By Ashley Pontius
Burmese pythons and their battles with alligators get the headlines, but those large reptiles that came from Southeast Asia as part of the exotic-pet trade aren’t the only invasive species wreaking havoc on the Florida Everglades.
The National Park Service reports that the Everglades are suffering from a barrage of pressure brought on by numerous nonnative species, including exotic fish that gobble up native fish species and melaleuca trees that crowd out indigenous plants.
Now the pressure on the fragile ecosystem in south Florida could get even worse. Just recently, the Trump administration said it was disbanding the Interior Department’s Invasive Species Advisory Committee, which had coordinated the federal government’s efforts at controlling pythons and other invasive species plaguing the nation.
That has fans and defenders of the Everglades concerned.
“The Everglades have faced a number of threats over the years, and certainly one of the very serious ones has been invasive species,” says Clyde Butcher (www.clydebutcher.com), a nature photographer who since the 1980s has helped bring national awareness to the Everglades through stunning black-and-white photographs that have been compared to the works of Ansel Adams.
Butcher and his photography have been witness to some of the changes invasive species have wrought. He notes that one of his early photographs taken in 1986 along the Tamiami Trail provides an example of the delicate balance in the Everglades. A thick cloud formation and a dark sky initially draw a viewer’s attention, but Butcher points to the grassy plains in the foreground.
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“Most of the grass in that picture was sawgrass, which later was overcome by invasive exotic plants,” Butcher says.
He says many people going about their daily lives, even in south Florida, are unaware of what would be lost if more isn’t done to protect this unique natural wonder from invasive species and other environmental hazards.
“With my photography, I’m trying to educate people that the environment is really important, and they need to actually experience it themselves,” Butcher says. “Looking at photographs in a gallery where you have air conditioning and there are no bugs is nice, but there’s nothing like experiencing the real thing.”
A few of the reasons that invasive species are a concern to Butcher and other defenders of the Everglades include:
Lack of natural predators. Because nonnative species typically lack natural predators, they can outcompete native species, the National Park Service reports. They can multiply unchecked, using up valuable resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. Native species suffer from this intense competition.
Severe decline of mammal population. Those Burmese pythons aren’t just wrestling with alligators. They also make meals out of mammals that call the Everglades home, which is one reason the state sponsors hunting contests among other efforts to get rid of them. Since the late 1990s, the Everglades have seen a steep decline in populations of raccoons, opossums, and bobcats, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, and foxes effectively disappeared.
Economic impact. Infestations of invasive plants and animals can negatively affect property values, agricultural productivity, public utility operations, native fisheries, tourism, and outdoor recreation, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In a state like Florida, where agriculture and tourism are major industries, that’s significant.
Butcher says walking through the Everglades can be a spiritual experience, one he would like to see as many people as possible share.
“For me, the inspiration has been overwhelming to try to record this for people, for posterity, because it’s so unique in the world. I’m not sure there’s another place like it.” said Clyde.
About Clyde Butcher
Clyde Butcher (www.clydebutcher.com) is an acclaimed nature photographer who is best known for his striking black-and-white images of the Everglades in Florida. But he has photographed the beauty of nature in other locations as well. For more than 50 years, he has been preserving on film the untouched areas of the landscape. Butcher has been honored by the state of Florida with the Artist Hall of Fame Award. Other major awards and honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association; Humanitarian of the Year for 2005 from the International University; the 2011 Distinguished Artist Award from the Florida House in Washington, D.C.; and the Ansel Adams Conservation Award from the Sierra Club.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media