OF ECOSENSE FOR LIVING... >> THERE'S STUFF IN THE SWAMP NOW THAT THEY'RE STILL FINDING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WAS THERE.

>> ALLIGATORS HAVE INCREDIBLE LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

IN A LOT OF CAPTIVE SETTINGS, THEY ACTUALLY TRAIN THEM SIMILAR TO HOW YOU WOULD TRAIN A DOG.

>> IF WE ARE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, THAT'S LIKE GETTING A GOLD STAR FROM AN INTERNATIONAL BODY SAYING THIS IS A UNIQUE PLACE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

♪ ♪ >> THE OKEFENOKEE WILDLIFE REFUGE IN SOUTH GEORGIA IS A PLACE OF MYSTERY AND WONDER - A PLACE THAT DESERVES OUR RESPECT AND PROTECTION.

♪ ♪ >> IF ANYBODY ASKS ME, WHAT WAS DOWN HERE TO SEE, THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY WAS YOU GOT TO GO SEE THE TREMBLING EARTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE CALL OKEFENOKEE, THE TREMBLING EARTH.

BECAUSE THINGS JUST DON'T STAY STILL OUT THERE.

THEY KIND OF MOVE AROUND.

♪ ♪ >> BEFORE THIS WAS ALL OF THE MUSCOGEE CREEK LAND.

>> IT'S NOT JUST A PIECE OF LAND.

IT ACTUALLY LIVES TOO.

♪ ♪ >> WE'RE THE LARGEST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

WE ARE THE LARGEST INTACT BLACKWATER WETLAND IN NORTH AMERICA.

WE'VE BEEN CALLED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, ONE OF THE TOP 100 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD.

♪ ♪ >> IT IS A VERY UNIQUE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITH 120 MILES OF WATER TRAILS, CAMPING ADVENTURES, BOARDWALKS, CANOEING, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO.

>> ESSENTIALLY OKEFENOKEE SWAMP IS A VERY SHALLOW LAKE FULL OF INTERESTING BIRDS, INTERESTING PLANTS, LOTS OF AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, LOTS OF ALLIGATORS.

IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THE SERENGETI EXCEPT IT'S WET.

>> THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR IS OUR ICONIC CHARISMATIC AMBASSADOR OF THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP.

MANY OF OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS COME SPECIFICALLY TO SEE THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO THE OVERNIGHT CANOE TRIPS, SOME WANT TO COME ON THE NEW MOON WHEN THEY CAN SEE ALL THE STARS AND SOME WANT TO COME FOR THE FULL MOON TO SEE IT.

BECAUSE IT IS BEAUTIFUL COMING UP OVER THAT PRAIRIE.

BEAUTIFUL BIG ORANGE BALL.

>> I'M A SEVENTH GENERATION BARBER.

MY LAST NAME IS BARBER.

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THIS REGION FOR A VERY LONG TIME NOW.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE LAST FULLY, ALMOST 100% PRESERVED WETLANDS IN THE U.S.

THE AMAZON IS BASICALLY THE LUNG FOR THE WORLD.

THAT'S ONE REASON WHY DEFORESTATION IS SUCH AN ISSUE IN THE AMAZON.

YOU CAN THINK OF THIS AS THE OKEFENOKEE AS THE LUNG OF THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

SO WE'RE OUT HERE IN CHESSERS PRAIRIE.

WHAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS CALLED A BATTERY.

THE MAJORITY OF THIS IS PEAT MOSS.

THERE ARE SECTIONS OF THIS THAT GET SO THICK, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET OUT AND WALK ON IT.

I'M NOT WALKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW.

WITH ALL THE PEAT THAT'S ALL ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THESE CANALS, IT DOES PRODUCE METHANE GAS, WHICH IS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THAT PEAT.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PRESS ON THE BOTTOM OF THESE CANALS AND YOU'LL START SEEING ALL THOSE BUBBLES COME UP.

THAT IS METHANE GAS.

>> ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES IS THE FREQUENCY OF WILDFIRE.

THE DROUGHTS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND WHEN THE RAINFALL DOES COME, IT'S BECOMING HEAVIER - SO WHAT THAT DOES IS INSTEAD OF HAVING LARGE WILDFIRES, MAYBE EVERY DECADE OR TWO DECADES, NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HAVING LARGE WILDFIRES, MAYBE EVERY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.

AND SO THAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, IT'S PREDICTED THAT THERE WILL BE LESS RAINFALL OVER THE OKEFENOKEE.

THE WATER IN THE OKEFENOKEE IS OVER 80% OF IT IS STRICTLY FROM RAINFALL.

THE PEAT BEING WATERLOGGED HOLDS SO MUCH CARBON AND DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS, WHEN THE PEAT IS EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT AND DRIES UP, IT CAN BECOME FUEL FOR FIRES.

THESE FIRES ARE NATURAL.

THE OKEFENOKEE IS A FIRE ADAPTED, BUT IT'S PEAT DEPENDENT.

WE WANT TO KEEP THAT PEAT.

CARS DRIVING FOR 10 YEARS.

>> SO IF YOU HAVE THE COMBINATION OF THE PEATLANDS INTACT AND THE FOREST AROUND IT, IT'S REALLY A RESILIENT SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE OKEFENOKEE, IT IS THE SWAMP, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES TRAIL RIDGE.

TRAIL RIDGE IS PART OF THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ITSELF.

IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

SO IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE OKEFENOKEE, YOU HAVE TO CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TRAIL RIDGE.

IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE, YOU NEED TO PROTECT WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE.

>> WHAT IS A TRAIL RIDGE?

>> SO TRAIL RIDGE IS AN OLD BARRIER ISLAND.

IT'S OVER A HUNDRED MILLION YEARS OLD AND IT WAS FORMED WHEN SEA LEVELS WERE HIGHER AND IT BASICALLY RUNS FROM UP NEAR WAYCROSS, GEORGIA DOWN INTO FLORIDA.

IT BECAME INTERESTING TO MINERS BECAUSE IT'S GOT A HIGH DENSITY OF TITANIUM SANDS, WHICH ARE USEFUL FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.

IT'S BEEN HEAVILY MINED DOWN IN FLORIDA.

AND, BUT NONE OF THAT MINING HAS MOVED UP INTO GEORGIA YET.

>> IS THERE A POTENTIAL FOR THAT TO HAPPEN?

THAT MINING?

>> RECENTLY THERE'S BEEN A NEW PROPOSAL TO MINE DOWN NEAR THE LITTLE TOWN OF ST. GEORGE, GEORGIA ON THE TRAIL RIDGE.

AND IT'S JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF OKEFENOKEE SWAMP.

BASICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO DIG OUT A 50 FOOT DEEP TRENCH AND THEN REFILL IT WITH THE SANDS THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT.

>> ARE THEY EVER REALLY ABLE TO RESTORE THAT BACK TO ITS NATURAL STATE?

>> YOU CAN LOOK DOWN AT WHERE THEY MINED IN FLORIDA, AND THE LANDSCAPE DOES NOT LOOK NATURAL.

IT'S NOT GROWING TREES WELL, THERE'S POOR VEGETATION REGROWTH, AND THERE'S NO WETLANDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT THERE.

IT'LL REALLY TAKE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR THE SOIL TO REDEVELOP TO A MORE NATURAL CONDITION.

WHEN THEY MIX UP ALL THOSE SANDS AND PUT THEM BACK, THE LEAKAGE RATE THROUGH TRAIL RIDGE WILL GET FASTER AND THE WATER LEVEL IN THE SWAMP WILL DROP.

>> HOW MIGHT THIS AFFECT THE WILDLIFE IN THE SWAMP?

>> SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT ARE ADAPTED TO LIFE IN A WET SWAMP.

