♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS, I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO.

WELCOME.

>>TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY WMFE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER, AMY GREEN, WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK, MOVING WATER: THE EVERGLADES AND BIG SUGAR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK, AMY.

>>THANKS SO MUCH.

>>AMY, TO ESTABLISH THE SHOW, WE'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON YOU AS A JOURNALIST.

IT'S A HUGE DEAL TO PUBLISH A BOOK.

AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW YOU STARTED, AND WHAT LED YOU TO THIS BOOK.

>>YEAH.

SO, BACK IN 2008, I WAS REPORTING ON BIG NEWS AT THE TIME IN THE EVERGLADES.

THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME, CHARLIE CRIST, A REPUBLICAN, HAD ANNOUNCED A DEAL WHERE THE STATE WOULD BUY OUT US SUGAR COURT, AND US SUGAR IS THE NATION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST SUGAR PRODUCER IN PART OF THIS VERY LARGE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY SOUTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE, CALLED THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA.

AND THE PLAN WAS FOR THE STATE TO BUY OUT US SUGAR AND PUT THAT LAND TOWARD EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

AND THIS WAS MONUMENTAL NEWS BECAUSE AT THE TIME, IT WAS SEEN AS A HISTORIC WAY TO RESTORE THE EVERGLADES FLOW SOUTH AS IT ONCE FLOWED, RATHER THAN EAST AND WEST AS IT DOES TODAY THROUGH A VERY CONVOLUTED WATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN FLORIDA.

SO, AT THE TIME, THIS WAS BEFORE I WORKED AT WMFE, AND I WAS WORKING AS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST, SO I STARTED WORKING ON AN ARTICLE FOR NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE ABOUT THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION, WHICH IS JUST A POWERHOUSE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS VERY INVOLVED IN ORCHESTRATING THIS DEAL.

SO DURING THE COURSE OF REPORTING THAT ARTICLE, I HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH MARY BARLEY, WHOSE HUSBAND HAD ESTABLISHED THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION.

AND THROUGH TALKING WITH HER, I COULD IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT MARY HAD LIVED AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE.

SO A FEW WEEKS LATER, I WAS WORKING ON AN ARTICLE FOR THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, AND ACTUALLY DROVE DOWN TO ISLAMORADA, WHICH IS WHERE MARY LIVES, AND DID A PERSONALITY PROFILE ON HER FOR THE MONITOR, AND JUST KIND OF GOT HOOKED WITH THE EVERGLADES RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

I CAN REMEMBER BEING IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK WITH MARY AND WITH A SCIENTIST AT THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION NAMED TOM VAN LENT, AND TOM TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGHWAY THROUGH THE EVERGLADES IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

AND AFTER THE HIGHWAY WAS CONSTRUCTED, THEY NOTICED THAT THE VEGETATION ON ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WAS CHANGING AND WAS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.

AND THEY FIGURED OUT THAT THIS HIGHWAY SERVED AS A NATURAL DAM, AND IT JUST ALTERED THE FLOW OF WATER IN THE EVERGLADES, NOT A LOT BUT ENOUGH TO DRASTICALLY ALTER THE LANDSCAPE AND THE VEGETATION.

AND I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS THE COOLEST THING, AND I WAS VERY FASCINATED BY MARY'S STORY.

SO A FEW YEARS LATER, I CALLED MARY AND ASKED WHETHER SHE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ME WRITING A BOOK ABOUT HER LIFE, AND SHE SAID YES.

>>IT'S A FASCINATING STORY, AND I REALLY ENJOYED READING IT MYSELF.

BUT I'M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN POLITICS, AND YOUR BOOK ALSO CHRONICLES COMPETING INTERESTS THROUGHOUT HOW MONEY IS INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND IF CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF RESTORING THE EVERGLADES AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS TO PEOPLE.

WHAT DOES A POSITIVE OUTCOME LOOK LIKE IN THIS SITUATION?

SO YOUR BOOK YOU OUTLINED A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BY CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, EVERY ADMINISTRATION, SINCE AS WELL AS SEVERAL FLORIDA GOVERNORS.

>>YEAH.

