State of the EvergladesSpring 2014

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2 State of the Everglades - Spring 2014

Dear Friends, Last spring I joined Dr. Jerry Lorenz, Director of Audubon’s Everglades Science Center, for a trip by boat across Florida Bay to Everglades National Park. On the way, we spotted a Roseate Spoonbill flying toward an island that nesting birds abandoned long ago.

Seeing one of these coral colored birds in flight is always a treat. I remember, as we followed the bird to a remote mangrove island, that Jerry said we were witnessing the reestablishment of an abandoned spoonbill colony. The birds there had returned to nest.

My heart soared with delight.

I am glad to share the feeling with you because this one parent bird represents the results of the work of thousands of people who supported Everglades restoration. We are all carried by faith that if the water improves, the birds will return. I feel fortu-nate to have seen the return and to share the story with you.

Millions of wading birds - spoonbills, egrets, herons and storks - once dominated Everglades landscapes. Now they number less than 100,000 birds – a 95% reduction. Although a few species are showing some rebound, others just don’t have enough dependable foraging habitat to feed their young.

This spring issue of State of the Everglades provides an update on 2013’s nesting wading birds. Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary reports that Wood Storks have returned to nest there for the first time in four years. Wood Storks only nest when receding wetland water levels leave pools dense with small fish the birds use to feed to their hungry chicks. The heavy rains of 2013 flooded marshes and forests, providing near-perfect conditions for nesting.

Audubon’s team is working to implement sound restoration techniques to ensure Corkscrew’s famed supercolony of Wood Storks returns in future years. This will require significant protection and restoration of wetlands in core foraging areas. See page 5.

The Southern Everglades also saw some improvement with nesting Roseate Spoonbills. This once-common species also relies on fish in shallow marshes to feed its young. The parched and salty fringes of Everglades National Park and Florida Bay have made nesting difficult of late. However, as the article on page 3 notes, the new C-111 Spreader Canal (Western Project) may have improved conditions allowing these beautiful birds to produce young. Audubon measures success in numbers. Last year, 48,200 wading birds nested in the Everglades. An improvement, but not enough. As Everglades advocates we must learn what is happening to life through the ecosystem - from seagrasses and mangroves to bait fish and top predators. It is a question of life and abundance. When fish and birds are scarce, there is something wrong with the system. When numbers of fish and birds rebound, the right things are being done. We need eyes and ears in the Everglades taking note of the numbers and variety of birds, what and where they eat, and where they nest. That information tells the “State of the Everglades.” I hope you enjoy this update and share it with friends and family. Your support makes it possible for our science and policy staff to inform and advance the right solutions. Thank you.

Eric DraperExecutive Director, Audubon Florida

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Southern EvergladesEverglades Restoration Comes to Life

Wading birds once nested in large, thriving colonies in the Southern Everglades and Florida Bay. But over the past century, their impressive numbers dwindled as thousands of miles of canals diverted billions of gallons of water from the Everglades to the coast. This left vital habitat parched and in poor health.

Just over a year ago, the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project began operation in the Southern Everglades. This project created a hydraulic ridge to hold and push freshwater into Taylor Slough, an important flow way that carries water through the heart of Everglades National Park into Florida Bay. Water is now able to filter into the ground, rehydrating Taylor Slough and surrounding wetlands.

Audubon’s Everglades Team is measuring the effects this project is having on the ecosystem. Their preliminary data suggests measurable improvements in the area where the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project is operating. In the past year, Audubon researchers documented greater water flow and improved salinity levels in northeast Florida Bay. These conditions are improving critical habitat for Roseate Spoonbills, an important indicator species of Everglades restoration.

Cape Sable: Science is the Driver of Everglades Restoration

The southwest corner of the Everglades is important for Florida’s wildlife. Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, and many other wading birds call this area home – especially on the remote Cape Sable peninsula. Wading birds rely on an ample and stable supply of tiny forage fish to feed their young. When water is too salty, these fish do not reproduce at numbers needed to support wading birds. Also, higher salinity levels alter vegetation patterns and reduce the quality of habitat.

Audubon’s Everglades Team has monitored salinity levels in the Cape Sable region for 25 years. Over that period, these data became hard proof that the incredible freshwater ecosystems of Cape Sable were changing…and not for the better. A century of dredging and draining the Everglades has taken its toll. The reduction of freshwater entering the ecosystem was so severe that saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico was able to enter, ravaging this once pristine ecosystem.

