosystem, which has already undergone profound human-induced shifts, is now having to cope with the effects of climate change, including hurricanes, saltwater encroachment, altered precipitation patterns and rising sea level.
 

The Everglades Foundation has engaged a number of actions to preserve and restore the site. It receives the support from Planet Action for three studies focusing on climate change:

• A hydrology study to model the distribution of nutrients by groundwater
• A botany study to model plant movements in remote areas
• An interdisciplinary study to highlight urban change trends and their impact on surrounding natural habitats

These studies are refining models designed to predict climate change risks in Florida, particularly rising sea level.

Planet Action Project  "Everglades Restoration"