WELL, JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT, THE BOOK IS ABOUT GEORGE AND MARY BARLEY.

AND IN THE EARLY '90S, GEORGE BARLEY WAS A WEALTHY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN ORLANDO.

HE WAS A WEALTHY REAL ESTATE INVESTOR IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND HE WAS JUST A DYNAMO OF AN ADVOCATE FOR THE EVERGLADES.

HE JUST HAD A PASSION FOR THE EVERGLADES, HE LOVED FISHING IN FLORIDA BAY, WHICH IS AT THE SOUTH END OF THE EVERGLADES, AND WAS JUST ENRAGED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE SYSTEM.

HE WAS VERY POLITICALLY CONNECTED THROUGH HIS REAL ESTATE DEALINGS, AND HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN SOME GOVERNMENT BOARDS LIKE AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, AND THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY.

SO HE JUST GOT INVOLVED IN EVERGLADES RESTORATION, AND HE WAS REALLY THE FIRST ONE TO BRING REAL ENERGY AND REAL RESOURCES AND POLITICAL CONNECTIONS TO THAT MOVEMENT.

BEFORE THAT, THERE HAD BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AND VERY HARDWORKING ADVOCATES IN THAT MOVEMENT, BUT GEORGE BARLEY REALLY WAS THE FIRST ONE TO CONNECT REAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND REAL POLITICAL CONNECTIONS TO THAT MOVEMENT.

>>THE BOOK TALKS ABOUT GEORGE'S VERY SUDDEN AND TRAGIC DEATH IN 1995.

HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO MEET WITH ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ABOUT THE EVERGLADES, AND HIS PLANE CRASHED, AND HE DIED.

AND WITHIN WEEKS OF HIS DEATH, HIS WIFE, MARY BARLEY, TOOK UP HIS CAUSE, AND STILL TODAY IS AN EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL ADVOCATE IN EVERGLADES POLICY AND POLITICS.

AND HER EVERGLADES FOUNDATION IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS IN THAT MOVEMENT.

THE BOOK ALSO IS ABOUT PAUL TUDOR JONES, WHO IS A WALL STREET TYCOON, AND WAS GEORGE BARLEY'S BEST FRIEND.

AND BOTH BEFORE GEORGE'S DEATH AND AFTER, WAS ANOTHER ONE WHO REALLY BROUGHT KIND OF EXTRAORDINARY FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THAT MOVEMENT.

HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR FUNDING AUDUBON'S FIRST POSITION IN SOUTH FLORIDA ON THE EVERGLADES, AND FUNDED THE STARTUP OF THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION, AND HE DID THIS WITH VERY LITTLE MEDIA INVOLVEMENT, MEDIA ATTENTION.

SO IT MAY BE THE FIRST WORK OF JOURNALISM TO REALLY DOCUMENT THE INFLUENCE OF PAUL TUDOR JONES IN FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY, AS WELL AS GEORGE AND MARY BARLEY.

SO WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT A POSITIVE OUTCOME IN THE EVERGLADES, WHAT MY BOOK IS ABOUT IS THOSE THREE INDIVIDUALS AND HOW THEIR WORK AT ADVOCACY, AND GEORGE AND MARY BARLEY IN PARTICULAR, THEIR VERY TIRELESS WORK AT EVERGLADES ADVOCACY, AND THEIR PASSION, HELPED LEAD TO THE BEGINNINGS OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

>>AMY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HELPED THE BARLEYS BECOME THAT SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE THE IMPACT THAT THEY'VE HAD?

>>YEAH.

SO, REALLY, AT THE HEART OF MOVING WATER, IS THIS TENSION BETWEEN THE BARLEYS AND THE EVERGLADES ADVOCATES, AND A VERY POWERFUL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS SUGAR GROWERS, BIG SUGAR AS THEY'RE OFTEN REFERRED TO IN POLITICAL PARLANCE.

I MENTIONED THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA EARLIER IN THE INTERVIEW, AND THE PRIMARY CROP THERE IS SUGAR.

AND THAT AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY IS LOCATED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF WHAT USED TO BE THE EVERGLADES.

