Everglades
First U.S. national park created to protect a fragile ecosystem.
Everglades National Park is a United States national park that protects the southern twenty percent of the original Everglades in Florida. It is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the largest wilderness of any kind east of the Mississippi River.
- Location
- Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties, Florida, USA
- Annual visitors
- Average of one million per year
- Notable species
- Florida panther, American crocodile, West Indian manatee
Lore & Background
The Everglades are a network of wetlands and forests fed by a river flowing 0.25 miles (0.40 km) per day out of Lake Okeechobee, southwest into Florida Bay. The park contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere and is the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America.
Reader's Guide
Everglades National Park is significant as the first U.S. national park established to protect a fragile ecosystem rather than geologic scenery. It is one of only three locations in the world to appear on all three UNESCO lists: Biosphere Reserve, World Heritage Site, and Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. The park's ecosystems have suffered significantly from human activity, including water diversion for the Miami metropolitan area. Restoration of the Everglades remains a politically charged issue in South Florida. The park's low-elevation freshwater habitats are vulnerable to climate change and saltwater intrusion, as inland freshwater sites are experiencing water-level increases matching regional sea-level rise.
Did You Know?
- Everglades is the third-largest national park in the contiguous United States after Death Valley and Yellowstone.
- The park was the first created to protect a fragile ecosystem, not unique geographic features.
- The limestone underlying the Everglades was formed from calcium carbonate deposited in a shallow marine environment when Florida was part of Gondwana.
- No underground springs feed water into the Everglades system; most water arrives as rainfall.
Common Misconceptions (Editorial)
Some people think Everglades National Park is fed by underground springs, but in fact, most water arrives as rainfall. Others may assume it was established to protect unique geographic features, like the Grand Canyon, but it was actually the first national park created to protect a fragile ecosystem.
Why It Matters (Editorial)
The Everglades matters because it represents a rare and vital ecosystem—a vast tropical wilderness and wetland that serves as a critical breeding ground for wading birds and a refuge for endangered species like the Florida panther. Its slow-moving river and mangrove forests remind us that even subtle landscapes can hold profound ecological importance, deserving of protection as much as any mountain or canyon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Everglades National Park unique among U.S. national parks?
It was the first national park in the country established specifically to safeguard a delicate ecosystem rather than to preserve a distinctive landscape or geological formation. This sets it apart from parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, which were created around striking physical features.
What notable wildlife can be found in Everglades National Park?
The park shelters several rare and iconic species, including the Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the West Indian manatee. These animals depend on the park's wetland and riverine habitats for survival.
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