Only a century ago the southern third of Florida was an unwelcoming wet wilderness. Lake Okeechobee was nearly twice the size it is today and water crept slowly southward from this grand lake down the peninsula through seemingly endless swamp and sawgrass. Native Americans inhabited south Florida even before wetter climatic conditions set into motion the beginning of the Everglades 5,000 or so years ago. Scattered throughout this wetland ecosystem are thousands of tree islands. The term "tree island" is most often used to depict the island-like appearance of a patch of forest in an Everglades marsh. These tree islands are vital in providing shelter for birds, mammals, and reptiles alike. For many years, scientists thought these tree islands rose from protrusions from the rocky layer of the mineral carbonate that lies beneath the marsh. Now researchers suggest these islands might actually have developed from ancient garbage mounds left behind from human settlements. Did humans have a hand in the evolution of the Everglades?
Purpose: Learn about the formation of the Everglades
Facilitator: Natalie De La Torre Salas (Guest Presenter - Florida Public Archaeology Network) |
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