Everglades News

In recognition of American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month, OhRanger has compiled our 10 favorite parks with American Indian and Alaska Native significance. Many of our parks are rich in history so in order to fully appreciate the public lands that we visit, we must understand their past.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded an $81 million contract to a Florida company to build a road bridge that will help restore fresh water flows in Everglades National Park, nourishing its ecosystem. Beginning in November 2009, Kiewit Southern Company of Sunrise, Fla. will remove one mile of the Tamiami Trail road that crosses the park -- environmentalists view the section as a harmful barrier to natural water flows to the northeastern Everglades -- and replace it with the bridge.

The Everglades National Park is reaching out to a broader audience -- especially a younger generation -- via podcasts. ``We believe this will inspire young people to appreciate this special natural place,'' said Everglades Superintendent Dan Kimball. The park recently put new podcast videos on its website, www.nps.gov/EVER. Since late 2008, Everglades National Park began airing the podcasts. The park continues to refine and develop them.

As if one giant python wasn't enough, a cluster of captures in a single square mile of West Miami-Dade has scientists worried about a new species spreading across South Florida. And this constrictor makes the Burmese python that has already pushed deep into the Everglades seem almost cuddly. The snake is the African rock python, a relative similar in size, appearance and appetite but considered much more aggressive.

Florida stands at a critical turning point in its stewardship of water management issues.

A tree-killing fungus near Florida's Everglades National Park could harm the are

Thousands of fish popped up dead this week in Florida Bay -- possible victims of what might be described as a marine version of heat stroke.

Thousands of fish popped up dead this week in Florida Bay -- possible victims of what might be described as a marine version of heat stroke.

For years, Burmese

WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- Florida's declaration of war on the Burmese Python follows the death of 2-year-old Shianna Hare near Orlando earlier this month.The little girl was strangled by her father's python after it escaped its cage.

Florida is set to declare open season on pythons.Biologists have officially declared the south Florida python population of more than 150,000 snakes "out of control" and spreading.  The snakes are squeezing out native predators, and that has many worried.Florida had considered everything from using volunteers to trap them to training beagles to sniff them out.

Compared to kudzu, the infamous vine that ate The South, Old World climbing fern may be an obscure pest plant. But they're a lot alike.

From Chinese mitten crabs in Chesapeake Bay to the Coqui tree frog in Hawaii, exotic creatures have overrun America from sea to shining sea.

From July to November Everglades National Park will be host to a Summer Family Film Festival. This event is free of charge and will take place on the third Friday of every month until November at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center. Park Rangers will be emphasizing the importance of wildlife, history and the environment. The selected film for July 17 is March of the Penguins.

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