IF YOU DROP THE WATER, THE LEVEL OF SWAMP, YOU'RE BASICALLY GONNA REDUCE HABITAT FOR ALL SPECIES.

>> SO WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE OKEFENOKEE?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VARIOUS PLACES IN THE US THAT ARE REALLY UNUSUAL IN THEIR HABITAT.

THE EVERGLADES, THE OKEFENOKEE, THE PECOSINS OF NORTH CAROLINA - PLACES WHERE THERE'S REALLY NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT.

AND SO IF WE WANT TO KEEP THESE PLACES THAT ARE REALLY UNIQUE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO NOT DO THINGS LIKE MINE ON THEIR PERIMETER.

MY HOPE IS THAT THE OKEFENOKEE WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY AS IT IS NOW WITH THE WILDLIFE REFUGE, WITH TIMBERLAND AROUND IT, AND FIGURING OUT MORE WAYS TO GET TOURISTS AND TOURIST MONEY INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, OH, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO FIX THINGS BACK.

YOU CAN'T PUT BACK SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKINGS.

THE IMPACT FROM ONE LITTLE ACTION IS A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SALVAGE.

THERE'S STUFF IN THE SWAMP NOW THAT THEY'RE STILL FINDING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WAS THERE.

>> IT'S ALMOST RELIGIOUS.

I'M GOING TO CRY.

YOU CAN FEEL GOD EVERYWHERE.

YOU CAN JUST FEEL HIM.

AND THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT.

>> EVEN IN YOUR WILDEST DREAM OR THE WILDEST DREAM OF ANYBODY THAT'S EVER BEEN BORN ON THIS EARTH, WILL HAVE NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE GAME PLAN FOR OKEFENOKEE.

JUST LIKE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT FOR THE GRAND CANYON OR THE EVERGLADES OR THE REDWOODS IN CALIFORNIA OR ANY OTHER PLACE BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF THING.

IT'S NOT A MAN THING.

IT'S A GOODNESS THING.

IT'S A SPIRITUAL THING.

IT'S A GOD THING, PLAIN, SIMPLE, END, STOP.

♪ ♪ >> OKEFENOKEE WILDLIFE REFUGE IS SO UNIQUE THAT IT ATTRACTS RESEARCHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND CLOSER TO HOME.

♪ ♪ >> WE THINK ABOUT ALLIGATORS AS PREDATORS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT PREY.

WHEN ALLIGATOR BABIES FIRST HATCH OUT THERE THEY'RE QUITE SMALL AND TURTLES, OTHER ALLIGATORS, BIRDS, MAMMALS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS WILL EAT THEM.

♪ ♪ >> STRAIGHT BACK.

PETER CAN YOU GO BACK PLEASE?

WE COVER THEIR EYES TO REDUCE STRESS.

WE LEARN BOAT ACROBATICS AS PART OF ALLIGATOR BIOLOGY.

THE ANIMAL IS 7.8 FEET LONG.

MARK RIGHT NOW IS DETERMINING THE SEX OF THIS, THIS ANIMAL.

AND WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE, MARK?

>> WE HAVE A FEMALE.

>> WE HAVE A FEMALE.

SO SHE IS MISSING HER FRONT RIGHT FOOT.

AND THIS WAS LIKELY BITTEN OFF BY A TURTLE WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER.

WE'RE TAKING TISSUE SAMPLES FROM EVERY ALLIGATOR THAT WE CATCH SO THAT WE CAN STUDY GENETICS AND WE'RE INTERESTED IN ESSENTIALLY BUILDING A FAMILY TREE OF THE ALLIGATORS.

ALLIGATORS ARE REALLY SOCIAL, AND THEY HAVE DOMINANCE AND TERRITORIALITY.

IT TELLS A WHOLE LOT ABOUT BEHAVIOR TOO, TO SEE WHO'S ACTUALLY GETTING TO REPRODUCE AND HAVE THEIR GENES PASSED ON.

