Miccosukee Tribe Leads Efforts to Restore and Protect the Everglades

The Florida tribe combines traditional knowledge and modern advocacy to combat ecological damage and climate change in their ancestral home.

Decades of development and agricultural projects have reduced the Everglades to half its original size, disrupting ecosystems vital to the Miccosukee Tribe's cultural and spiritual practices.
The Miccosukee Tribe has taken a leadership role in the Western Everglades Restoration Project, which aims to clean polluted water, improve hydrology, and reduce wildfire risks, though concerns remain about its effectiveness after key elements were removed.
The tribe successfully opposed a proposed wilderness designation for Big Cypress National Preserve, arguing it would restrict their traditional ways of life and ancestral land access, while continuing efforts to stop oil exploration in the area.
Tribal elders are passing down cultural knowledge and environmental stewardship to younger generations, integrating traditional practices with modern science and policy advocacy to protect the Everglades for the future.
Experts and the tribe emphasize the need for stronger collaboration with state and federal agencies, urging the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in restoration efforts for lasting ecological and cultural preservation.