From Jonathan Ullman of the Sierra Club & Build the Skyway:

On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 5, in downtown Miami, the future of the Tamiami Trail and the Everglades Skyway will be at stake, and we need you there. One day before the 60th Anniversary of Everglades National Park, the Corps of Engineers will show state and federal representatives that its plan for opening up the heart of the Everglades is to do basically nothing (see info below).

I’m asking you to spend a little more than hour of your day on Wednesday, Dec. 5 to be at the Hyatt Regency, 400 SE 2nd Ave. (map) at 2 p.m. and after the Corps’ presentation, speak during the public comment session.

Speak for Florida Bay and the manatees, speak for Everglades National Park and its 68 endangered species, and speak for the water that nourishes them. Our leaders have failed us. Now we must lead.

What: Army Corps of Engineers’ Tamiami Trail presentation to the State/Federal Everglades Task Force

Where: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 300 SE Second Ave., Downtown Miami (map)

When: Wednesday, December 5, 2007, at 2 p.m. (Corps’ presentation scheduled for 2:35 p.m. but it may run early.)

Who: Skyway Coalition members and supporters

Read the full story

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From the Sierra Club:

From now until July 31st, the National Park Service is accepting public comments on a new management plan for Everglades National Park. This decision will determine the park’s management policy for the next 15 to 20 years. Please take a few minutes to read the Sierra Club’s position on this important issue and then send your comments in at the National Park Service’s website provided below.

See the Everglades newsletter & description, and the comment form to submit your thoughts.

The Sierra Club supports Alternative D. If you’d like to read the entire email sent from the Sierra Club, including their recommendations, follow the link below.

Read the full story

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Kristina Trotta of the Sierra Club and Everglades Skyway has sent the following message:

The Skyway campaign has been building and the Coalition is growing every day. Our most recent endorsers are the City of Miami Gardens, Town of Miami Lakes, ChamberSouth, the Miami Lakes and Green Thumb Garden Clubs and the Builders Association of South Florida, bringing our list of supporters up to 36!

This Thursday, February 22nd is the next big day for the Everglades Skyway. We will be going before the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) of Miami-Dade County to get their support through a resolution. The MPO has discussed the Skyway before, at their December meeting, where there was much support for the idea, but a vote was not taken.

At the December meeting, the members of the Board of Directors were encouraged by the 25 or so Skyway Supporters that were in the audience, identified by large blue buttons stating “Build the Skyway.” We need just as many supporters in the audience on February 22nd. The MPO meets in the County Commission chambers on the 2nd floor of the Clark Government Center, at 111 NW 1st Street, in downtown Miami. (map) The meeting begins at 2:00pm and is not expected to go longer than 2 hours.

The Skyway is a key project in moving Everglades Restoration forward and we must get the support of the MPO in order to take the next step in the campaign. If you are interested in attending the meeting on February 22nd, or would like more information, please contact Kristina Trotta or visit www.build-the-skyway.com.

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The Everglades Skyway (we’ve discussed it before) is an important issue. A portion of Tamiami Trail that cuts across the Everglades needs to be raised to allow the water to flow through this River of Grass. Without water flow under Tamiami Trail, clean water cannot enter the southern Everglades or the National Park, as the road currently acts like a dam for water naturally moving south.

My friends over at the Sierra Club and Clean Water Action have asked me to help gather people to attend a meeting on Thursday at 2pm at the Stephen P Clark Center downtown.

This Thursday, December 7^th, an important step is being taken to create a Skyway like the one depicted in the picture above.  The Metropolitan Planning Organization of Miami-Dade County will be voting on a resolution of support for the Everglades Skyway.  This board creates the Transportation Plan for Miami-Dade County, and their support is key to moving the Skyway Project forward.  This is an important meeting, and we need the MPO to see the public’s support.

The agenda for the MPO meeting can be found here. The item is number 5.A.1. To show your support for the Everglades Skyway during this meeting, simply show up…for as little or as long as you can stay. Supporters will be wearing BUILD THE SKYWAY buttons in the audience.