In 2006, Audubon advocated for a new project that limits the unnatural saltwater incursion into Cape Sable. The first phase of this project was completed in 2011. Already, scientists are documenting some incredible, positive changes. Using these data, Audubon is leading the charge to ensure the second phase is constructed. Audubon’s scientists are the only team capable of providing salinity and forage fish research at Cape Sable. Without this information, the critical second phase of this restoration project might not ever get a chance.

“The data are in from the first year since the completion of the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project. It’s early, but the health and quality of habitat in Florida Bay is improving - habitat that wading birds like Roseate Spoonbills depend on.”

- Jerry Lorenz

Audubon Florida State Director of Research

Roseate Spoonbill

CENTRAL EVERGLADESGovernor Scott Focuses on Everglades Restoration in 2015 Budget

Governor Rick Scott unveiled his $130 million Everglades Budget proposal in January. This is the largest Everglades proposal in several years. The Governor’s budget includes funding for some important Everglades projects, including completing the Kissimmee River Restoration Project, construction of the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area in Martin County, and the next phase of the Tamiami Trail Bridge. The budget also includes funding for projects in the Governor’s water quality plan to clean water before it flows south to the Everglades.

A Step in the Right Direction for Everglades Water Quality

In January, the South Florida Water Management District broke ground on a new water quality project called the A-1 Flow Equalization Basin. This is the

first of a suite of projects in Governor Rick Scott’s $880 million plan to store and cleanse water before it flows south to the Everglades. The A-1 FEB project will store up to 60,000 acre-feet of dirty water flowing off of farmland in the Everglades Agri-cultural Area. This water will then be cleansed in Stormwater Treatment Areas before it flows south to Everglades National Park.

Eric Draper, Audubon Florida Executive Director, was an invited speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony. In his remarks, Eric spoke to the importance of the federal and state partnership to advance water quality improvements in the Everglades.

Central Everglades Planning Project Nearing the Finish Line

The Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) is a series of Everglades restoration projects designed to direct water from Lake Okeechobee south through Everglades National Park. These important projects will store and redirect water at the right time, helping to restore key habitats. Roseate Spoonbills, Little Blue Herons, and other Florida birds will all benefit from this increase in freshwater to the ecosystem.

Upon completion, CEPP projects will increase wildlife habitat for native species by 28%, deliver 67 billion gallons of freshwater to the southern ecosystems annually, and decrease harmful releases to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.

Since 2011, Audubon’s Everglades Team has worked with state and federal agencies in an expedited planning process to make this project a reality. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is now expected to vote on supporting this project in April 2014. Once the SFWMD approves CEPP, the plan will head to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the final steps in the review process.

4 State of the Everglades - Spring 2014

“Wading birds are valuable indicators of Everglades restoration success. The 2013 Wading Bird report is a positive sign that restoration is working for some of Florida’s most iconic species.”

– Dr. Tabitha CaleEverglades Policy Associate

Little Blue Heron

Great Egret

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WESTERN EVERGLADESRestoration of Picayune Strand Nearly Complete

The Picayune Strand restoration project is the biggest single habitat restoration project in the Everglades. The project restores 75,000 acres of wetlands and habitat, plus thousands of acres of the downstream Ten Thousand Islands Estuary. With completion on the horizon, endangered Florida Panthers and Wood Storks are returning to the area.

For many years, Audubon Florida and Audubon of the Western Everglades have worked to complete this important project. Now the final phase of restoration has begun. The largest remaining item is the completion of the Miller Canal pump station. Once complete, the three pump stations will spread water across the landscape as sheetflow, restoring wetlands, sloughs, and the downstream estuary.

Audubon is advocating for the federal and state funding necessary to finish this notable habitat restoration project. In recent weeks, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) voted to support additional funding. After the vote, the SFWMD agreed to send a letter and offered to share the increased costs to complete the project. Next, the Army Corps will approach Congress for the increase funding authorization and appropriation, followed by project completion by 2018.

Wood Storks Return to Nest at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

The heavy rains of summer 2013 have led to some good news for Wood Storks at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Staff biologists report that Storks have returned to nest after a four year absence.

Audubon’s Sanctuary in the Western Everglades was once home to the largest Wood Stork rookery in North America. Corkscrew’s old-growth cypress forest is famous for its thriving colony of nesting Storks, once in such abundance that clacking mates and their raucous chicks once blanketed the forest. Although heavy rains in late January caused some nest abandonment, more than 200 nesting pairs persisted. Some birds fledged in early March, but the bulk of the chicks are still in their nests.

