An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century, published by the University of Georgia Press. In this podcast, he discusses This article "Sharp Prose for Green: John D. MacDonald and the First Ecological Novel," which appeared in this issue of The Florida Historical Quarterly.]]> The Florida Historical Quarterly, Florida Historical Society, Cocoa, Florida.]]> The Florida Historical Quarterly]]> Florida Historical Society]]> University of Central Florida, Department of History]]> The Florida Historical Quarterly, Florida Historical Society, Cocoa, Florida.]]> Florida Historical Quarterly Podcast Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> QuickTime.]]> The Florida Historical Quarterly.]]> Florida Historical Society and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Homer L. Osborne.]]>
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    Although the letter does not state so explicitly, it was likely written in reference to Lake Apopka, which is one of Florida’s largest lakes and was once considered to be one of the world’s best lakes for bass fishing. The lake’s sport fish population began to decline in the 1960s, with major die-offs occurring almost yearly. The lake’s problems are generally considered to be the result of over-nutrification from various sources. Twenty thousand acres of wetlands bordering the lake’s north shore were drained in the 1940s and used for highly fertile “muck farms.” These farms were routinely flooded to protect the fragile soil, and the fertilizer and pesticide-laden water was then discharged back into the lake prior to each growing season. Other sources of pollution include discharge from citrus processing operations, as well as treated wastewater from sewage plants. The nutrient-rich discharge promoted algae growth in the lake, turning the water to a green color, and blocked sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation, which provided food and habit to the lake’s fish population. The lake’s bottom soil became increasingly “mucky,” also disrupting aquatic vegetation from taking root.

    Restoration work on the lake began in the 1960s with attempts by various agencies to remove “trash fish,” such as gizzard shad, from the lake via seining, which would hopefully allow the lake’s sportfish to thrive. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council, an initiative formed under Governor Claude Kirk (1926-2011) in 1967, launched several studies to find methods to improve the lake, though no serious action was taken. Various methods were debated to restore the lake through the 1970s and 1980s, including “drawdown,” which entailed completely draining the lake to allow the mucky bottom to consolidate. Restoration attempts were stalled for lack of funding and research.

    The Lake Apopka Restoration Council was reformed in 1985 under Governor Bob Graham (b. 1936), and, in 1987, the Surface Water and Improvement Management Act was passed. Together, these actions allowed comprehensive restoration plans to take shape, such as the Marsh Flow-way, a project by the St John’s Water Management District that uses natural methods to remove nutrients from the lake. The Friends of Lake Apopka, a citizen environmental advocacy group, began to push for further restoration efforts in the 1990s. The lake’s north shore muck farms were eventually purchased by the State of Florida, helping to reduce the amount of nutrient entering the lake.]]>
    Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Friends of Lake Apopka Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and James E. Hughes.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and R.F. Cooper.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Ralph Hammond.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and William E. Austin.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Ralph Hammond.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and R.F. Cooper.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and J.A. Hopkins.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and W. W. Linz.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and R.F. Cooper.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Robert E. Witherell.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Albert R. Swartz.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Albert R. Swartz.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Albert R. Swartz.]]>
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    Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and R.F. Cooper.]]>
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