The meeting will be held in the Miami-Dade Commission Chambers in the Stephen Clark Government Center, at 111 NW 1^st Street in Downtown Miami, and will begin at 2pm.  Please come to show your support – the Skyway needs you! 

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Alesh tells us about a new art installation at the West Dade Regional Library. Here are the details:

The Everglades Invade the City by Edwin Villasmil & Elba Martinez
September 28 - February 28, 2007
West Dade Regional Library

Artists/activists/educators Villasmil and Martinez have created a fairytale world of line drawings, sculptural installations, and graphic novel-style storytelling that parallels Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ River of Grass and recounts the natural, social, and cultural history of the Everglades.

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Last Thursday the Everglades Skyway Summit was held at the Biltmore Hotel. I was supposed to be there, but in the end wound up missing the event.

Why the Skyway is important, from Build-the-Skyway.com:

Tamiami Trail (US highway 41) cuts through Shark River Slough, one of the Everglades’ deepest and most important water passageways. Scientists say this 11-mile section of the 1928 road must be elevated into a “skyway” if Everglades restoration is to succeed. The skyway will be an important first step in returning the historic water sheet flow through parched Everglades National Park and into Florida Bay. It will be beneficial to wildlife by reducing habitat fragmentation and preventing road kill. The project will create jobs and increase tourism while raising Everglades awareness at the same time. Best yet, an 11-mile skyway will serve as a visible symbol of Everglades restoration; a real benefit to the floundering project. The Sierra Club believes that Everglades restoration cannot happen without the full 11-mile skyway.

The following is a description of the Summit, written by Kristina Trotta of Sierra Club.

On Thursday, September 21st, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables was the setting for the Everglades Skyway Summit, a one day conference that brought together representatives from the business community, government agencies and environmental organizations to discuss the Everglades Skyway – the best solution for restoring our Everglades.

The room was full as Rebecca Smith, a curator at the Historical Museum of South Florida, spoke about the rich history of the Tamiami Trail. She was followed by Dr. Richard Weisskoff, an economics professor at the University of Miami who told the crowd about the economics of the Everglades. Dr. Luis Prieto, a civil engineering professor at Florida International University later spoke on the role that bridges have played through world history. He discussed the mechanics of building the Skyway and how the structure would have significant meaning for the Miami-Dade community. Jonathan Ullman of the Sierra Club gave an overview of how all of these pieces – history, economics and engineering can all come together in our campaign to build the Everglades Skyway.

The day wrapped up with the keynote speaker, Senator Bob Smith, president of the Everglades Foundation. The Senator gave the call to action, encouraging all of the participants to contact decision makers and to work to see an 11-mile Skyway become a reality. His speech was impassioned and left the attendees with the feeling that they must do their part to get the Skyway built.

Although many were unsure of what to expect at the beginning of the day, the series of speakers gave a sense that the Skyway is attainable and that this is the campaign to get involved with. All participants were given an opportunity to join in on the excitement by endorsing the campaign and to take part in the subcommittees of the Everglades Skyway Coalition – politics, community and business.

For more information on the Everglades Skyway project, visit Build-the-Skyway.com and Sierra Club.

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America the Beautiful! The National Parks Service is running a photo contest, and the prize will have you seeing green.

"The winning photo will become the image featured on the 2008 "Federal Recreational Lands Pass." In addition, the Grand Prize Winner will receive a Ford Escape Hybrid SUV; a 5-day, 4-night trip for four including airfare to a federal recreation area of the winner’s choice, a CASIO Exilim Zoom Camera; and a one-year Federal Recreational Lands Pass."

So what are some of the areas locally that are included in the contest requirements? Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, and Everglades National Park just to name a few. See Recreation.gov for a complete listing of Florida parks, but make sure that the park listed is part of one of the following: National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service.

Amateurs only! Three photos per person, deadline is end of 2006.