This year’s nesting season is an important example of when there is enough water in the right places, Storks will return. For that reason, Audubon’s Sanctuary Managers are protecting and restoring shallow wetlands - the kind that flood and become fish factories. This nesting season provides tremendous hope that it is not too late for Everglades restoration.

Solutions for the Crisis in the Caloosahatchee Estuary

Last summer’s heavy rains created an ecological nightmare for Florida’s coastal estuaries. Conditions forced water managers to release thousands of gallons of polluted, nutrient-rich water to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. These releases damaged fragile ecosystems and harmed wildlife. But, there are solutions to protect these estuaries from damaging water releases.

In southwest Florida, Audubon supports the construction of the 10,000 acre C-43 West Basin Reservoir on the Caloosahatchee River. The reservoir would hold large quantities of water and release it during the dry season. The C-43 is a “shovel ready” project and is expected to be authorized by Congress soon.

Audubon Florida is urging decision makers to fund the C-43 Reservoir under the RESTORE Act. Passed in the wake of the BP Oil Spill, the RESTORE Act dedicates penalty money for restoration of the Gulf Coast. The reservoir would boost fisheries, increase tourism, and help restore coastal economies – all priorities of Gulf Restoration. Audubon encouraged Governor Rick Scott to make this project a top priority for RESTORE funding.

“We can’t depend on anomalous rainy seasons to sufficiently recover Wood Stork populations in the Western Everglades. Protection and restoration of the shallow wetland habitats where they forage for food will be key to ensuring the survival of these birds.”

– Jason Lauritsen Director at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp

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6 State of the Everglades - Spring 2014

Northern EvergladesWorking Together to Protect Florida’s Rural and Family Lands

Conserving the Everglades Headwaters has been a goal of Audubon Florida since the 1950s. In 2001, the Florida Legislature passed the Rural and Family Lands Act to encourage landowners to keep their property undeveloped for the benefit of water and wildlife. Landowners, ranchers, and conservationists all worked together to pass this important bill and secure funding for this new program.

The 2013 Florida Legislature revived this important program with an $11.5 million dollar boost. The Cabinet authorized the first major purchase late last year - a 1,300 acre easement on the K Rocker Ranch in Polk County. Soon after, a priority list of 50 easement projects statewide was approved, with a majority of the proposed easements located in critical Everglades drainage basins.

To show the incredible amount of support for this program, Audubon helped organize ranchers and environmentalists to appear at a meeting of the Cabinet. Leaders from all sides supported the approved conservation easement list and urged Governor Scott to fund the program. Audubon is working with the Florida Cattleman’s Association at the Florida Legislature to secure an appropriation of $25 million. House and Senate leadership are considering this request. Audubon is also urging the state to collaborate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.

Audubon Advocates Promote a Water Ethic for Central Florida

A new water management plan called the Central Florida Water Initiative proposes to tap up to 25 million gallons each day from the fragile Kissimmee Basin for urban water supply. Water in the Kissimmee Basin is vital to the health of the Everglades. It feeds the Kissimmee River, which flows south to Lake Okeechobee and Everglades National Park.

Earlier this year, Audubon notified advocates in Central Florida about this critical water issue. Over 1000 people took action to protect Florida’s water resources. Audubon maintains that rivers, lakes, and springs deserve strong protections. Water conservation should be maximized, measurable, and mandatory first before water managers consider depending on our precious water resources for water supply. Central Florida’s water managers should not allow projects that drain rivers and lakes dry.

Thank you to everyone who spoke up to promote water conservation during this important planning process. Your actions are making a difference.

“Lake Okeechobee is a critical habitat for many important species that need protection. The 2013 nesting season was exceptional—nearly double the effort seen in 2012.”

– Dr. Paul Gray

Audubon’s Northern Everglades Science Coordinator

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Improving Lake Okeechobee’s Water Quality

For decades, cattle ranching, agriculture, and urban sources have polluted the water flowing south to Lake Okeechobee. Despite all we know about the sources of this pollution, the State of Florida is nowhere close to achieving water quality goals.

Audubon’s Everglades Team is working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on a new Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) to clean up the water flowing into Lake Okeechobee. While there have been many plans over the last years, none have had the accountability and funding mechanisms of this new BMAP.

The BMAP process is a critical opportunity for Everglades advocates to demand clear benchmarks, funding, and realistic solutions that stop pollution at its source. The State of Florida needs to hold polluters accountable through active enforcement of rules and vigorous environmental monitoring.

