EVERGLADES LAW CENTER INC

A (Slightly Late) International Women’s Day Celebration! We may be a day late, but it’s never too late to celebrate the powerhouse team of women at Everglades Law Center! As an all-women staff, we’re proud to be at the forefront of environmental law—whether we are advocating for stormwater compliance, negotiating on behalf of the public interest, litigating to hold polluters accountable, or tackling any of the many aspects of our work to protect Florida’s ecosystems and communities. Here’s to the women leading the way in environmental law—yesterday, today, and every day. ????Elizabeth Fata Carpenter Ansley Samson Lisa Interlandi Francesca DiJulio Julia Saltzman, M.S. #EvergladesLawCenter?#WomenInLaw?#WomenLeadingChange?#IWD2025

This month, the Everglades Law Center secured major victories for Biscayne Bay and clean water in Opa-locka—proving that legal advocacy and community action can drive real change! Check out our newsletter to learn more! Want to stay up to date on how we’re fighting for Florida’s environment? Sign up for our newsletter today! https://lnkd.in/gGjXaaWG

This week, Everglades Law Center and our co-counsel secured a legal win in our litigation to prevent the development of the South Dade Logistics and Technology District in Miami-Dade County. This development project, which proposed a nearly 400-acre warehouse and truck parking site on land outside the Urban Development Boundary and in a location critical to proposed Everglades restoration plans, was improperly approved by Miami-Dade County in 2022. On Wednesday, judges for the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee issued a per curiam opinion, affirming the lower court’s March 2024 ruling that the County had missed a statutory deadline when it approved the project application. This is a significant win for both the environment and for smart, sustainable development in Miami-Dade County! See the link here read the full update: https://lnkd.in/eEdftRjh

Congratulations to Elizabeth Fata Carpenter, Executive Director of the Everglades Law Center, on being named a 2025 Women to Watch Award winner by?MDFAWL - Miami-Dade Florida Association for Women Lawyers Elizabeth’s leadership, dedication to environmental law, and commitment to advancing women in the legal profession make her truly deserving of this honor. Her work continues to inspire and drive positive change for our communities and ecosystems. We are so proud to celebrate this well-earned recognition with you, Elizabeth! Keep leading the way! ??????

?? Protecting Florida’s Wildlife & Ecosystems in 2025! ?? We’re kicking off the new year with exciting updates in our January 2025 Newsletter, featuring a special spotlight on the Florida panther—one of South Florida’s most iconic and endangered species. With fewer than 230 adults remaining, these big cats face ongoing threats from habitat loss and road mortality. Protecting them means protecting the future of Florida’s wild landscapes. ?? Read the full newsletter here! (PDF attached)

Reflecting on an important conversation: ITEK in Everglades restoration A few weeks ago, at the Everglades Coalition Conference, we had the privilege of hosting a first-of-its-kind panel on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) in Everglades restoration. Moderated by Francesca DiJulio of Everglades Law Center, this discussion brought together Edward Ornstein (Deputy General Counsel of the Miccosukee Tribe), David Wegner (member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration), Gina Paduano Ralph (Chief of Science Integration Branch for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville), and Troy Sanders (Miccosukee Embassy Fellow) to explore how ITEK can complement western scientific approaches and inform ecosystem restoration efforts. Key takeaways from the discussion: ITEK can provide critical insight into environmental and hydrological conditions, drawn from centuries of Indigenous observation and stewardship. State and federal decision makers seem increasingly receptive to relying on ITEK and tribal input, but more work is needed to ensure meaningful integration of ITEK into project planning. Frequent and genuine collaboration with Indigenous communities and a respect for tribal sovereignty are essential to successfully incorporating ITEK into restoration processes. If you were unable to attend the conference this year and would like to watch a recording of the panel, check it out here https://lnkd.in/g5wtwZGh Thank you to our panelists, attendees, and the Miccosukee Tribe for hosting this important conversation!?

?? Protecting Florida’s Wildlife & Ecosystems in 2025! ?? We’re kicking off the new year with exciting updates in our January 2025 Newsletter, featuring a special spotlight on the Florida panther—one of South Florida’s most iconic and endangered species. With fewer than 230 adults remaining, these big cats face ongoing threats from habitat loss and road mortality. Protecting them means protecting the future of Florida’s wild landscapes. ?? Read the full newsletter here! (PDF attached)

Lisa Interlandi, Everglades Law Center Policy Director, is featured in this The Palm Beach Post article discussing Palm Beach County's approval to enhance protections for nearly 32,000 acres of county-owned environmentally sensitive land. “Development pressures will only increase. You can’t get any more of these natural areas,” Lisa emphasized, highlighting the urgent need for conservation of natural areas. Read the full article in the Palm Beach Post here:?https://lnkd.in/eqf66mFs

Happy holidays from the entire Everglades Law Center Team! We wish you a joyous and restful holiday season and healthy New Year.

We’re proud to see Lisa Interlandi, Policy Director of the Everglades Law Center, featured in?Lake Okeechobee News?discussing the South Florida Water Management District’s approval of funding for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow breeding program! As Lisa points out, the Cape Sable seaside sparrow is found nowhere else in the world – this tiny bird exists solely in the Everglades. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eqP-dp6z?