TISSUE SAMPLES CAN ALSO TELL YOU THINGS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR DIET.

WE'VE DONE SOME OTHER WORK ON STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS, WHICH IS, IN SHORT, IS THE "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT."

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE'S EVERYTHING FROM BEARS TO SNAKES, TO MOTHS THAT THESE ANIMALS ARE EATING OUT HERE IN THE SWAMP.

NUISANCE - IT'S A COMMON TERM THAT WE ALL USE TO DESCRIBE AN ANIMAL THAT HAS ESSENTIALLY ACCLIMATED TO PEOPLE.

AND THE IRONY IS THAT WE CALL THE ALLIGATOR A NUISANCE, WHEN IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE ALLIGATOR'S BEHAVIOR THAT IS CONCERNING IS SIMPLY A PRODUCT OF OUR OWN, AND ALLIGATORS HAVE INCREDIBLE LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

IN A LOT OF CAPTIVE SETTINGS, THEY ACTUALLY TRAIN THEM SIMILAR TO HOW YOU WOULD TRAIN A DOG IN SOME INSTANCES, EVEN USING CLICKERS, BUT JUST LIKE A DOG AT THE DINNER TABLE, YOU ONLY HAVE TO FEED YOUR DOG ONCE BEFORE HE KNOWS THE DINNER TABLE.

HE KNOWS YOU.

HE KNOWS THE TIME.

HE KNOWS PARTICULAR FOOD ITEMS.

AND IT'S THE SAME THING WITH ALLIGATORS.

IT DISRUPTS THEIR NATURAL FEAR OR EVEN WHERE IT'S NOT FEAR JUST THEIR TENDENCY TO MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND THAT'S CAUSING AN INTERACTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND ALLIGATORS THAT IS NOT DESIRABLE.

AND IN SOME SITUATIONS CAN BE DANGEROUS.

I THINK THEY'RE REALLY INCREDIBLY AWESOME AND I HOPE THEY STICK AROUND FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND SO LONG AND THEY NEVER WERE IN TROUBLE UNTIL WE STARTED DEVELOPING HABITATS AND FEEDING THEM.

AND SOMETIMES HAVING SOME NEGATIVE INTERACTIONS WITH THEM AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE STUDYING AS WELL.

HOW TO AVOID UNNECESSARY REMOVAL OF THESE REALLY IMPORTANT ANIMALS.

>> SO WE'RE PUTTING WATER ON HER JUST TO KEEP HER HYDRATED AND COOL HERE WHILE WE HAVE HER OUT.

JUST TRY AND KEEP THE STRESS LEVEL AS LOW AS WE CAN.

IT IS A BIT OF A STRESSFUL PROCESS, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO, LIKE COVERING THE EYES OR POURING WATER JUST HELPS KEEP THEM CALMER.

>> SO MARK IS GOING TO DRAW BLOOD TO GET A SAMPLE.

HIS MASTER'S REALLY IS PULLING TOGETHER SEVERAL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING FOR FOUR YEARS, LIKE THE GENETICS, THE SATELLITE DATA.

SO HE'S GETTING THE SOAP OPERA THAT'S GOING ON IN THE SWAMP AND SEEING THEIR INTERACTIONS.

>> I CAN SEE, IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ALLIGATORS' INTERACTIONS AND THEIR RELATEDNESS?

SO SAY IF HER SISTER WERE AROUND, WOULD THE SISTER BE ABLE TO GET CLOSER AND STAY IN A MORE PROXIMITY?

WOULD THEY BE MORE LIKELY TO GET ALONG, LESS LIKELY TO GET ALONG?

WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL THINGS LIKE THAT FROM THE GENETICS AND SATELLITE TAG DATA.

♪ ♪ >> AMERICAN ALLIGATORS ARE INCREDIBLE MOTHERS.

THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REASONS I GOT SO INTERESTED IN THEM.

