Environment

Conservationists plan Saturday rally for Everglades land

By Jenny Staletovich

jstaletovich@MiamiHerald.com

Conservationists say the state needs to buy between 30,000 and 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee to build a reservoir to help restore the Everglades.
Conservationists say the state needs to buy between 30,000 and 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee to build a reservoir to help restore the Everglades. Tim Chapman Miami Herald Staff

Conservationists who want Florida to preserve more land are holding rallies across the state Saturday in advance of the special legislative session that starts Monday.

The push follows a bitter fight during the regular session that included protests and a rally headlined by Jimmy Buffett to persuade lawmakers to buy U.S. Sugar land before a deal expired. Backers of Amendment 1, overwhelmingly supported in November, say the state needs to buy land for water storage south of Lake Okeechobee and also order the South Florida Water Management District to lay out a plan for designing and building a reservoir they say is part of the original restoration plans for the wilting wetlands.

A South Miami rally — including Mayor Philip Stoddard, Miami-Dade County Commissioners Rebecca Sosa and Daniella Levine Cava and Audubon Florida members — will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at South Miami's city hall, 6130 Sunset Drive.

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