Everglades National Park In Historic Deal

Everglades National Park just got a huge boost from corporate america–or rather the demise of corporate America.

U.S. Sugar, in a landmark deal with the State of Florida, has decided to give up business and move out.  What exactly does this mean?  Everglades National Park will now become the new owners of almost 300 square miles of Everglades land.  U.S. Sugar happens to be one of the nation’s leading producers of cane suger–an industry that has been noted for ravaging the Florida Everglades, polluting the area, and drawing away vast amounts of resources away from the wetlands.

It didn’t come cheap, though.  In response for the opportunity to have U.S. Sugar move out of the area, Florida will be paying the company a total of $1.7 billion dollars.  The deal also comes with a stipulation…U.S. Sugar can continue operations until 2014 on their current land.  When 2014 comes around, U.S. Sugar will close up shop and move out. This will enable Florida to merge the three hundred miles of new wetlands with the Everglades National Park System and protect an additional 300 miles of area from future development.

The area being purchased lies just south of Lake Okeechobee.  Wrapped up in the deal is all cane fields, a road, a railroad line, and almost 187,000 new acres of wetlands.

This is a huge deal for one of the world’s most endangered eco-systems.  The Florida Everglades are home to the American Crocodile, Florida panther, and the West Indian Manatee, as well as a host of other rare and endangered species.  Everglades National Park is a designated International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage site, and a Wetland of International Importance.

I always love these stories.  Anytime a national park can expand and offer new conservation, environmental initiatives, as well as protect those species listed as endangered or threatened–it’s a good day for the outdoors.

To read more on this click Landmark Deal for Everglades National Park.  Once your done there, go explore the Everglades National Park website.  Finally, come on back and enjoy an article I wrote a few months back about Kayaking In Everglades National Park.