A new detention center has been built on sensitive land right next to Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.
We believe that this land should be used to restore the Everglades—not destroy it. Instead, we're seeing:
Bulldozed Wetlands: Replacing trees and marshes with pavement, barbed wire, and concrete.
Dirtier Water: More runoff, pollution, and damage to this already fragile ecosystem.
Derailed Restoration: Building here directly disrupts ongoing efforts to protect water quality and reduce discharges to the St. Lucie and Indian River Lagoon.
The Everglades matters. It filters our drinking water, buffers communities from storms, reduces flooding, and provides a home for endangered wildlife—including the Florida panther. It also boosts our economy with eco-tourism and fishing.
Florida Oceanographic has joined with other NGO's opposing this project (read the sign-on letter here). You can join us in speaking up for smart restoration—not short-sighted development.
Take Action Today: Send a message to Governor DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier urging them to shut down Alligator Alcatraz and protect the Everglades.
Together, we can ensure this unique ecosystem continues to thrive—for the alligators, and for all of us.
