Everglades Restoration Movement Inc

Programs: Everglades Restoration Movements' programs include weekly operations to remove the exotic Melaleuca and Brazilian pepper trees from the 30,000 acre Eastern Everglades Wilderness, a publicly owned and protected wildlife conservation area. Several teams of up to five people march out into the marsh to destroy large pockets of dense Melaleuca thickets devoid of any native flora or fuana. The current focus revolves around the Northeast Corner Project (see evergladesrestoration.org), totaling 7500 acres. This initial phase of the assault is crucial in knocking out the front lines of the invading Melalueca. Trees are cut down with chain saws, loppers and machetes, with the cuttings being neatly piled out of the water, and the stumps being directly treated with a safe herbicide. All native flora is left untouched and within year the site begins to look more like the ancient Everglades it was once before. Wildlife abounds in the liberated habitat with the re-newed native growth, as sightings include otter, white tailed dear, fox, opossum, Everglade snail kite, red tailed hawk, marsh rabbit, woodstork and hundreds of other bird, reptile and mammal species that live and are now multiplying within the preserve. The Eastern Everglades Wilderness is the only sanctuary for wildlife pushed out by the bordering South Florida cities and is an important respite for people who enjoy hiking, bird watching, biking, canoeing, and photographing wildlife. Programs also include educational presentations given throughout the year to schools, libraries or troubled youth centers, giving people a different perspective of work, sacrifice anf the needs of out environment.