SO THROUGHOUT THE VERY TROUBLED HISTORY OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION, THERE HAS BEEN TENSION THERE INVOLVING THE ROLE OF SUGAR GROWERS AND WHAT THEIR ROLE SHOULD BE TOWARD EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

A LOT OF THE BOOK TAKES A LOOK AT JUST THIS EXTRAORDINARY INFLUENCE SPECIAL INTERESTS HAVE IN SOME OF THE MOST PERSONAL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES LIKE THE FOOD WE EAT, AND THE WATER WE DRINK, AND THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE LIVE, AND JUST THE EXTRAORDINARY FINANCIAL RESOURCES THESE INTERESTS CAN BRING TO BEAR IN POLITICAL DEBATE OVER THINGS LIKE EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

AND IT DOCUMENTS HOW THE BARLEYS AND HOW PAUL TUDOR JONES AND OTHER EVERGLADES ADVOCATES LIKE CHARLES LEE WITH AUDUBON, THEIR POLITICAL STRATEGIES IN DEALING WITH THESE, THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF AN INTEREST LIKE BIG SUGAR THAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS COULD NOT COMPETE WITH HEAD TO HEAD.

SO THEY WOULD DO OTHER THINGS LIKE A CAMPAIGN WITH THE MEDIA OBVIOUSLY, AND THE BOOK TALKS ABOUT SOME OTHER POLITICAL STRATEGIES ON THE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS.

BUT AGAIN, WHAT MADE GEORGE BARLEY AND MARY BARLEY AND PAUL TUDOR JONES, WHAT MADE THEM EFFECTIVE IN WHAT THEY DID, WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING THESE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THE TABLE.

THEY WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THE CAMPAIGN IN A MORE BUSINESS ORIENTED WAY THAN MAYBE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS WERE ABLE TO IN THE PAST, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE THAT WAY.

>>ONE ELEMENT YOU BROUGHT UP IN THE BOOK OF COURSE, WAS THE BARLEYS PUSHED FOR THE NOTION THAT POLLUTERS SHOULD PAY FOR CLEAN UP OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION.

IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT THAT WAS AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY THOUGHT, WHILE THEY STILL HAD MANY SUCCESSES, THAT WASN'T REALLY ONE OF THE AREAS THAT SEEMED TO BE A BIG VICTORY, AT LEAST THUS FAR.

>>YEAH.

SO THAT REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF WHAT MOTIVATED GEORGE BARLEY.

HE WAS A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, SO AS PART OF HIS DOING BUSINESS, HE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN MITIGATION PROJECTS TO OFFSET THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF HIS PROJECTS.

SO AS HE BECAME AWARE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN FLORIDA BAY, WHICH HE LOVED SO MUCH AND HOW THOSE PROBLEMS EXTENDED UP THROUGHOUT THE PENINSULA, HE BECAME FOCUSED ON SUGAR GROWERS FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

AT THE TIME, SUGAR GROWERS WERE THE SUBJECT OF... WELL, THEY WEREN'T THE SUBJECT OF FEDERAL LITIGATION, BUT THEY WERE PART OF FEDERAL LITIGATION AGAINST THE STATE OVER WATER QUALITY IN THE EVERGLADES.

AND THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT WAS OVER SUGAR GROWERS POLLUTION OF THE WATER IN THE EVERGLADES.

>>AND AT THE TIME, THERE ALSO WAS THIS VERY POPULAR NARRATIVE THAT VILIFIED SUGAR FOR EXPANDING WAISTLINES AND DIABETES, THEY WERE KIND OF A POPULAR VILLAIN AT THE TIME ANYWAY.

AND IN FLORIDA, SUGAR GROWERS ENJOY THIS KIND OF UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE HISTORIC EVERGLADES BECAUSE OF A WATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS CREATED IN PART FOR THEM.

THEIR WATER IS MANAGED FOR THEM BY THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, SO THAT AFFECTS HOW THEIR CROPS ARE IRRIGATED.

AND IT'S MANAGED IN A WAY SO THAT DURING TIMES WHEN THE EVERGLADES HISTORICALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIER, THE SUGAR GROWERS NEEDED WETTER CONDITIONS AND VICE VERSA.

