Linking TEK, Outreach, and Science to Protect Everglades Wetlands. Water Resources Department Marta Reczko, Water Resources Manager

Transcription

1 Linking TEK, Outreach, and Science to Protect Everglades Wetlands Water Resources Department Marta Reczko, Water Resources Manager

2 Everglades Facts The Everglades is a marsh, a region, a watershed, an ecosystem The Everglades begins at the Kissimmee River and extends down south through ENP, Florida Bay = Greater Everglades (18k sq. miles = 11+ mln acres) River of Grass or Swamp = waters are broad, grassy, shallow and slow moving Highly diverse in flora & fauna species: 1,301 native flora, >45 mammals, >100 fishes, >1,000 invertebrates, >50 reptiles, > 20 amphibians, > 10 mollusks, >350 birds, >12,500 insects (FDEP) 133 Endangered and Threatened (FWC) Natural recharge system for Florida underground limestone aquifer Supports business & agriculture Lifeline of the Miccosukee people. During Seminole Wars & Indian Removal Act, the Everglades was a refuge for the Miccosukee, now the Miccosukees are protecting the Everglades

3 Native Life

4 Everglades are Exceptional 2015, President Obama: We are blessed with the most beautiful God-given landscape in the world. 1947, President Truman: The Everglades possesses a different kind of beauty than Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and the other spectacular national parks of the west. The beauty inheres in what lives there, not in the geology.

5 Video: Shimmering Waters Born in the Everglades Huston Cypress - Producer

6 Miccosukee Tribe Today Federally Recognized in 1962 MRA 33 acres Resort & Krome Ave 26 acres AA 75,000 acres Cherry Ranch 2,000 acres Sherrod Ranch 2,000 acres 1982 Lease Lands 189,000 acres Indian Land Claim Settlement Act

7 ELEVATION Miccosukee Everglades Miccosukee Landscape: Tree Islands Sawgrass Ridges Open Water Slough

8 Everglades Before Everglades Today

9 ½ of the Everglades Man-made interventions The Everglades ecosystem has been drained for development, agriculture, flood protection (Central & South Florida Flood Control Project) Water control structures are everywhere: >1,400 miles of canals, >1,000 miles of levees and berms, >100 culverts & pump stations EAA P used as a fertilizer, was flushed into canals and entered the Everglades Hg (due to the atmospheric deposition) - found in local fish at high levels, Florida panther was found dead with levels high enough to kill a human Overabundance of nutrients in the water, longer dry periods and flooding are slowly killing the Everglades Invasive plants & animals are outcompeting natives 50% of ridges & slough has disappeared. 42% of remaining landscape is degraded (Borkhataria et al. 2012) 61% of Tree Islands is lost (Patteron and Finck 1999) Significant reductions in wildlife: 90% of the wading birds is lost (Traditional Ecological Knowledge-TEK) (numerous authors)

10 Traditional Ecological Knowledge through Time and Space cumulative body of knowledge, belief, and practice ( ) handed down through generations. The relationship of living beings with their traditional groups and with their environment. (Berkes)

11 Miccosukee Tribe & TEK General Council (Tribal Government) Business Council Secretary Treasure Assistant Chairman Panther Bird Otter Miccosukee TEK (Consultants) General Council Selected Business Council Approved

12 Everglades Study Program Established in October 1982 by the Tribal Government Miccosukee approved to be stewards of the Lease Lands Area of Study: Reservation + Lease Lands Purpose: document the actual, current and past conditions of upland and wetland habitat, to document the changes Week long event, twice a year: Fall & Spring Science Monitoring scientific program with systematic data collection with the involvement of Tribal Community and under the supervision of TEK experts TEK Tool # Method # Process of Gathering Data # Fun in the Everglades Outreach

13 Number of Participants Number of Visited Tree Island/Sites Progress of Everglades Study 120 Participation and Visited Sites over 33 years of Everglades Study Participants Tree Islands/Sites

14 Everglades Study Record

15 Pre-Study Practice Everglades Study Stages TEK Consultants Study Helpers Participants (School, State & Federal Agencies) Area of Study Schedule Equipment and Transportation Food and Drink Budget Approval from Business Council Advertising - send out flyers Give-Aways Site Preparation Breakfast Meeting Study Superbowl Data Collection Cultural Talk Exchange of Information After Study Data Logging Data Analysis Reporting Distribution Post-Study Meeting Feedback Homework

16 Collected Data Tree Island Ownership Tree Island History Vegetation Type Vegetation % Cover Wildlife Exotic Species Cultural and Habitat Observation Water Quality TP - Total Phosphorus DO ph Temp Conductivity Turbidity Tree Island Orientation Traditional and English Names of Tree Islands Longitude and Latitude GIS Water Data Muck Depth - MD Water Level WL

17 GIS Tree Islands Data TEK translated Tree Islands names from Miccosukee traditional language into English ALL names are related to the history of that Tree Island Names etymology: Owner: Old Jessie Willie Event: Burning Chickee Flora: Orange Tree Fauna: Deer Antler Activities: Swimming Hole Size: Big Hammock Elevation: High Ground Scent: Stinking Hammock

18 Water Quality Data Tribal Government created Miccosukee Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) TAS Approved WQS Approved by EPA 16 th Tribe in U.S. to develop WQS Designated Uses Anti-degradation Policy Criterion Numeric Criteria for TP = 10ppb!!! TP is a chief pollutant that threatens aquatic life 1 st Time Ever TP>10ppb results in undesirable impacts to aquatic life and wetland ecosystem (scientifically defensible, supported by >400 published scientific reports by numerous authors)

19 Water Data Water Levels (WL) were collected since 1982 WL are responsible for Tree Island flooding events WL (~WQ) are a major factor for decline of many species Loss of Tree Islands = loss of Home, loss of farmland, loss of potential food, potential medicine for the Miccosukee people Standards Development Grant under CWA, 106 to develop standards for WL and Flow to protect the Miccosukee Waters and the Tree Islands Supported by >100 published scientific reports, review hydrology data, desktop analysis

20 Tree Island Flooding

21 Proposed WQS for WL and Flow 0 WL 2 Maximum Standard: Maximum Standard WL shall 2 for Water depths shall not 90 exceed days in 2 NG-SG, for 90days in NG-SG, 30 days 30 days in Gap. in Gap. Depths shall be <2 starting WL shall Dec1 be 12/1 Minimum Standard: WL in deepest sloughs shall be measurable above 0.0. Depths in low water months shall not exceed 1

22 TEK + Outreach + Science = Everglades Study

23 Into the Future Defend the TEK Increase participation of ALL Expand the program, include ALL Tribal Lands Better record keeping School curriculum

24 Tips to take with You Patient Listen Observe Talk simple Be Social Quality Assurance Collaboration with Others Support from Tribal Government Exchange information for mutual benefits One Common Goal: Protect and Preserve the Everglades

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