LOCATION: 24   50'-- 25   55'N;   80   20--' 81 30' W.

Situated on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula in Dade, Collier, and Monroe Counties, Everglades National Park lies approximately 45 miles southwest of Miami; park headquarters is located 11 miles southwest of Homestead, Florida.

AREA: Total area is 566,143 hectare (1,398,939 acres). The site is approximately 84 kilometers (52.5 miles) in length along the north - south axis and 64 kilometers (40 miles) wide along its east - west axis.

DEGREE OF PROTECTION: Everglades National Park was authorized by an act of Congress in May 1934, but not until 1947 did President Harry Truman finally designate the area. The 1934 Act has perhaps the strongest preservation mandate of any established national park in the United States. The act states that the said area or areas shall be permanently reserved as a wilderness, and no development of the project or plan for the entertainment of visitors shall be undertaken which will interfere with the preservation intact of the unique flora and fauna and the essential primitive natural conditions now prevailing in this area

Of the total land mass nearly all is in Federal ownership. As of may 1987, except for a 235-acre tract owned by the Boy Scouts of America, all in-holdings within the park have either been acquired or are pending condemnation proceedings. outstanding mineral, oil, and gas rights still apply to 26,397 hectares of Federal lands within the park and have not yet been acquired.

National Park service employees have legal authority, both state and federal, to enforce regulations within the park. The approximately 200 people residing within the area are directly related to providing essential services, either as federal employees or as staff of the park concessioner. A 124-acre site along the park's northern boundary is retained by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida for community development purposes under the terms of a special-use permit. Direct access to the park is provided to the general public by a state road system linking all four districts. Water craft access is also provided through a system of marked and patrolled waterways.

SITE DESCRIPTION: Everglades National Park is a shallow basin, tilted to the southwest, and underlain by extensive deposits of Pleistocene-aged limestone. The Miami limestone and bryozoan facies with the latter The Miami limestone consists of predominant in the basement rock of the park. Interestingly, these two components of the geologic foundations of the park are of inorganic and

Plaintiff's Exhibit

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organic origin respectively. Schizoporella floridana, a multi-laminate bryozoan, is largely responsible for the production of that portion of the Miami limestone underlying the park. While peninsular Florida is geologically young, it is among the more stable portions of the continent, having undergone no significant structural change for many years.

Geographically, the Everglades are temperate, but biologically, they are strikingly similar to the subtropical West Indies . . . having attracted hundreds of colonial forms. Many of the plant and animal species found in the park are at the limits of their ranges. The biota has great variety and an ironic mixture of rare and abundant life forms. Complexity, diversity, high numbers of species, and low entropy, generally indicators of environmental stability, further characterize the Everglades.

Several factors are significant determinants of the vegetative composition of the park. Naturally caused fires, or the lack of them, slight elevations or depressions in topography, and water are critical factors. Water is, perhaps, the most important factor. Everglades is an area which often receives in excess of 60 inches of precipitation annually and has, from prehistoric time, received periodic overflows from Lake Okeechobee and its watershed to the north. The nature of the substrate has, in turn, had important effects on the water regime in the park. The ordinarily highly porous limestone is overlain with variable thicknesses of marl and peat which minimize water loss through seepage. other elements altering the vegetative composition of the park include: inland penetration of sea water as a result of lowered water tables and canalization, hurricanes, and the proliferation of exotic species such as Australian pine and wild tamarind.

The great floral variety of the Everglades is one of the key reasons for the establishment of the park. Among the more prominent and colorful plants are the Bromeliads and epiphytic orchids. As many as 25 orchid varieties are known to occur within the park. There are over 1,000 kinds of seed-bearing plants and nearly 120 species of trees, both tropical (palms, gumbo limbo, mangroves) and temperate (ash, mulberry, and oaks). Even plants ordinarily associated with the hot and arid deserts, such as cactus, yucca, agave, or century plants, thrive in certain parts of the park. woody and herbaceous vines, including the noxious and cosmopolitan poison ivy, are significant elements in the forest understory. Over 60 species encountered here are endemic to south Florida. As the only large, totally preserved area in Florida, Everglades National Park may well be their ultimate refuge.