SO THE WATER MANAGEMENT WAS MANAGED IN THIS KIND OF UPSIDE DOWN WAY THAT BENEFITED THE SUGAR GROWERS AND WAS HARMFUL TO THE EVERGLADES.

AND BY THE EARLY TO MID '90S, THIS LITIGATION HAD REACHED A POINT WHERE THE STATE WAS GETTING INVOLVED IN CLEANING UP THE WATER QUALITY, AND TAXPAYERS WERE BEING CALLED ON TO CLEAN THIS UP, AND GEORGE BARLEY JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE... AS HE SAID IT, HE JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE SUGAR GROWERS WERE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.

SUGAR GROWERS ARE PAYING TAXES TOWARD EVERGLADES RESTORATION, AND THEY HAVE GONE BEYOND WATER QUALITY BENCHMARKS.

AND TODAY, EVERGLADES WATER IS CLEANER THAN IT WAS BACK THEN.

BUT AT THE TIME, GEORGE BARLEY JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS FAIR, AND IT JUST MADE HIM REALLY MAD, AND HE WAS JUST ENRAGED BY WHAT HE THOUGHT, HE WAS ENRAGED BY WHAT HE SAW AS GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION.

HE FELT LIKE THIS SPECIAL INTEREST WAS RIGGING THE SYSTEM, BASICALLY.

AND HE THOUGHT THAT- >>ACTUALLY, IT WAS THE SUBSIDIZED PRICE AS YOU DISCUSSED IN THE BOOK?

>>YES.

THERE IS AN AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM THAT PROPS UP THE PRICE OF SUGAR, THAT IS ANOTHER REASON SUGAR GROWERS ARE ABLE TO FARM IN THE EVERGLADES.

SO GEORGE BARLEY INITIATED A BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WAS AIMED AT TAXING GROWERS TO RAISE MONEY FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION, AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE DIED BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT THROUGH TO FRUITION.

BUT IN 96, THIS WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IN FLORIDA HISTORY, AND IT WAS LED BY MARY BARLEY.

AND SUGAR GROWERS JUST FOUGHT THIS THING TOOTH AND NAIL BECAUSE THEIR LIVES WERE REALLY ON THE LINE IN SOME WAYS, AND THEY KNEW IT.

AND IT WAS A BITTER DEBATE, AND IN THE END, THE BALLOT INITIATIVE WAS PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL.

THERE ENDED UP BEING THREE DIFFERENT BALLOT INITIATIVES ON THE BALLOT THAT VOTERS COULD VOTE FOR, AND VOTERS APPROVED SOME OF THEM BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.

AND THEN WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING, THE ONE OF THE MEASURES THAT VOTERS DID APPROVE, IT REQUIRED THE LEGISLATURE TO IMPLEMENT IT, AND THE LEGISLATURE NEVER DID.

>>SO THIS SHOW OF COURSE IS GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, AND WE LOOK AT A LOT OF FLORIDA ISSUES AND KIND OF LOOK AT HOW THEY PLAY OUT GLOBALLY.

SO ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS, WHAT ARE THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED IN A SITUATION LIKE THE EVERGLADES?

YOU HAVE THIS PRISTINE AREA THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED BY MAN FOR A 100 YEARS, IT'S NOT JUST THE SUGAR GROWERS OR EFFORTS BEFORE THAT FROM GOVERNOR BROWARD HIMSELF AND FORWARD.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED HERE?

>>WELL, THE EVERGLADES IS UNLIKE ANY PLACE ON EARTH.

AND THE RESTORATION EFFORT THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE EVERGLADES, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.

AND SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AS PART OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION REALLY BOGGLE THE MIND AT THE SCOPE AND HOW LARGE THEY ARE.

I MENTIONED THE WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS IN THE EVERGLADES, TO CLEAN THAT UP, THEY'RE BUILDING MAN-MADE MARSHES, FILTER MARSHES, AND THESE ARE ENGINEERED WETLANDS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ABSORB NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM THE WATER.

THE VEGETATIVE TISSUES OF THE VEGETATION ABSORBS THE NUTRIENT POLLUTION, AND AS THE WATER FLOWS THROUGH THESE WETLANDS, THE WATER FLOWS CLEAN THAN IT WAS WHEN IT ENTERED THE WETLANDS.

