Science and Environmental Decision Making in South Florida

The ecosystems of South Florida are unique and highly valued by society. Explosive population growth this century has made the Everglades one of our nation's most endangered ecosystems. The dominant anthropogenic stressor is hydrological modifications instituted to provide flood protection for land selected for agriculture and urban development. Thus, major redesign of the hydrologic system is essential if the Everglades and associated coastal ecosystems of South Florida are to be restored and sustained. Following conceptual frameworks developed for ecological risk assessment, ecological sustainability, and ecosystem management, the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Human-Dominated Systems Directorate has conducted a project on ecosystem management in South Florida. An extremely complex hierarchy of federal, state, and local governmental activities presently underway is directed toward a sustainable South Florida. The scientific community is playing a significant role in this process, but the success or failure of ecosystem management for South Florida is still uncertain. If ecosystem management can result in a sustainable South Florida, this will be a prototype for environmental decision making through the next century.