Wonderful news from Florida
June 25, 2008
BBC News reports in “Healing Everglades’ river of grass” that governor Charlie Crist “announced plans to buy more than 800sq km (300sq miles) of land used for growing sugarcane, and restore it to its natural state.”
The idea is to turn sugarcane fields back into wetlands, and restore the natural water flow of the Everglades. But this goes way beyond just alligators. It should cool the area somewhat. It will absorb storm surges and keep up the clear water table for coastal cities.Also wetlands are the most effective kind of carbon sink on Earth – that’s 300 mi2 of solution, there. And it will benefit Florida’s economy too – ecotourist dollars into perpetuity. A little good news for a change.
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If only this would also keep all that ungrown sugar out of our food. Something there is about commercial food manufacturers that hates any food without sugar in in.
Good news indeed. It also provides habitat for freshwater mussels, which provide essential filtration. They are the aquqtic equivalent of the canary in the coal mine, so I expect they will be monitored carefully.
This is good news! I do hope they succeed in their goal!