A Critical Moment for Kissimmee River Restoration

The restoration of the remarkable Kissimmee River is a high priority for Audubon Florida. The project restores almost 20,000 acres of wetlands and 44 miles of the historic river channel. Over 320 fish and wildlife species will benefit. Once finished, the project will be the nation’s premiere example of large scale ecosystem restoration success.

Historically, it would take around six months for a drop of water at the top of the Kissimmee River to flow to Lake Okeechobee. From there water would flow south to the Everglades and Florida Bay. In the 1960s the Kissimmee River was ditched and channeled into one large canal, which converted 44% of the floodplain to pasture and drained 31,000 acres of wetlands.

As a result of these changes, water surges into Lake Okeechobee from the Kissimmee River at an unnaturally accelerated rate. A drop of water that once took six months to reach Lake Okeechobee now arrives in the Lake in just a month. These rapid influxes force lake managers to either risk compromising Lake Okeechobee’s surrounding levee or release large volumes of water to the coasts, which damages the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries.

The Kissimmee River Restoration project will add up to 100,000 acre-feet of storage to the watershed and restore miles of important habitat for Florida’s birds. This helps to protect Florida’s coasts from harmful water releases during periods of heavy rain. The historic natural meander of the River will return, along with the habitats that support a variety of species.

State and federal partners have already invested over $650 million and the project is 85% complete. Despite this great progress, restoration is stalled. Questions relating to the cost-share agreement between the federal and state governments have delayed progress.

Earlier this year, Audubon was part of a coalition of environmental organizations that sent a letter to the restoration partners urging a resolution to the obstacles that threaten the project’s timely completion. Audubon was pleased to see U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and U.S. House Representatives Patrick Murphy and Tom Rooney write letters to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding this issue. This impressive display of bi-partisanship echoed Audubon’s request. We are hopeful that the renewed spotlight on this important project will expedite a resolution to this stand-off.

“The rebirth of the Kissimmee floodplain is promising. Shorebirds and ducks absent from the floodplain for over forty years have returned. Wading birds are not quite nesting at historic numbers, but once complete, the full

benefits of America’s great investment in the Kissimmee River Restoration will be realized.”

– Jane Graham, Everglades Policy Manager

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Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart Honored with Prestigious Champion of the Everglades AwardIn February, Audubon Florida proudly recognized Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart as the 2013 Champion of the Everglades. This prestigious award is given annually to a single individual for outstanding efforts on behalf of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.

Congressman Diaz-Balart is a dedicated supporter of the Everglades in Congress. He co-founded the Everglades Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee, he has lead efforts to ensure funding for the construction of important Everglades restoration projects. This includes funding for the recently completed C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project and the first phase of the Tamiami Trail Bridge.

Audubon Florida congratulates Congressman Diaz-Balart and applauds his continued leadership in the Greater Everglades.

Everglades Science Center Gets Make-Over with Help from Wells Fargo In February, volunteers from the Wells Fargo Green Team participated in a renovation of Audubon’s historic Everglades Science Center at Tavernier in the Florida Keys. Tireless individuals provided the human power needed to clean, paint, caulk, and replace floors. Many people helped - even Audubon Florida board member Steve Lynch joined the team to roll the final coat of paint on the building. The Everglades Science Center is the headquarters and laboratory for Audubon’s Everglades Team. Audubon would like to thank Wells Fargo’s Green Team and the donors who supported this project. Of course, we can’t forget to thank the dedicated Science Center staff who joined volunteers two Saturdays in a row. Here’s to another great 75 years!

Audubon Florida’s Everglades Conservation Team:

Join Audubon’s Mission to Restore the Greater Everglades Ecosystem

Everglades Policy Office

4500 Biscayne Blvd, #205Miami, FL 33137 (305) 371-6399

To donate, please visit www.GivetoAudubonFlorida.org and click on Everglades.

Eric Draper, Executive Director Julie Hill-Gabriel, Director of Everglades Policy Charles Lee, Director of Advocacy Dr. Jerry Lorenz, State Director of Research, Dr. Paul Gray, Northern Everglades Science Coordinator Jason Lauritsen, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Director

Pete Frezza, Everglades Research ManagerJane Graham, Everglades Policy Manager Brad Cornell, Southwest Florida Policy Associate Dr. Tabitha Cale, Everglades Policy Associate Jonathan Webber, Conservation Campaign Manager