AND THESE ARE ENGINEERED WETLANDS THAT ARE LARGER THAN ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN IN THE WORLD.

ANOTHER PROJECT THAT REALLY BOGGLES MY MIND IS THIS PROJECT THAT WAS ENVISIONED AS AN UNDERGROUND SUBTERRANEAN RESERVOIR.

AND THE IDEA WAS THAT WATER WOULD BE PUMPED UNDERGROUND AND STORED UNDERGROUND, IT COULD BE RETRIEVED BACK TO THE SURFACE WHENEVER IT WAS NEEDED.

AND THIS IS A FASCINATING PROJECT TO ME BECAUSE IT REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION, WHICH IS, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO STORE THIS VAST QUANTITY OF WATER THAT'S NEEDED TO REVIVE THE RIVER OF GRASS, GIVEN THE EXPLOSIVE POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING ON THE PENINSULA?

SO ONE OF THOSE IDEAS IS TO STORE THE WATER INTO THE GROUND, THEY WERE GOING TO DIG 300 WELLS AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

AND THROUGH FURTHER STUDY, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT THIS, AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE PROJECT TODAY, BUT THEY'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF WELLS QUITE A BIT, AND THEY'RE STILL CONTINUING TO STUDY IT VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY AREN'T CAUSING ANY NEW PROBLEMS IN DOING THIS PROJECT.

SO THE EVERGLADES, THE RESTORATION PROJECT THAT'S UNDERWAY THERE, IT'S A GLOBAL MODEL.

PEOPLE COME TO FLORIDA FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

SO ONE THING THAT REALLY MOTIVATES ME AS A JOURNALIST, I GREW UP IN FLORIDA AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON THIS THING, IT'S CLOSELY WATCHED ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT.

>>AMY, THAT'S A GREAT TRANSITION TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL, AMY'S GOAL WITH THIS BOOK?

>>I THINK MY MAIN GOAL WITH THIS BOOK...

I JUST ALSO PRODUCED A PODCAST WITH WMFE CALLED DRAINED, IT WAS A PODCAST THAT WE DID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

AND I TALKED DURING THE PODCAST ABOUT ONE OF THE REASONS I'M FASCINATED BY THE EVERGLADES IS BECAUSE IT'S JUST I HAVE AN ANALYTICAL MIND, AND IT'S JUST SO COMPLICATED.

I SAY IN THE PODCAST IT'S LIKE A RUBIK'S CUBE, I CAN'T PUT DOWN, I ASK ONE QUESTION AND THAT LEADS TO ANOTHER QUESTION, AND ANOTHER, AND ANOTHER.

AND I REALLY THINK IT TOOK WRITING A BOOK AND DOING A PODCAST TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND I'M STILL LEARNING, AND I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN CERTAINLY, BUT I HAVE A HEART FOR THE EVERGLADES, I'M FASCINATED BY THE POLITICS, BY THE ENGINEERING THAT'S GOING INTO THE RESTORATION, I'M FASCINATED BY THE SCIENCE OF THE ECOSYSTEM ITSELF AND KIND OF THE MIRACLE OF THE ECOSYSTEM ITSELF.

AND AS A JOURNALIST, LIKE I SAID, I JUST FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT AND MAKING SURE IT'S GOING WELL.

IT'S FLORIDA'S MOST IMPORTANT WATER RESOURCE, ALL OF US FLORIDIANS ARE DEPENDENT ON THE WATER SUPPLY THAT THE EVERGLADES PROVIDES, AND I JUST FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT.

>>AMY, THERE IS ONE SECTION OF THE BOOK WHERE YOU WERE REPORTING ABOUT A TOWN HALL MEETING IN CLEWISTON.

MAYBE IT WAS A FIELD HEARING FROM A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, BUT IT POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT BEING LOSERS IN THE PROCESS OF RESTORING THE EVERGLADES, WHICH SERVES A GREATER PURPOSE, BUT IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT SURVIVAL.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT THE BOOK DEALS WITH, IS THIS KIND OF DAVID AND GOLIATH BATTLE BETWEEN THE BARLEYS AND THE SUGAR BARONS AS THEY WERE SOMETIMES CALLED AT THE TIME, LIKE THE VERY WEALTHY FOND POOLE FAMILY KNOWN AS PART OF PALM BEACH HIGH SOCIETY KIND OF.