Within the park there are five discrete vegetative types. Hammocks are tree islands that are generally composed of mature, mixed hardwoods. Bayheads are tree islands generally consisting of isolated stands of specific species, such as cypress or willow. Pinelands, consisting predominantly of a relict stand of south Florida slash pine, occupy elevated outcroppings of the Miami limestone. The coastal mangrove area, composed largely of black, red, or white mangrove or mixtures thereof, is one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. Sawgrass actually a sedge, covers extensive lowland prairies to the north and east.

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Hammocks, bayheads, and pineland areas are generally elevated or otherwise vary sufficiently from the datum plane to be insulated from the effects of flooding and protected from fire. Bayheads, consisting predominantly of one or two species, occupy either slight elevations or depressions (e.g., bay trees generally predominate in elevated deposits of peat and cypress trees in shallow ponds). Mangrove and, sawgrass areas are periodically or perennially inundated by shallow water.

In addition to the terrestrial systems, there are at least four distinctively different aquatic community types within the park: the inland fresh water areas consisting of broad, shallow, grassy rivers, small scattered ponds, and alligator holes; the brackish water or estuarine areas where fresh and salt water merge; shallow shoreline and offshore embayments; and, the deeper gulf coastal waters. As might be expected, fresh water and marine fishes and invertebrates abound in these areas. In addition, the area of transition from glade to mangrove--fresh to salt water--is an incredibly rich and productive zone incubating great numbers of life forms, including the economically important pink shrimp, stone crab, and spiny lobster.

Florida Bay includes some 2,000 square kilometers of very shallow embayment overlaying unconsolidated calcareous sediment on the surface of the oolitic facies of the Miami limestone. its maximum depth varies from 8 to 9 feet and its average depth is 4 to 5 feet. The bottom is irregular, consisting of anastomosing mudbanks on some of which mangroves and other brackish water plants have pioneered to form small keys or islands. The waters of the bay are considered one of the most productive natural limestone factories in the United States.

The Florida Everglades are home to about 25 species of terrestrial and two species of aquatic mammals, including the Florida variety of white-tailed deer, black bear, panther, opossum, raccoon, wildcat, otter, porpoise, and manatee. With the exception of one or two species of bats, all of the terrestrial mammals are of North American origin.

Everglades is probably best known for its varied displays of bird life. over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the park. one of the chief reasons for the establishment of the park was the growing concern that rookeries of herons, ibis, and other wading birds would be protected from commercial exploitation and other human impacts.

Except for the crocodile and a few kinds of small frogs and lizards from the West Indies, the reptiles and amphibians reached the region by coming south from the continental mainland. Many species failed to penetrate as far south as south Florida, which has fewer representatives of these groups than do many other places in the southeastern United States. The known fauna of the park includes three or four species of salamanders, six species of lizards, ten species of land and freshwater turtles and several kinds of sea turtles, 12 species of frogs, and 23 species of snakes. Worthy of mention are the loggerhead, hawksbill, and green sea turtles; pigmy and diamondback rattlesnakes; cottonmouth, indigo, red rat and yellow rat snakes; alligators; and crocodiles.

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1. Supports ten endangered species and three threatened species. 

2. Outstanding example of a wetland community biogeographic region.

3. Plays a major role in its region as a habitat of plants and of aquatic and other animals of scientific and economic importance.

4. Has special value for maintaining genetic and ecological diversity because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna.

5. It is outstandingly important, well situated, and well equipped for scientific research and for education.

6. Offers special opportunities for promoting public understanding and appreciation of wetlands and is open to people from all countries.

7. It is physically and administratively capable of being effectively conserved and managed.

On October 26, 1976, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) designated Everglades National Park as an International Biosphere Reserve under the Program on Man and the Biosphere. on October 26, 1979, the park was designated as a World Heritage Site, becoming the eighth area in the world to receive dual designation.

Everglades supports ten endangered and three threatened species.

Endangered: 1) American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), 2) Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate), 3) Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), 4) Snail (Everglades) Kite (Rostrahamus sociobilis plumbeus), 5) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tund;ius), 6) Southern Bald Eagle (Haliaectus leucocephalus), 7) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritima mirabilis), 8) Wood Stork (Mycteria americans), 9) Florida Panther (Felis concolor coryi), and 10) West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus). Threatened: 1) American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), 2) Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), and 3) indigo Snake- (Drymarchon corais couperi).

