News...

State Releases 2008 South Florida Environmental Report
Annual report marks tenth year of unified reporting by DEP and SFWMD; highlights progress to restore the South Florida ecosystem …more

DEP Secretary Participates in Lake Okeechobee Forum
Florida’s environmental leader discusses progress in Lake Okeechobee Restoration …more

DEP Secretary Addresses Annual Everglades Conference
Florida’s environmental leader discusses progress in Everglades Restoration …more

State Applauds Congress for Support of WRDA
Veto override authorizes critical projects for Florida’s environment …more

New Walking Trail Leads to Everglades Restoration Sites
The multipurpose recreational trail will border the C-11 Canal …more

Water Managers Revitalize Treatment Wetlands Critical to Everglades Restoration
Helicopter airdrops refresh constructed wetlands with plant life …more

Despite Weather Extremes, Everglades Agricultural Area Achieves 18% Phosphorus Reduction
Agricultural operations achieved an 18-percent reduction in the amount of phosphorus leaving the Everglades Agricultural Area for the 2007 water year …more

Governor Crist Signs Historic Everglades Restoration
Florida expands restoration to improve the health of Lake Okeechobee, coastal estuaries and northern Everglades…more

Florida Welcomes Home Kissimmee River Expedition Team
12-day tour highlighted unprecedented restoration efforts and superior recreational sites …more

Water's Journey The Series
A comprehensive educational outreach programming based on science, adventure and exploration. The series brings to light an impending international crisis. ...more

Friends of Fakahatchee
The Friends of Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Inc. will be offering guided walks through the swamp to park visitors on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of the month starting November 10. Participants can observe the rare and beautiful epiphytic (any plant that grows upon or attached to another living plant) flora of the preserve such as the colorful Prosthechea cochleata, commonly referred to as Clamshell Orchid or Florida Cockleshell Orchid, and the tiny blossomed Epidendrum anceps, commonly referred to as the Dingy-Flowered Star Orchid. For more information, please call 239-695-2440.

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Unique, Rare and Endangered Species of Florida Everglades Highlighted on Stamps To raise awareness of the diverse species inhabiting the fragile environment of the world’s largest subtropical marshland — the Florida Everglades — the U.S. Postal Service dedicated the Nature of America: Southern Florida Wetland stamp pane and stamped postal cards today. ...more

Dial #DEP to Report Environmental Crimes

Floridians now have a new tool for protecting the state’s natural resources. . Visitors and residents can dial #DEP from most cellular phones to report major environmental crimes, including illegal dumping of hazardous materials, construction debris, oil drums and biological waste. ...more 

I-75/Alligator Alley Road Rangers

The Florida Department of Transportation’s Road Rangers offer free service 24/7 to stranded motorists. Road Rangers can change a flat tire, make an emergency cell phone call for someone, add a few gallons of gas to an empty tank, add water to a radiator and make minor mechanical repairs to vehicles. Patrolling the length of Alligator Alley and much of the interstate system throughout Florida, Road Rangers are there to assist motorists as they travel to their destinations.

I-75/Alligator Alley Cable Barrier System

In Collier County, the Florida Department of Transportation has recently completed a safety project that installed a cable barrier system on I-75/Alligator Alley. Two cables about two and a half feet above ground are attached to wildlife fences bordering canals and are intended to “catch” vehicles that have gone off-road into the fences. Over recent years, errant cars have left the roadway, slipped under the wildlife fence, and flipped into canals. A strobe light is post-mounted approximately every 2000 feet and is activated if a vehicle hits the fence, identifying the location of the crash for law enforcement and emergency vehicles.