Airboat Rides West Palm Beach: What is the CERP

The Everglades was once a wetland covering 3 million acres across Florida. This wetland saw much sawgrass and a thriving ecosystem. However, the instruction of dikes and canals in the early/mid-1900s began to drain the area of its freshwater. Creating land for urban, agricultural, and industrial purposes lead to the destruction of over half of the Everglades. In this article, Airboat Rides West Palm Beach will teach you about the most significant effort ever done to restore the Everglades: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

The CERP is important for Airboat Rides West Palm Beach

Approved by Congress in 2000, the CERP is a government effort that provides funding to re-create the Everglade’s original freshwater flow. The idea is to alter and modify existing structures such as dikes and canals to bring back positive change to the Everglades’ ecosystem and offer benefits for its human population.

The water in the Everglades originally was mostly uninterrupted. It provided a vast and continuous ecosystem for the native animals and native plants. Soaking the wetlands naturally cleansed the water, protecting the area against saltwater, and keeping it rich with freshwater. The site is now losing its natural protection against saltwater from the sea, contaminating many of the Everglades and negatively affecting its plant and animal life.

By creating and redirecting reservoirs and canals, the CERP aims at redistributing fresh water to replenish the environment while also meeting the needs of the human population. The idea is to recreate the original water flows, to reinstate a self-sustaining and persevering ecosystem. The CERP wants to increase the water quality, decrease the flow of contaminants to the area and the ocean, and create sustainable water for the Everglades wetlands and their people.

What can the CERP realistically achieve?

Realistically, the CERP will never restore the ecosystem to its original one. Urbanization, farming, and industrialization have created too much damage. Rather than trying to remake the Everglades as it once was, the CERP will serve not to do any further damage to the Everglades. It will preserve what remains of the Everglades by using a modified water flow.

On the socio-economic side of things, the CERP will reduce water shortages and reduce the flooding of agricultural and urban areas. This plan will benefit the people. Also, fewer pollutants running off into the oceans should have brought positive benefits to the local fishing industry. As long as Congress continues to authorize and fund new projects and those projects gain support from the people, then the CERP has the best chances of accomplishing its goal. 

Witness the Everglades for yourself

It is no secret that we are passionate about the Everglades. Taking a tour with Airboat Rides West Palm Beach will convince anyone that we must protect this beautiful area of Florida. Our captains come from generations of boatsmen in the area. The Everglades is more than just our livelihood; it is everything we hold dear.

We hope to pass along the message, and we will continue to share our love for the Everglades to raise people’s awareness. Our airboat tours are there for you to enjoy and appreciate the true beauty of the Everglades. Enjoy a high-thrill ride across Florida’s most incredible ecosystem, and discover nature and unique animals.

Once you visit the Everglades, you will find out why it is so important to conserve and even restore such beautiful feat of nature. The best way to truly understand this is by witnessing it yourself. The great news is that our captains will always ensure to give you a true experience of the Everglades. You will go to the best spots, and you will learn from their experience too. Whether you are a nature lover or you simply want to enjoy a fun cruise, our airboat rides will entertain and educate you. The best of both worlds!

Why wait any longer? You can contact us today to discover the Everglades. Book a tour with Airboat Rides West Palm Beach and witness the best Florida has to offer. Also, go ahead and ask us any questions you may have. We want to make sure you have the best experience possible, and we will gladly assist you to make sure you are prepared for your adventure across the Everglades.