Why Florida Everglades Could Be a Powerful Symbol in Climate Debate

"It may not be as obvious a climate symbol as the rapidly warming Arctic. But with President Obama’s climate-focused visit on Earth Day, Everglades National Park could take on new significance as a politically potent case study of how global warming directly impacts people living in the United States.

The chief reason? In the Everglades, the fate of an ecosystem, and the fate of millions of people, are tightly wrapped together — and both are affected by rising seas.

Everglades National Park is an ecological icon because of its liminal nature — its 1.5 million acres lie perched between fresh and saltier water, between marsh and ocean. The unique region was  famously dubbed a “river of grass” and supports vast biological diversity — mangrove forests, sawgrass prairie  and much more."

Chris Mooney reports for the Washington Post April 20, 2015.