Local process and pattern in the Everglades restoration

Since the turn of the 20th century, varying sections of the Everglades have been drained via canals, converted to agriculture, enriched with phosphorus, and unnaturally flooded throughout the constructions of impoundments. Levee projects have culminated in the development of 1000 miles of canals, 720 miles of levees, 16 pumping stations, and approximately 200 control structures. Development in the name of agriculture and urbanization has led to a loss of roughly 50% of the original landscape. Immediately upon finishing the last of the large canal projects, restoration activities started in recognition of the damage to both ecosystem services and local livelihoods resulting from attempts to reclaim the land for human habitation. "Getting the water right" has been the focus of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a task that has proven difficult with diverse legal, environmental, and social demands on the water. Despite nearly 40 years of mandates for restoration, relatively little of the original plans have gone into effect. We will briefly discuss the relevant history of the landscape that led to the modern conditions, including geology, geography, and climate. We'll also get an overview of the societal and legal dynamics that led to the compartmentalization of the Everglades and ultimately to its protection and restoration. We'll finish with some of the obstacles to overcome for restoration and the drivers behind the conversions from a "patterned" to an "unpatterned" landscape.

Speaker/Performer: Danielle Watts, Geography Department, UC Berkeley