SO NOT ONLY WHEN THEY ARE CARING FOR THEIR YOUNG, BUT EVEN AS EARLY ON, AS WHEN THEY BUILD THE NEST, THEY LAY THE EGGS.

THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY GUARDING THIS NEST WITH THEIR LIFE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

WE ARE APPROACHING THE NEST OF SALLY.

SHE'S A FEMALE ALLIGATOR HERE AT THE SWAMP PARK.

THIS IS A VERY PROTECTIVE FEMALE.

SHE'S A GREAT MOTHER.

SHE'S PROTECTING HER NEST FROM PREDATORS, FROM PEOPLE APPROACHING IT.

SHE'S ESSENTIALLY GUARDING THEM FROM RACCOONS, BEARS, MAYBE EVEN OTHER ALLIGATORS.

AND ONCE THE ALLIGATORS HATCH, THEY CAN SPEND ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO THREE YEARS WITH THEIR MOTHER.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE HER NEWLY HATCHED POD OF ALLIGATOR HATCHLINGS.

THEY ARE JUST ABOUT A WEEK OLD AT THIS POINT.

SO THEY'RE STILL VERY SMALL.

THEY'RE GENERALLY ABOUT SIX TO TEN INCHES WHEN THEY'RE FIRST BORN.

SALLY IS A DOMINANT FEMALE.

TYPICALLY IF ANOTHER FEMALE IS COMING INTO SALLY'S TERRITORY, ESPECIALLY DURING LIKE MATING OR NESTING SEASON, THERE WILL BE A BIT OF AN ALTERCATION.

WE HAVE NOTICED HER CHASING OUT OTHER ANIMALS.

SHE'S VERY VOCAL.

SHE'S PRETTY GOOD AT WARNING OTHERS, BOTH PEOPLE AND ANIMALS TO BACK UP, PLEASE EXIT MY TERRITORY.

SALLY DOES NEST NEAR PEOPLE.

WE HAVE THIS BOARDWALK LOCATION WHERE SHE'S JUST FEET BELOW THE BOARDWALK.

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SEE EVERY DAY.

AND I THINK SHE MIGHT BE ONTO SOMETHING WITH THAT.

SO BECAUSE WE HAVE HIGH TRAFFIC OF HUMAN ACTIVITY HERE, YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO SEE PREDATORS.

SO SHE'S POSSIBLY SELECTING THIS AS A PROTECTIVE MEASURE.

THE WATER LEVELS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY FOR NESTING, BUT ALSO JUST FOR GENERAL THINGS LIKE FEEDING AND HABITAT RESOURCES.

IN YEARS THAT WE SEE DROUGHTS, WE HAVE MORE ANIMALS CONFINED TO A SMALLER AREA WITH LESS WATER.

THE FEEDING GETS A LITTLE ROUGH.

THEY'RE COMPETING A LITTLE BIT MORE IF THEY'RE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER, CANNIBALISM BECOMES A MUCH HIGHER OCCURRENCE AS WELL.

THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO STUDY ALLIGATORS.

IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST SINGLE HABITATS THAT WE HAVE INTACT RIGHT NOW TO STUDY THEM.

AND SO IT IS THOUSANDS OF ACRES, THE WATERS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME.

WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT HABITAT TYPES JUST WITHIN THE SWAMP.

♪ ♪ >> I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING ABOUT CONSERVATION.

OUR JOB IS NEVER GOING TO BE DONE.

LOOK AT ALL THIS WATER.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE ENTIRE WATERSHED.

THIS ISN'T JUST OKEFENOKEE SWAMP.

THIS EXTENDS TO THE COAST.

THIS IS THE SOUTHEASTERN US.

>> WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

YOU GOT HER BACK LEG.

EVERYBODY READY?

SET HER ON THE EDGE RIGHT HERE.

BACK UP.

I'VE GOT THE ROPE.

WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

1, 2, 3....AND AWAY SHE GOES!

>> THANK YOU, BAT GIRL.