A portion of the park, northeast Florida Bay, has been designated as critical Habitat for two endangered species; the American crocodile and the West Indian manatee.

The Everglades location in south Florida makes it a crossroads of migratory flight for West Indian and Central and south American birds, and the majority of the North American species of wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl are found here at one season or another. Many of the North American species are nesting residents, including some that seldom range farther north and others that have disappeared from other areas where they once occurred. One of the main reasons for the establishment of the park was to protect the nesting

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Everglades National Park is a major public use area with over three quarters of a million visitors a year. Use of the Everglades, probably more so than any other park in the United States, is devoted to natural-history interpretation, environmental education, and limited wilderness exploration. Interpretive activities, offered by sensitive and highly skilled employees, offer visitors highly participatory activities through which they can come to understand and appreciate the fragility and complexity of the Everglades. over 35,000 local school children each year participate in environmental education programs, within and beyond the park boundary. The ultimate fate of the Everglades is inextricably linked to an informed and sensitized urban citizenry. interpretive programs, a hallmark of Everglades, are created to do just that.

What was once a natural overland sheet flow of water into Everglades National Park has been altered. Lake Okeechobee, 90 miles north of the park, is the wellspring for this life-giving flow. To prevent flooding, levees were erected and canals dug to provide safe rapid run off in event of hurricane and for draining rich muck lands south of the lake. Overland flow was further disrupted with the construction of the Tamiami Trail, a major east-west public transportation artery. Water now enters the park through point sources--four control structures--which act basically as water gates. During a severe drought in the early 1960's, water was stopped from entering the park in order to insure sufficient quantity for the urban areas. This precipitated large-scale die-offs of park animals, which caused widespread and deep concern among many varied groups and individuals. The aftermath of these disastrous years was Public Law 91-282, authorizing a minimum water delivery into Everglades National Park and a provision for assuring good water quality of those delivered waters. With congress having authorized minimum water deliveries through the control structures, the preservation of the Big Cypress watershed now assured, and the State acting to protect the east boundary buffer zone, the essential sources of water for Everglades National Park are reasonably secure.

Assuring a water supply, however, does not mean conditions have returned to a natural state. Water now enters at an altered rate, quality, and time of flow. Because biological cycles of many species correlate directly with water

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12. Introduce, through, appropriate interpretive media, the concepts of nature as a process of dynamic equilibrium and man as a powerful biological force responsible for the acceleration of change in the natural systems of south Florida.

13. Develop an understanding that complexity, high numbers of species and ir4ividuals, and low entropy Are generally indicators of environmental stability and good health, emphasizing the significant contrasts between natural diversity within the park and the tendency towards synthetic uniformity in the agricultural/urban complex beyond its boundaries.

14. Implement a comprehensive environmental education program designed to develop strong, positive environmental ties in the large student/teacher populations of neighboring counties.

Everglades National Park has, on site, the South Florida Research Center (SFRC) which conducts research on the Everglades ecosystem. Other researchers conduct research on specific environmental issues utilizing park collection permits. A dormitory for visiting researchers is planned for construction in 1987.

Research programs conducted by SFRC are described below:

By major heading, the research program includes: hydrology, wildlife ecology, marine ecology, and plant ecology.

Hydrology - Hydrology is the research linch-pin of the Everglades system. All life within the Everglades is subject to the ebb and flow of water. The hydrology program is designated to identify specific problems which are of high priority with respect to park needs. For example, in addition to planning strategy for assuring sufficient water quantity to the park, agreements that establish water quality standards have been reached. They assure that deliver waters will not degrade as they are metered into the park.

The long-term goal of the hydrology program is to maintain and restore south Florida hydro-biological systems. Proposed projects will require from 3-5 years for completion. Three major responsibilities are assigned to the hydrology program. 1) Under management: water quality standards have been set to assure water deliveries of sufficient purity to prevent ecological damage or deterioration of the park's environment. Tools are now being developed to enable proper management decisions regarding water delivery schedules through the man-made structures. Because of the fluid nature of water and downstream location of the park, surrounding water control projects of other agencies and municipalities can and do have adverse impacts. Many of these projects have been reviewed for their possible effects on the Everglades. 2) The monitoring responsibility entails routine sampling of water quality, water level information, and flow rates. New experimental tools are used to increase the park data base; these include measuring rainfall through use of radar and monitoring by satellite to provide a broad view of wetlands. 3) Research, the last major responsibility, will analyze hydro-records and, through the use of innovative computer modeling techniques, study major park watersheds. This will give park managers a sound, technical base; thereby, enabling them to influence water management decisions that might threaten park interests.

