Big Water Blues

On my last day in Florida, driving east toward the Gold Coast, I looked for a sign from the lake. Finally, I thought I saw it--a snail kite hanging over the St. Lucie canal and wobbling on the west wind like its namesake. Later, I learned that snail kites don't have forked tails, and that this was "only" a swallow-tailed kite. Still, it was hawking insects, perhaps dragonflies emerging from the lake's reborn shallows. As an omen, it would have to do.

Editor-at-large Ted Williams has been writing full-time on environmental issues, with special attention to fish and wildlife conservation, since 1970.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Everglades restoration is far from a done deal. Each year, for the next two decades, the U.S. government and the state of Florida must allocate funds to keep the $7.8 billion, 38-year project going. Let your government representatives know that you want the job finished.

Join the Everglades Conservation Network to receive Restore, a newsletter published by Audubon of Florida, which will keep you current on various Everglades restoration projects, conservation news, and events, as well as provide information on community and technical resources. Restore will also tell you how to make your voice heard in Congress, the Florida legislature, and government agencies. To join, call the Everglades Conservation Network hot line at 800-753-5499; write Audubon of Florida, Everglades Conservation Network, 444 Brickell Avenue, Suite 850, Miami, FL 33131; or visit www.audubonofflorida.org/leadership/ecn.htm (click on "Sign Up Here to Join the Everglades Conservation Network and Receive the Restore newsletter," at the bottom of the page).

On the Audubon of Florida publications web page (www.audubonofflorida.org/main/publications.htm), you can sign up for the Audubon Advocate newsletter, a good source of up-to-date information on the Florida legislature and statewide conservation news.

Whether you live in Florida or not, contact Governor Jeb Bush and urge him to ensure that the state meets its funding obligations for the Everglades restoration. Write Governor Jeb Bush, The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850-488-2272; fax: 850-487-0801; fl_governor@myflorida.com).

President George W. Bush’s proposed 2002 budget provides less funding for South Florida’s ecosystem than any budget since 1997. Let the President know that full funding of the Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy (REAL) Act is a priority for you. Write to the President at The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500. Another good person to contact is Senator Robert Smith, Chairman, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, 410 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510.

There are numerous ways to get other people involved in the Everglades Conservation Network. You can sponsor an Everglades event in your community; hold an Everglades house party; distribute education and advocacy materials; write letters to the editor or op-ed columns for your local newspaper; or participate in call-in radio shows.

You can also volunteer to work in Everglades National Park, where opportunities run the gamut, from cleaning up beaches to collecting data for biologists to removing exotic plants and manning the visitors’ center. For information, write to Everglades National Park, Attn: VIP Coordinator, 4001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034-6733, or visit www.nps.gov/ever/vip.htm.