Save the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) intends to close down the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Palm Beach County, to cancel their property’s operating lease unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service increases federal expenditures to control invasive plants, notably Lygodium, or Old World Fern. The other seven parts of the eight-part partnership agreement are being well met by both federal and state agencies.

The threaten closure of the wildlife refuge comes at a convenient time when the U.S. Department of Justice has enforced water quality laws and ordered sugar industries to clean up their spoils harming the refuge.  Water quality is just as important an issue as is controlling invasive plants.

The National Wildlife Refuge (one of two in Florida) was created to protect wildlife and promote public access to natural areas.  Loxahatchee comes from the Seminole meaning “River of Turtles.” The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a mosaic of wet prairies, sawgrass ridges, sloughs, tree islands, cattail communities, and a 400-acre cypress swamp. The refuge provides essential wildlife habitats for the King Rail, Limpkin, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, White and Glossy Ibis, Sandhill Crane, threatened Wood Storks, and endangered Everglade Snail Kites – home for 250 species of birds and two turtles, Peninsula Cooter and Florida Softshell.
Your donation will fund our ability to work with individuals across the nation to write in their own words why the Loxahatchee is a national treasure worthy of increased federal funding. Words matter. I’ve employed two college interns and a high school student is volunteering to learn and assist with personal comments to assemble a most persuasive letter. We will work with you to express in your voice comments that are descriptive, accurate, unique and memorable.

“Management in state and federal partnership of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is working. The public is walking the raised trail in the largest remaining remnant of a cypress strand between the pine flatwoods and Everglade marshes.”    Rob Moir, Executive Director, Ocean River Institute.

Remember the turtles!

Please make a donation and join with us.