Sunset cruise connects Everglades, water quality
Hosted by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Everglades Foundation, the annual Everglades Update set sail on March 23 with Captiva Cruises to discuss how the water quality around Sanibel and Captiva is dependent on Everglades restoration.
SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis was joined by Everglades Foundation Chief Science Officer Steve Davis in leading the conversation. They discussed the history of the area, why the health of the Caloosahatchee is connected to the health of the Everglades, and current status of Everglades restoration.
“Every drop of water from Lake Okeechobee that we can clean and send south to the Everglades is one that won’t contribute to nutrient pollution in the Caloosahatchee,” DePaolis said. “Stopping pollution from the lake will solve about 50 percent of our pollution issues, so it’s important that we continue to support Everglades restoration.”
Davis spoke about the benefits of Everglades restoration to water quality and for carbon sequestration. For every dollar spent in restoration, $8 are returned to the state in the form of water filtration, tourism, and natural resources.