♪ ♪ >> THE EVERGLADES IS ONE OF THE GREAT WONDERS OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

RESTORING IT TEACHES US THE VALUE OF CONSERVATION.

♪ ♪ >> IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE EVERGLADES, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE BEEN DITCHED AND DAMMED AND DRAINED TO AN AMAZING EXTENT.

AND SO NOW THERE'S THIS MULTI-DECADE RESTORATION PROJECT GOING ON, SPENDING LITERALLY BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO RESTORE THE FLOW OF THE EVERGLADES.

WELL, THE OKEFENOKEE DO NOT HAVE THOSE PROBLEM.

>> THE GREATER EVERGLADES WAS TWICE THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

IT STARTED ALL THE WAY IN WHAT IS NOW DISNEY WORLD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLORIDA KEYS.

AND SO REALLY THE ENTIRETY OF FLORIDA SOUTHERN PENINSULA WAS THE EVERGLADES.

WE THINK ABOUT THE ICONIC RIVER OF GRASS, BUT THE HABITATS OF THE EVERGLADES ARE VERY DIVERSE.

THERE ARE CYPRESS, PINE ROCKLANDS ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS, MANGROVE SHORELINES.

IT'S REALLY A VERY DIVERSE HABITAT.

THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS CONNECTED BY WATER.

AND AS THE WATER TRAVELED THROUGH THAT RIVER OF GRASS, THE SOIL WOULD ABSORB ALL OF THE NUTRIENTS.

SO THAT ONLY THE MOST PRISTINE FLOW WOULD MAKE IT INTO THE SOUTHERN EVERGLADES.

THAT'S WHY THE EVERGLADES IS SO UNIQUE INTERNATIONALLY BECAUSE OF THIS NATURAL WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM.

OVER A CENTURY AGO, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOOKED AT SOUTH FLORIDA AND SAID, THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO DEVELOP.

AND SO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CEDED OVER A HUNDRED MILLION ACRES OF LAND TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA ON THE SINGLE CONDITION THAT WE DRAIN THE EVERGLADES.

SO WE DID, WE STARTED BUILDING CANALS AND LEVIES AND DITCHES THAT DIVERTED WATER AWAY FROM THAT HISTORIC RIVER OF GRASS AND INSTEAD MOVED THE WATER TO THE EAST OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND TO THE WEST, TO THE GULF OF MEXICO AND IN DOING SO WE REALLY DRIED OUT A LOT OF THE EVERGLADES AND ABOUT 70% OF THAT HISTORIC WATER FLOW HAS BEEN LOST.

>> THE EVERGLADES ARE AN INTERESTING CASE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD MUCH MORE AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT ON THE MARGINS.

THE EVERGLADES ARE A HIGHLY MODIFIED SYSTEM AT THIS POINT.

THEY'VE HAD REALLY HIGH INPUTS OF NUTRIENTS FROM FARMING.

THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF MODIFICATION OF THE FLOWS, THEY'VE HAD RESERVOIRS BUILT IN THE HEADWATERS.

THERE'S NOW AN ENTIRE FEDERAL PROGRAM TO RESTORE THE EVERGLADES.

IT'LL TAKE DECADES TO DO SO.

THE BEAUTY OF THE OKEFENOKEE IS IT'S A LARGELY UNMOLESTED, UNMODIFIED SYSTEM.

WE CAN AVOID THE PROBLEMS IN THE OKEFENOKEE BY NOT LETTING THEM START.

>> OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, VISITOR ACCOUNT, THEY COUNT VISITS.

THEY'VE COUNTED NEARLY 700,000 VISITS ANNUALLY.

SO ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION VISITORS A YEAR ENTER THE OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE THROUGH ONE OF THE THREE COUNTIES.

SO THERE'S ABSOLUTELY MORE ROOM FOR MORE VISITORS, AND WE SEE THIS AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REGION IS ECOLOGICAL TOURISM.