Via - AutoblogGreen

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The Biscayne-Everglades Greenway project is one with the hopes of connecting these two national parks with a bike trail. A greenway is defined as a corridor for protected open space that is managed for conservation and/or recreation.

The first public meeting was held in Homestead last week, and we understand it was a great success. In the Herald article covering the meeting quotes Homestead Council member Judy Waldman, "The lengthy, multipurpose trail system — slated to run through Homestead, Florida City and other communities — would be the first of its kind in the country."

Sara Fain of the NPCA Suncoast Office tells us, "The presentation was well down and explained what they hope to accomplish with this greenway down in South Dade. The next step is raising all the funds needed to really get it done, but the commitment is definitely there."

The actual path has yet to be decided, with options of following existing canals or running through the downtown centers.

The deadline to review and comment on the project is Friday, July 14, 2006. The details on how to do so, as well as much more detailed information is available from the City of Homestead.

RC’s thoughts: I think this is a great idea. I didn’t get to attend the meeting, but support the concept 100%. I used to live in Denver, where a huge interconnected system of bike trails could bring you from way out in the suburbs (and beyond) into the city center and farther. It’s not just great for people, either. Creating a continuous greenspace allows animals and wildlife a safe habitat as well.

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Today I attended the Hold the Line campaign press conference at Tina Hill Pavilion, Bayfront Park. Speakers included Mayor Alvarez of Miami-Dade County, Executive Director David Anderson of Audubon of Florida, Rep. Brutus of the Florida House of Representatives, Allison Austin - President of Lincoln Heights (Liberty City) and CEO of Belafonte Tacolcy, Executive Director Daniella Levine of Human Services Coalition, and Councilwoman Millie Herrera.

Each speaker discussed briefly why they are against moving the UDB. Reasons focused on two areas: 1) take care of the people and existing parts of the county first, and 2) save the environment.

Now, something I really wanted to understand before leaving this event was exactly what the current details are so that I can do my homework before the meeting tomorrow. There have been many revisions to the original, but here is the real deal:

Applications 5, 6, 7, 11, 23, and 24 will still be considered, and this is what the focus of the meeting starting tomorrow is all about. To read the 153-page document from the Planning Board, click on the text near the top of this Hold the Line page.

A quick rundown of the locations: #5 - Hialeah (apparently there was some potential discussion of putting the Marlins here, which has some fans upset with us), #6 - Doral, #7 West Dade, #11 - West Kendall (this one includes housing, others are mainly office, business, and industrial requests), #23 & #24 - South Dade.

Catch some sound bites from today’s press conference on the news tonight. Check out these stations that attended. CBS 4, NBC 6, Univision 23.

Don’t Forget: If you want to support the Denial of these applications to move the UDB line, come out in your GREEN shirt tomorrow, April 18, around 9:00 am. Stephen P. Clark center (Government Center metrorail/mover. Ground floor. Go through security gate for visitors and to the 2nd floor meeting room.) Meeting starts at 9:30am. If you can’t make it on-time, still come…I’m sure we’ll be there all day!

Update: See recent articles on the topic: Now isn’t the time, Moving beyond talk, If you go, Battle nears end.

Also, see the agenda for the meeting. Non-UDB items will be heard first (1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 20, 21, 22). (Please understand that this might take a little while…I have no idea how long. If you can, I’m sure the HTL campaign would still appreciate everyone arriving from the beginning of the meeting. But again, better late than never.)

If you can not go, you can watch the proceedings live on Miami-Dade TV or try viewing it on your computer with the county’s live webcast.

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I’m very excited to report that the Florida Everglades is featured on the newest TreehuggerTV video. John Adornato, from the local National Parks Conservation Association, talks about a recent court decision regarding rock mines that are sucking water out of the Everglades. They also discuss the Everglades Skyway, Melaleuca, and restoration. I’d like to thank m_ss_ng p_eces for involving GreenerMiami in this project, and congratulate everyone involved!

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