• Removing invasive caimans from Florida Everglades, UF/IFAS study reveals successful strategies

    The spectacled caiman, a species native to Central and South America, has been established in Florida since the 1970s. The pet trade and crocodilian farming industries, escapes and deliberate releases made it possible for caimans to invade the Florida Everglades. They pose a threat to native wildlife occupying the same habitat as our native alligators and crocodiles, competing for food and other resources. Meanwhile, they also prey upon birds, small mammals, fish and other reptiles. In a new University of Florida study, published in the journal Management of Biological Invasions, wildlife biologists at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) reveal how a series of efforts and strategies led to successful control and removal of caimans in specific areas of the Everglades. “This study demonstrates the effects that the combination of early detection, rapid response, and persistent removal efforts can have on an invasive species,” said Sidney Godfrey, a wildlife biologist at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center (UF/IFAS FLREC) and lead author of the study. Scientists consider their removal efforts and the results of the study a significant milestone for invasion science, as its applications can be leveraged and expanded to other invasive species found statewide and globally.
  • USACE announces virtual BBSEER Project Delivery Team Meeting August 14

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District invites Project Delivery Team members, stakeholders, partners, and members of the public to attend a virtual Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting for the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (BBSEER) Project study on Monday, August 14, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • USACE Jacksonville begins mobilization for renourishment of Vilano Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management project

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, will begin mobilization for the renourishment of the St. Johns Co., Vilano Beach, Coastal Storm Risk Management project on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023.
  • USACE hosts informational meeting on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project on August 25

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (USACE), will host a virtual informational meeting Friday, August 25 to inform stakeholders and the public regarding USACE and South Florida Water Management District progress on implementation and all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), a key project of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
  • USACE announces Western Everglades Restoration Project Delivery Team Meeting on August 31 in Immokalee

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announces a Western Everglades Restoration Project (WERP) Project Delivery Team Meeting in-person in Immokalee and also via WebEx, scheduled for Thursday, August 31, from 1 to 4 p.m.
  • USACE to begin maintenance dredging of Matanzas Pass

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, will begin maintenance dredging of the federal navigation channel (also known as Matanzas Pass) in the vicinity of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, as early as Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023.
  • USACE Jacksonville publishes draft GRR/EIS of Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Study for public review

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has published a draft of its General Re-evaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement (GRR/EIS) for the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Study in Hillsborough County, Florida, for public review and comment.
  • USACE announces availability of the Environmental Assessment for proposed improvements to the Golden Glades Interchange pursuant to Section 408

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for proposed improvements to the Golden Glades Interchange bridges and other infrastructure on the Biscayne (C-8) Canal in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
  • USACE announces availability of the Final Draft LOSOM Water Control Plan and Project Delivery Team Meeting and Listening Session on July 24

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announces the availability of the Final Draft Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) Water Control Plan and a virtual LOSOM Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting and listening session scheduled for Monday, July 24, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • USACE announces virtual BBSEER Project Delivery Team Meeting July 21

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District invites Project Delivery Team members, stakeholders, partners, and members of the public to attend a virtual Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting for the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (BBSEER) Project study on Friday, July 21, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.