WE THINK THE OKEFENOKEE CAN ANCHOR A NEW STORY FOR THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP THAT DOES INCREASE TOURISM IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY.

INDUSTRY HERE IN THE OKEFENOKEE HAS BEEN HIGHLY FOCUSED ON EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES, WHICH HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

ECOTOURISM IS A NASCENT INDUSTRY HERE.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES ARE NOT KNOWN IN THE SAME WAY THAT NATIONAL PARKS ARE IDENTIFIED.

NATIONAL PARKS HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR BEAUTY, FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY AND GRANDEUR OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

REFUGES WERE CREATED FOR WILDLIFE.

THEY ARE PLACES FOR WILDLIFE TO HAVE SANCTUARY, BUT IT'S ALSO AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITATION.

WITH 120 MILES OF WATER TRAILS, CAMPING ADVENTURES, BOARDWALKS, CANOEING, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO.

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE OKEFENOKEE IN A CANOE OR KAYAK AND GLIDING THROUGH AS DUSK IS SETTING, AND MAYBE YOU HEAR THE BARRED OWLS, AND YOU HEAR THE BELLOWS OF AN AMERICAN ALLIGATOR, YOU DO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AT A TIME MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE.

IT STILL FEELS LIKE NATURE IS SUPREME.

>> THE OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO BE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE.

WELL, I SHOULD SAY, IT'S ON THE TENTATIVE LIST TO BE NOMINATED.

IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO OUR SURROUNDING LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE, THERE ARE TOURISTS WHO DO NOTHING BUT TRAVEL THE WORLD TO VISIT WORLD HERITAGE SITES.

IF WE ARE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, THAT'S LIKE GETTING A GOLD STAR FROM AN INTERNATIONAL BODY SAYING THIS IS A UNIQUE PLACE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

THERE'S ONLY A FEW NATURAL WORLD HERITAGE SITES, IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THOSE ARE PLACES LIKE THE GRAND CANYON, YELLOWSTONE, THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, THE EVERGLADES.

AND SO IT WOULD BE THE RECOGNITION THAT THE OKEFENOKEE IS AS UNIQUE AND AS MARVELOUS AS THOSE PLACES.

AND IT WOULD BRING US A LOT OF ATTENTION, I BELIEVE.

♪ ♪ >> WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES TODAY, TO DO THE RIGHT THING TODAY, WHILE WE'RE IN PROCESS TO BECOME A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, TO ENSURE THAT THE OKEFENOKEE IS NOT DAMAGED IRREPARABLY OR IN A WAY THAT COSTS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPAIR THE ECOSYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT THE EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK HAS HAD TO DO.

>> AS A NATIONAL PARK ADVOCATE, WE'RE OFTEN RELYING ON LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS TO MAKE CHOICES THAT WILL IMPACT A GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM.

AND HAVING THE EVERGLADES CLASSIFIED AS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, REALLY BRINGS THE ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL TREASURE AND ONE THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THE OBLIGATION TO PROTECT IN OUR BACKYARD.

A CENTURY AGO, WE LEFT A LEGACY OF DISMANTLING THE EVERGLADES AND DISCONNECTING THIS WATER SYSTEM.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE ALL EYES ALIGNED ON REBUILDING THAT SYSTEM AND SO IT IS A HOPEFUL TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SCIENCE, WE HAVE THE LEADERSHIP AND WE JUST NEED TO PUT THE PROJECTS IN PLACE.

AT NPCA, SOMETHING WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS AS PARK ADVOCATES, IS THAT IT'S EASIER TO PROTECT IT THAN TO RESTORE IT.

SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS IN PLACE, PRESERVE HABITAT, PRESERVE WATER QUALITY, THAT'S DEFINITELY PREFERRED TO HAVING TO GO BACK IN AND REBUILD THOSE ECOSYSTEMS AND HOPE THAT THE WILDLIFE RETURNS.

PRESERVATION IS ALWAYS THE BEST CHOICE.