DRAFT Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Big Cypress National Preserve

Redwine, Jed; Kellam, John; Atkinson, Andrea; Patterson, Matt

The Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Big Cypress National Preserve provides clear evidence of both the tremendous quantity of valuable natural resources that are present in the preserve and the scale of the challenges that natural resource managers must face in order to protect and preserve the condition of these natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations. Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) occupies a key portion of the Big Cypress Watershed and contains portions of four distinct hydrological sub-basins that interact to form ten discreet watershed units. Water once flowed uninterrupted across the Big Cypress Basin and through to the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Gulf Coast of southwestern Florida. But the reallocation of water resources to support human development intensified following World War II. This pattern of development continued into the 1970s, until the ecological consequences of drainage became so widespread and severe that the discussion of watershed scale restoration became an implicit and inseparable part of the discussion of continued societal and economic development. Development in the Big Cypress Watershed is expected to intensify over the next few decades. The southwestern portion of the Florida peninsula has a steeper rise in elevation moving inland from the coast (compared to southeast Florida); thus, it is relatively well protected from sea-level rise. Also, demand for real-estate in southern Florida continues to be high. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of what we know about the status of natural resources in Big Cypress National Preserve. The reference condition or management goals for each category of natural resource are clearly defined where possible in this report. The path toward achieving these goals is not addressed by this report; instead, the critical path of managing an ecosystem must emerge from a broadly inclusive discussion among those stakeholders with interests ranging from recreation, conservation, traditional use, and oil extraction within the park, to water management, agriculture, and urban development outside the park. This report is intended to support a broader discussion as part of stewardship planning efforts about how to enhance the quality of habitats and landscapes in Big Cypress National Preserve without being prescriptive. Every aspect of the Big Cypress ecosystem that was assessed in this report reveals evidence of challenges associated with human activities. This is not surprising, given the historical context that led to the establishment of BICY, the rapidly expanding human population that now exceeds 7.7 million people within 161 km (100 miles) of the preserve boundary, and the position of the preserve near the downstream end of a large watershed – where cumulative impacts of upstream water diversions are most severe. The watershed units that define 60% of the preserve are “better than average,” while watershed units covering 10% of the area of Big Cypress National Preserve are “worse than average.” Climate change and challenges associated with air quality are affecting all parts of the preserve. Exotic organisms present a profound challenge to preserving the biodiversity of the preserve. While much of BICY is effectively managed, and progress in addressing some of the most profound challenges has occurred, the results of this assessment are clear: continued vigilance is essential if the natural resources present in the preserve are to be effectively preserved “…in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations” (Organic Act of 1916).

DRAFT Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Big Cypress National Preserve

Collections