Doug Alderson: New Dawn for Kissimmee River - Monthly General Meeting!

Doug Alderson joins us to discuss his new book, chronicling his 2007 expedition down the Kissimmee chain of lakes. In New Dawn for the Kissimmee River, Alderson uses this twelve-day paddling excursion as a thread to explore the history and ecology of the region, while highlighting the most successful restoration project of its kind in the world, the model for the overall Everglades restoration plan.

The Kissimmee Valley, which includes the Kissimmee chain of lakes and Kissimmee River, covers an area from Orlando to Lake Okeechobee. The headwaters and grand gateway to the Everglades, the area is the domain of the alligator and bald eagle, snail kite and spoonbill, stretching more than 100 miles through central Florida. Between 1960 and 1971, the Army Corps of Engineers straightened and diverted the river’s flow to control persistent flooding. These alterations shortened the length of the Kissimmee, significantly reduced wildlife populations, and created a lucrative real estate market that further threatened native species. In 1992, Congress acted to restore the river to its original flow. Now, species are recovering and repopulating, a journey documented in his work.

Doug Alderson, former associate editor of Florida Wildlife magazine and current Florida Paddling Trails Coordinator for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, is the author of Waters Less Traveled: Exploring Florida's Big Bend Coast; Encounters with Florida’s Endangered Wildlife; and The Ghost Orchid Ghost and Other Tales from the Swamp.

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All programs are held the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Programs are held from 7 - 9:00 pm. A brief discussion of environmental issues precedes the program along with information on upcoming outings and events.

Admission is always free, and everyone is invited -- So come on down, and bring some friends! Join Sierra Club for as little as just $15 right now, as this money helps fund our meeting spaces, our outings, sponsor speakers, and much, much more. Everyone with Central Florida Sierra Club Group is an unpaid volunteer. We're doing what we can to better the local community. It takes a village. And we thank you for being part of that village. Hope to see you at the meeting this, and every month.

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