Protected the Florida Everglades

he Florida Everglades, the largest wetland and subtropical wilderness in the United States, has gone through positive transformation thanks to Governor Chiles and Lt. Governor MacKay, who made the Everglades one of their top priorities.

Prior to the Chiles/MacKay administration, the restoration of the Everglades proceeded slowly. Seagrass dieoff and wildlife roadkill continued to plague the Everglades and a federal lawsuit against the state of Florida over poor water quality remained unresolved.

In 1991, the tide turned — Governor Chiles convened two Everglades summits to establish a timetable for water quality cleanup and the lawsuit with the federal government was settled in July 1991.

Land acquisition played an important part in the restoration of the Everglades. Beginning in 1991, the Governor, Cabinet and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board donated nearly 43,000 acres of state and district land for the expansion of the Everglades National Park. In 1993, the Governor persuaded the Florida Cabinet to approve the acquisition of land by the SFWMD for Kissimmee River restoration. Again, in 1994, the Governor and Cabinet approved the purchase of the Frog Pond, an area of 5,200 acres adjacent to Everglades National Park. One year later, the Governor supported adding the 35,000-acre Talisman Sugar Plantation to the Conservation and Recreation Lands program priority list. In April 1997, the Florida Legislature approved Governor Chiles' recommendations for land acquisition and surface water cleanup. Later that year Vice President Al Gore, with the Governor support, announced an agreement to purchase 50,500 acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area owned by the St. Joe Corporation.

Along with acquiring land, the Governor urged the federal government to take a more active role in expediting Florida panther recovery. In 1998, he also urged Congress to adequately fund the Everglades restoration projects in the federal FY 1999 budget. Florida made a strong commitment to protecting the Florida Everglades. No greater gift can be passed on by Floridians to their descendants than a healthy, restored Everglades ecological system.


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	he Florida Everglades, the largest wetland and subtropical wilderness in the United States, has gone through positive transformation thanks to Governor Chiles and Lt. Governor MacKay, who made the Everglades one of their top priorities. Prior to the Chiles/MacKay administration, the restoration of the Everglades proceeded slowly. Seagrass dieoff and wildlife roadkill continued to plague the Everglades and a federal lawsuit against the state of Florida over poor water quality remained unresolved. In 1991, the tide turned — Governor Chiles convened two Everglades summits to establish a timetable for water quality cleanup and the lawsuit with the federal government was settled in July 1991. Land acquisition played an important part in the restoration of the Everglades. Beginning in 1991, the Governor, Cabinet and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board donated nearly 43,000 acres of state and district land for the expansion of the Everglades National Park. In 1993, the Governor persuaded the Florida Cabinet to approve the acquisition of land by the SFWMD for Kissimmee River restoration. Again, in 1994, the Governor and Cabinet approved the purchase of the Frog Pond, an area of 5,200 acres adjacent to Everglades National Park. One year later, the Governor supported adding the 35,000-acre Talisman Sugar Plantation to the Conservation and Recreation Lands program priority list. In April 1997, the Florida Legislature approved Governor Chiles' recommendations for land acquisition and surface water cleanup. Later that year Vice President Al Gore, with the Governor support, announced an agreement to purchase 50,500 acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area owned by the St. Joe Corporation. Along with acquiring land, the Governor urged the federal government to take a more active role in expediting Florida panther recovery. In 1998, he also urged Congress to adequately fund the Everglades restoration projects in the federal FY 1999 budget. Florida made a strong commitment to protecting the Florida Everglades. No greater gift can be passed on by Floridians to their descendants than a healthy, restored Everglades ecological system.
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