Miccosukee Tribe in Florida advocates for Everglades conservation amid climate change challenges

In the heart of the Everglades, Talbert Cypress, a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, reflects on his childhood spent exploring the region. As a kid, he could be found adventuring through the wetland’s forests, swimming in the murky ponds, and fishing in the winding canals. However, at 42 years old and now serving as the tribal council chairman, he observes that the landscape has drastically altered. He notes that the water levels have become a significant concern, with droughts lasting longer and becoming more severe, while prolonged floods have submerged tree islands that hold spiritual significance for the tribe. Moreover, the population of native wildlife has diminished considerably. “It’s basically extremes now,” Cypress stated.

Another elder of the tribe, Michael John Frank, expressed it differently, stating, “The Everglades is beautiful, but it’s just a skeleton of the way it used to be.”

Historically, the Everglades has been the Miccosukee’s sanctuary. Unfortunately, decades of large-scale engineering projects aimed at urban development and agriculture have reduced the wetlands to nearly half their original size, greatly harming the delicate ecosystem that has sustained the tribe for centuries. Tribal members reveal that ineffective water management strategies have led to increased fires, floods, and water pollution around their homes and ancestral sites. Therefore, climate change and the fossil fuel initiatives contributing to it continue to threaten their way of life.

The Miccosukee Tribe has been fiercely dedicated to restoring and safeguarding what is left of their environment. With a new leadership approach, the tribe has shifted from a historically cautious stance towards the outside world. They have now taken on a more proactive role in restoring the Everglades. One of their significant achievements has been to halt oil exploration in the area and successfully oppose a wilderness designation that would have restricted their access to historical lands. Additionally, they have advocated for a project aimed at reconnecting the western Everglades with broader ecosystems, while also working to manage invasive species and reintroduce native animals, including raccoons and hawks. Just last August, they entered into a co-stewardship agreement that encompasses some of South Florida’s pivotal natural terrains. Various initiatives such as prayer walks, awareness campaigns, and educational airboat tours have been part of their strategy for community engagement.

Nevertheless, a recent report evaluating progress in the Everglades highlights a gap in effective communication and cooperation with both the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes. The report advocates for incorporating Indigenous knowledge in restoration practices and underscores the necessity of a consistent partnership with tribal communities, whose deep-rooted and reciprocal relationships with the environment are essential in addressing both historical and contemporary ecological challenges.

The historical motivations behind the Miccosukee’s activism run deep. For many generations, tribe members would embark on pilgrimages from northern Florida to the Everglades for fishing, hunting, and spiritual ceremonies. During the tumultuous period of the Seminole Wars, the Miccosukee exhibited superior knowledge of the vast Everglades, evading the U.S. Army effectively. Unfortunately, by the late 1850s, military efforts led to the destruction of tribal villages and agricultural lands in the Big Cypress region, forcing the Miccosukee and Seminole to seek refuge on remote tree islands within the Everglades. “That’s the reason we’re here today. We often look at the Everglades as our protector during that time. And so now, it’s our turn to protect the Everglades,” stated Cypress.

The root of many current challenges faced by the Everglades can be traced back to the 1940s when extensive land drainage occurred to facilitate urban and agricultural development. This systemic alteration of the landscape has obliterated the ecosystems vital to the Miccosukee’s livelihoods, spiritual observances, and practical needs.

A significant initiative driven by state and federal cooperation aims to address water quality and rehydrate the landscape in an effort to reverse some of the damage. However, the management of water resources and restoration plans have often resulted in either excessive flooding or dehydration of lands where community ceremonies and gatherings occur. This concern has motivated the tribe’s years-long advocacy for a comprehensive and integrated approach via the Western Everglades Restoration Project. Tribal members have echoed their voices in public discourses, sent formal communications to federal bodies, and engaged with policymakers, focusing on stakeholder concerns and aspirations. They hope that with proper execution, this project will purify polluted water, enhance hydrology, protect against flooding, and mitigate the risks and intensity of wildfires, a process that officially commenced with groundbreaking in July.

Despite these advancements, apprehensions linger regarding potential risks of flooding to the community and whether the current solution will sufficiently correct issues surrounding water quality and availability, especially after an essential component of the project was removed. The cancellation of plans for a second engineered wetland intended for water purification stemmed from landowner refusals to relinquish property, combined with geological assessments indicating that the ground may be too porous to sustain it. Given this uncertainty, some community members express worry that the water will not meet necessary quality standards.

Nonetheless, Curtis Osceola, the Miccosukee Tribe’s Chief of Staff, remains optimistic. “If we get this done, we will have forever changed the future for the Miccosukee and Seminole,” he asserted.

Another noteworthy victory came from a conflict over wilderness designations within the Big Cypress National Preserve. Betty Osceola, an environmental activist and tribal member, recalls her childhood learning traditional hunting techniques and living off the land. The preserve, characterized by diverse ecosystems, provided not just sustenance, but also sacred grounds and became crucial for wildlife like the endangered Florida panther.

The National Park Service’s proposal to classify the preserve as wilderness potentially jeopardized the Miccosukee’s traditional lifestyles and their historical connection to the land. After an intense campaign harnessing petitions, testimonies, and building support from various government officials, the tribe managed to avert the wilderness designation, citing its detrimental impact on their rights and long-standing stewardship. Osceola highlights that the National Park Service listened to the tribe’s objections regarding their legal rights concerning wilderness classifications although disputes remain over current proposals to extend trail systems that could encroach upon culturally significant locations.

Efforts to cease oil drilling within the Big Cypress continue, as the Miccosukee advocate for policies to curb exploration by negotiating mineral rights within the preserve.

Elders within the tribe are also focused on imparting the importance of environmental stewardship to younger generations. On a breezy afternoon, elder Frank and 18-year-old Hector Tigertail sat beneath a chickee on the tribe’s land, surrounded by the vibrancy of gardens and resources vital to their culture. Frank’s recollections of his youth among tree islands evoke nostalgia for a time when wildlife thrived and the waters were pure enough to drink.

He recalls his grandfather’s advice, emphasizing the critical connection between the tribe’s survival and their presence in the Everglades: “We were told to never, ever leave the Everglades. The only way to prolong your life, your culture, your identity is to stay here in the Everglades… as long as you’re here, your maker’s hand is upon you.”

Tigertail shares the same sentiments, instilled in him by the stories of his relatives. These narratives not only bind him to his culture but remind him of the shared responsibility to sustain the lands that have nurtured his people. The tribal elders actively prepare and teach young members like Tigertail about the blend of modern policymaking with traditional ecological knowledge, guiding them on how to protect their heritage.

Working alongside the Miccosukee Tribe’s Fish and Wildlife Department, Tigertail engages in removing invasive species and advocating for his community’s rights. He expresses his sorrow over the gradual decline of their home but holds onto hope. “To hear that we’re losing it slowly and slowly saddens me,” he remarked, “But also gives me hope that maybe there is a chance to save it.”