August 2009
SUMMARY OF COMMENTS ON NEWSLETTER #5
(Revised Preliminary Alternatives for Marine Waters)
General Management Plan/East Everglades Wilderness Study
Everglades National Park
Dear Friends,
In March 2009, the Everglades planning team published Newsletter #5, which
described four revised preliminary alternatives (named Alternatives 1-4)
for managing Everglades National Park’s marine waters. In March and April
2009, we hosted seven public meetings in South Florida to gather your
comments about these revised alternatives. Six hundred and thirty people
attended the public meetings. We also met with various stakeholder groups
to discuss the alternatives and gather input; 250 people attended the 16
stakeholder meetings. In addition, we received nearly 600 written comments
from individuals and organizations.
At the public meetings and on the newsletter/online comment forms, we asked
which revised alternative, if any, is close to your idea of a preferred
alternative. We also asked which elements of the various alternatives you
would like to see included in a preferred alternative, and which elements
you would not like to see included.
Based on your responses, the planning team has challenging work ahead!
Substantial numbers of people expressed support for each of four revised
alternatives that were described in Newsletter #5, including the no-action
or “business as usual” alternative. In addition, many people expressed
support for “Alternative E/2.5”, a modified version of Alternative 3 that
was developed by a group of Florida Keys citizens.
Elements of the alternatives that people commonly mentioned as desirable
(and undesirable) to include in the preferred alternative are listed below
in the following two sections. Note that different perspectives are
represented both within and between these two lists.
Elements Most Commonly Mentioned as Desirable to Include in the Preferred
Alternative
Better markings or navigation aids on the water
More/increased education efforts to protect marine natural resources
such as seagrass
More ranger patrols and/or enforcement on the water to protect resources
More backcountry campsites
More launch sites on the main park road and 18 mile stretch
More idle speed-no wake, pole/troll, and paddle only zones to protect
resources
Limit where motorboats can go (e.g., water less than 2 feet deep) to
protect seagrass
Boat size or horsepower limits to protect shallow areas
Limit where motorboats can go for visitor experience reasons
Keep the Crocodile Sanctuary closed to public access
Open the Crocodile Sanctuary to paddlers
Open the Crocodile Sanctuary as a pole/troll zone
Establish alternative wilderness waterway
Establish alternative wilderness waterway for paddlers only
Use adaptive management during GMP implementation
Improved visitor facilities at Flamingo
Elements Most Commonly Mentioned as Undesirable to Include in the Preferred
Alternative
Restrictions on motorboat access
Extensive pole/troll zones, especially without reasonable access routes
Navigation markers (too many or too large) that would ruin the scenic
beauty or wildness of the park
Establish alternative wilderness waterway
Reduction (compared to now) in Florida Bay marked channels
Idle speed-no wake zone along shore of Florida Bay
Please check the Everglades General Management Plan (GMP) website (follow
the “General Management Plan” link from the main Everglades National Park
website: www.nps.gov/ever) for a link to this summary and other GMP
information, or contact Fred Herling, Park Planner, at 305-242-7704 or
fred_herling@nps.gov. We will provide periodic updates from the general
management plan team to keep you informed of our progress.
The planning team is currently working to develop park-wide GMP documents –
integrating the recent marine areas work with work previously developed for
all other areas of Everglades National Park. The planning team has begun
developing the draft preferred alternative and over the next year will be
writing the draft General Management Plan/East Everglades Wilderness Study
(EEWS)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Our expectation is that the
draft GMP/EEWS/EIS will be completed and we will receive the required NPS
Washington Office permission to release the draft plan to the public in
late 2010. It is also our expectation that an extensive public review and
meeting process will begin in January 2011.
Thank you for your continued interest and involvement in the planning
process. Together we will develop a plan that provides a variety of visitor
opportunities while continuing to preserve and protect the resources that
make Everglades National Park so special.
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Dan B. Kimball, Superintendent
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Fred Herling, Supervisory Park Planner
Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks
40001 SR 9336, Homestead, FL 33034
305-242-7704 (phone), 305-242-7711 (fax)
fred_herling@nps.gov