BUT AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT THE BOOK MAKES IS KIND OF CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE HERE WHERE THE FARMERS WHO LIVED IN THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA, AND WHO WERE FARMING AND RAISING THE SUGAR THAT WE ALL DEPEND UPON AS PART OF OUR DIET AND ECONOMY, AND HOW THEY WERE KIND OF STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE BIG PICTURE POLICIES AT ONE POINT.

WE MENTIONED GOVERNOR CHRIS' PLAN TO BUY OUT US SUGAR, US SUGAR, THE NATION'S LARGEST SUGAR PRODUCER, REALLY THE HEART OF THAT COMMUNITY OF CLEWISTON, IS CERTAINLY THE LARGEST EMPLOYER THERE, WOULD HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS.

PEOPLE WERE TERRIFIED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEIR FAMILY BUDGETS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.

AND IT WAS A VERY STRESSFUL AND FEARFUL TIME, AND THEN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS ANOTHER BITTER DEBATE IN 2018 OVER TOXIC ALGAE IN AN IDEA TO BUILD A RESERVOIR SOUTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE, AND SUGAR GROWERS AGAIN STRONGLY OPPOSED THAT RESERVOIR AND RAISED FEARS ABOUT ECONOMIC TROUBLES IN THAT REGION IF MORE SUGAR LAND WAS LOST TO EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT THE BOOK TALKS ABOUT.

>>I KNOW THIS IS NEW, IT'S A NEW BOOK, BUT IF IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU DO GET SUGAR GROWERS WHO READ THE BOOK AND SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT, I SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO HER."

WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT TO GIVE THEM THEIR CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AS A JOURNALIST, YOUR JOB IS TO TALK TO EVERYONE AND GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO SPEAK THEIR MIND AND SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

THERE WERE SEVERAL FARMERS WHO I VISITED WITHIN THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED IN THE BOOK.

SO IN WRITING THE BOOK, I TRIED TO WEIGH THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND REPRESENT THEIR VIEWS IN A WAY THAT DID NOT IDENTIFY THEM IN THE BOOK, AND WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR TIME AND HELPFULNESS AND INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE.

SO, YES, CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MORE SUGAR GROWERS.

I MENTIONED RICK ROTH EARLIER IN THE INTERVIEW, WE ALSO TALKED WITH HIM FOR THE PODCAST THAT WE PRODUCED, WMFE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

>>AMY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO TELL OUR VIEWERS, "THIS IS THE BOOK, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT."

THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT I SEE IN THIS BOOK AND IN YOUR REPORTING IS HOW YOU MAKE VERY COMPLEX ISSUES ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR KEYS TO DOING THAT, NOT JUST WITH THE EVERGLADES ISSUE, BUT OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES YOU'VE COVERED?

>>WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO MAKE THE STORY ONE ABOUT PEOPLE.

THE BARLEYS' STORY IS JUST SO EXTRAORDINARILY COMPELLING.

I JUST WAS FASCINATED BY MARY BARLEY, I JUST WAS AN ADMIRER OF HERS AS KIND OF A FELLOW PROFESSIONAL WOMAN.

SHE HAS A VERY FASCINATING PERSONALITY, AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSONAL HISTORY.

SO ANYTIME YOU CAN FIND A COMPELLING STORY, IT'S REALLY THE BARLEYS WHO TAKE THE HAND OF THE READER AND LEAD THE READER THROUGH THIS EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX, BUREAUCRATIC TALE OF EVERGLADES RESTORATION, AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS, AND WATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND POLITICAL POLICY, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE THE BOOK SUCH A PLEASURE TO WRITE, WAS THAT IT WAS JUST THE BARLEYS' STORY WAS JUST SUCH A GOOD STORY.

>>CHARACTERS ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS.

AMY GREEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>>IT'S MY PLEASURE.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING ME.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.