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Wildlife -- Abundant and diverse wildlife populations are a major reason for the existence of Everglades National Park, and the principal cause for its popularity. Wildlife is, therefore, a critical consideration in park management. The overall objective of the wildlife program is to provide information and recommend management options that will permit the perpetuation of wildlife populations as part of their naturally functioning ecosystems. The program encompasses several distinct activities: surveys, monitoring, and research. These activities all provide the necessary information for an ecosystem approach to wildlife management.

The overall objective of the wildlife survey project is to provide a system for assessing and monitoring populations and providing recommendations for management of species listed by the state and federal government as rare or endangered. water birds, such as the colorful roseate spoonbill and other herons, are monitored as well as the popular American alligator and American crocodile. Fresh water fish, a critical element in the food chain, are also studied to determine how they are affected by man-induced water fluctuations.

Marine - Marine resources in Everglades National Park are subjected to a number of stresses, both direct (fishery harvest) and indirect (watershed alteration). The marine research program seeks information to determine the condition of the resources and the effects of human activity upon them and to develop proper strategies to reduce impact. The program consists of a study of estuarine ecology, development of a coastal oceanographic monitoring system, and two fishery studies regarding stone crabs and spiny lobsters.

Vegetation - The Plant Ecology Program aims at documenting what changes have occurred and are occurring in the flora of protected areas of south Florida. It is also concerned with providing information essential to preservation and restoration of native vegetation, through enlightened management of fire, water, invading exotic species, and visitor use. The basic objectives of the Plant Ecology Program are: supply information to enhance survival of all plant species, particularly those considered rare, threatened, or endangered. In addition, require information critical to fire management and to other habitat manipulation which would affect vegetation. This includes information, pertinent to decisions concerning how frequently, at what time of year, and under what prescriptions to carry out prescribed burning; under what conditions natural (lightning) and man-caused fires should be allowed to burn or be suppressed; and, balancing the need for fuel reduction to reduce threats from fire to hardwood hammocks or private property against negative biological impacts. Floristic changes may be used to predict changes throughout the ecosystem. This fact is important in making water management decisions. In the area of assessing exotic species, data regarding their ecological impact. needs to be considered. Vegetation research can be of assistance in establishing programs for the park visitor. Information needs to be evaluated concerning the development of facilities and assessing visitor use patterns which affect vegetation and flora.

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Tilden, Freeman. The National Parks, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, New York, 1978.

Douglas, Marjory Stoneman. The Everglades: River of Grass, Mockingbird

Books, Inc. Covington, Georgia, 1947

DeGolia, Jack. Everglades: The Story Behind the Scenery, K.C. Publications, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1978.

George, Jean Craighead. Everglades Wildguide, Office of Publications, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 1972.

Robertson, William B. Everglades-The Park Story, University of Miami Press Coral Gables, Florida, 1959.

Robinson, George R. A Prospectus for the Interpretation of Everglades National Park, Unpublished paper, Everglades National Park,       Homestead, Florida.

Carr, Archie and the Editors Of Time-Life Books, The Everglades, Time Life Books, New York, New York, 1973.

Tebeau, Charlton W. Man in the Everglades, University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Florida, 1968.

Hoffmeister, John Edward. Land From the Sea, University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Florida, 1974.

Beard, Daniel B. Everglades National Park Project, Unpublished report, National Park Service, Washington, D.C., 1938.

Caufield, Patricia, Everglades, Sierra Club, San Francisco, California, 1970.

Everhart, William C. The National Park Service, Praeger Publishers, New York, New York, 1972.

Gore, Rick, 'Florida, Noah's Ark for Exotic Newcomers', National Geographic, Washington, D.C., 1976.

Gore, Rick, 'Twiliqht Hope for Big Cypress', National Geographic, Washington, D.C., 1976.

Carter, Luther J. The Florida Experience, Published for Resources for the Future, Inc., John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1974.

Prepared by:                  Keith A. Whisenant

National Park Service

Everglades National Park

Homestead, Florida

Date: May 1987