The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new effort to conserve headwater and fish in the Everglades. Promoting a sustainable development agenda in the Everglades is a facet in managing the adverse affects of the Gulf Oil Spill.Government entities and the Greater Everglades Partnership Initiative are working to maintain the ecological integrity of the Everlgades.
The Gulf Oil Spill completely compromised the habitats of several endangered species in the region. A report published in U.S. Today on 26 May 2010, listed several wildlife reserves and national parks that were threatened by the Gulf Oil Spill. Parks listed by the report included, Dry Tortugas National Park, Everglades National Park, and the Lower Suwanee National Wildlife Refuge.
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior said, “The partnerships being formed would protect and improve water quality north of Lake Okeechobee, restore wetlands, and connect existing conservation lands and important wildlife corridors to support the greater Everglades restoration effort.”
Currently, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting a study of 150,000 acres of land in the Kissimmee River Valley south of Orlando. Conservation efforts in the Everglades is increasingly important since revenue is generated from tourism to the region.
Partnerships managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are making multi-faceted efforts to protect endangered species by engaging local land owners and experts in conservation efforts. Measures to address the economic, cultural, and environmental consequences of the Gulf Oil Spill must include experts and cross-disciplinary collaborations with leading specialists.
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson said, “Projects like this will ensure that future generations will be able to benefit from and enjoy the River of Grass.” Issues such as global climate change, inadequate conservation policy and environmental disasters such as the Gulf Oil Spill undermine the future profitability of one of America’s most cultural areas.
Investments in the economic and cultural identity of the Gulf Region are key elements in mitigating the devastation suffered by residents in the Gulf region. The Gulf Oil Spill jeopardized the region’s environmental sustainability. An already fragile ecosytem was exposed to chemical and potentially irreversible damage.
Although the Gulf Oil Spill had immediate ramifications for the local fishing communities of the Delta Louisiana region, long term complications continue to hinder restoration efforts throughout the entire Gulf area. A multi-lateral agenda that systematically addresses the potential economic and ecological dangers of the spill are just beginning with this initiative set in motion by the Department of the Interior.
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