Miccosukee Battle Climate Change: Protecting Florida’s Everglades from Environmental Threat!

In the Everglades of Florida, Talbert Cypress spent his childhood exploring the sparse woodlands, swimming in marshy waters, and fishing in the canals when he was a boy and the water levels were low. Today, at 42 and serving as the tribal council chairman for the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, Cypress observes significant changes in the landscape that once shaped his youth. He notes that the region now experiences more severe droughts and longer periods of flooding that threaten the sacred tree islands. The local wildlife populations have also seen a decline.

“We’re facing more extreme conditions now,” Cypress explained.

Michael John Frank, an elder of the tribe, reflects mournfully, “The Everglades are still beautiful, but they are merely a shadow of what they once were.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a series exploring how tribes and Indigenous communities are addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

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The Everglades have been home to the tribe for centuries, but the ecosystem has been halved in size due to large-scale engineering projects for urban development and agriculture. This has wreaked havoc on the natural environment that sustains them. Tribespeople report that poor water management has led to increased instances of wildfires, flooding, and water contamination affecting their community and cultural heritage sites. The ongoing threats of climate change and the fossil fuel industry exacerbate these issues.

The Miccosukee have historically been wary of outside engagement due to the violent history with colonial forces in America. However, under a new tribal administration, they have assumed a more active and collaborative role in efforts to restore the Everglades. They have successfully combated oil exploration initiatives and resisted a wilderness designation that would have restricted their access to ancestral lands. Their efforts have also included projects to reconnect parts of the western Everglades with the larger ecosystem, manage invasive species, and reintroduce native wildlife like raccoons and hawks. In August, they signed a co-stewardship agreement to manage some of South Florida’s natural landscapes, held prayer walks, spearheaded awareness campaigns, and utilized airboat tours as educational tools.

Despite these efforts, a recent report highlights a lack of consistent and meaningful engagement with the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes in Everglades restoration efforts. It suggests that incorporating Indigenous knowledge and forming a lasting partnership with the tribes could enhance understanding of both historical and current ecological conditions due to their deep and enduring connection with the land.

Historical Roots of Miccosukee Activism

The Miccosukee people have long traveled from northern Florida to the Everglades for fishing, hunting, and religious ceremonies. During the Seminole Wars beginning in 1817, they used their knowledge of the terrain to evade US forces. By the late 1850s, U.S. Colonel Gustavus Loomis destroyed their villages and fields, forcing them to seek refuge within the Everglades’ tree islands.

“The Everglades protected us then, and now it’s our turn to protect it,” remarked Cypress.

The destruction of the Everglades’ ecosystem began in the 1940s with drainage projects for urban and agricultural development. These changes damaged the areas where the Miccosukee engaged in hunting, gathering, and conducting sacred rituals. A joint state-federal initiative aims to restore the water quality and rehydrate the landscape, although mismanagement has sometimes resulted in flooding or drying out the lands essential for tribal ceremonies.

This has led the tribe to advocate for a comprehensive approach through the Western Everglades Restoration Project, which aims to clean polluted waters, improve water flow, provide flood protection, and mitigate wildfires. Community concerns remain, however, about flood risks and whether the project will sufficiently improve water quality after certain parts of the original plan were discarded due to landowner refusals and geological challenges.

Curtis Osceola, the tribe’s chief of staff, remains hopeful: “Achieving this would forever change the future for the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes.”

Triumph in Wilderness Designation Dispute

In the Big Cypress National Preserve, a part of the Everglades, Betty Osceola, a tribal member and environmental activist, grew up learning traditional hunting and subsistence skills. She, along with other tribe members, opposed a federal proposal to designate the area as a wilderness, arguing it would restrict their access to traditional lands and overlook their role as custodians of these habitats. Their stewardship has proven essential for biodiversity conservation and climate action. After persistent lobbying, the National Park Service shelved the wilderness designation, although concerns about trail expansions near culturally sensitive sites remain.

The tribe continues to advocate against oil drilling in the preserve, collaborating with governmental bodies at all levels to halt further exploration and secure mineral rights.

The Next Generation’s Role in Everglades Protection

On a breezy day, Frank and Hector Tigertail, an 18-year-old tribe member, sat under a chickee discussing the tribe’s deep-rooted connection to the Everglades. Frank reminisced about his youth on the tree islands, the pristine water quality, and the wildlife he used to encounter. He emphasized the importance of never leaving the Everglades, as staying connected to their land is crucial for preserving their culture and identity.

Tigertail, influenced by stories from his elders, is actively involved in conservation efforts, working to remove invasive species and advocating for his community’s environmental concerns.

“It’s disheartening to see the gradual loss of the Everglades, but it also gives me hope that we might still save it,” said Tigertail.

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