debor042

The end of low-mosquito camping season is nigh, and that's got me thinking about campfires and - a natural progression - campfire songs . And what better songs to sing in the Everglades than songs about the Everglades? In this series of posts I'll introduce you to some of my favorites, starting with: "Everglades" by The Kingston Trio: About a man who killed someone in a jealous fight and fled to the Everglades, where "a man can hide and never be found." Makes you think twice about doing some fieldwork out there. Turns out a judge ruled he acted in self defense, and he was hiding out for no reason (brings to mind "Dust On My Saddle" done by Seals & Crofts) - but he didn't know that (and his girl got tired of waiting - but, thankfully, that's not the focus of the song!). I'm thinking "if the skeeters [didn't] get him then the gators [did]." This is the song my dad told me I needed to learn before I came down here for my...

It is complex question, which merits thoughtful engagement with south Florida’s history, familiarity with ecosystem restoration theory and a good dose of visionary thinking. As scholars have demonstrated, ecological restoration is not just a scientific endeavor. Ecological restoration is also a social and political process that poses tough philosophical questions about what people’s proper relationship to nature should be (1). Yet, this question becomes all the more important in the current era of unprecedented environmental change. A historic postcard. Courtesy of Everglades Digital Library. If we take the historical view, Everglades restoration is one of many improvement projects that have reshaped south Florida across history. Indeed, the history of south Florida (and the Everglades) is one of transformation. Since the late 1800s, South Florida’s lands and waters have been remade time and time again in the name of progress and improvement. Different actors, ranging from early l...

Dwarf Bald Cypress Trees and an Expansive Sky in Big Cypress National Preserve Photo courtesy of author What does an iconic place like the Everglades mean to people, and how does this shape their perspectives on how it should be stewarded? This is one of the questions I explore in my dissertation research on the Big Cypress National Preserve in the southern Everglades. My work documents the contemporary debates and discussions between environmentalists, the government and local people about how this stunning natural and cultural landscape of cypress strands and freshwater sloughs should be managed and protected. As part of my research, I examine how these groups’ different perspectives are tied to the ways they uniquely know the Everglades.  The Everglades has a rich human history dating back nearly 10,000 years, which makes it a culturally as well as naturally significant place. Not only has the Everglades been shaped by the cultural practices of early white settlers and Native ...