The largest remnant of the once vast Big Cypress Swamp, the Big Cypress National Preserve is quite likely the most biodiverse piece of land which remains in the continental United States. Much more to come on this page soon. For the moment, you can read about the controversy surrounding the National Park Service decision to open up the 146,000 acre Addition Lands of the Big Cypress National Preserve to motorized recreation at the following links.
Article in the Sun-Sentinel, February 4, 2010:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-big-cypress-20110204,0,1246394.story
See also South Florida Wildlands Association comment letter to the National Park Service on the final plan for the Addition Lands here:
http://www.eenews.net/assets/2011/01/06/document_ll_01.pdf
Our letter was summarized in this article from the National Parks Traveler:
The National Park Service plan itself along with the Biological Opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be downloaded here:
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/parkmgmt/addition-lands-gmp.htm
And the Record of Decision can be found here:
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/parknews/record-of-decision-for-addition-signed.htm
January 4, 2011 comment letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the National Park Service on the General Management Plan for the Addition Lands (in line with SFWA’s position):
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oeca/webeis.nsf/%28PDFView%29/20100457/$file/20100457.PDF?OpenElement