Everglades restoration is a $25 billion water infrastructure program overseen by the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) of 2000 serves as the guide for restoration and includes water storage, treatment, and conveyance projects to improve water quality, flows, and aquatic habitats throughout South Florida, including the St. Lucie Estuary. This presentation will encompass the history of Everglades drainage, restoration project progress, and the resilience-building benefits that Everglades restoration provides.

About the Presenter:

Steve Davis, Ph.D. – Chief Science Officer, Everglades Foundation. Dr. Davis is an aquatic ecologist with 30 years of research in the coastal Everglades. He draws upon his past professional experience, including 10 years as professor of wetland ecology at Texas A&M University, to lead The Everglades Foundation’s Science Department and science communication efforts focused on advancing Everglades restoration, tracking ecosystem health, and understanding the impacts of sea-level rise. Davis has authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed science publications, holds a Courtesy Associate Professor appointment in Florida International University’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, and is a Coordinating Editor for the journal Restoration Ecology. He is also co-author of the 5th Edition of The Everglades Handbook: Understanding the Ecosystem.