On April 7-8, SCCF’s policy team participated in Everglades Action Day — an annual advocacy event in Tallahassee organized by the Everglades Coalition in honor of legendary Everglades activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ birthday (April 7, 1890).

The Everglades Coalition is an alliance of nearly 60 local, state, and national conservation and environmental organizations, including SCCF, and our Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis currently serves on their board. Many of these organizations were also in attendance for Everglades Action Day, including Audubon Florida, Friends of the Everglades, the Everglades Law Center, and many more.

Everglades Action Day happens in tandem with Florida’s Legislative Session, allowing the advocacy to have real-time impact on laws currently moving through the House and Senate.

“Walking the halls of the Florida capitol advocating with such passionate, educated partners reminds us of the lasting impact of Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ legacy,” said SCCF Policy Associate Allie Pecenka. “Fierce protection and full restoration of the Everglades is the torch we now carry, while continuing to honor the trailblazers that lit it for us.”

Leading a small team including two students from the Lee County area, Pecenka and DePaolis attended pre-scheduled meetings with the lawmakers serving our district to communicate the importance of Everglades funding, protection, restoration, and supporting legislation. 

During the meetings, teams discussed the Everglades Coalition’s 2025 Legislative Priorities, which include:

• Fully fund Everglades restoration
• Strengthen protection for all Florida waters
• Reinstate robust land-use planning to promote sustainable growth and utilize funding for land conservation purchasing. Prioritize acquiring key restoration areas, such as lands around the Everglades Agricultural Area and Miami-Dade County
• Protect Everglades restoration infrastructure from sea level rise, stronger storms, and water flow changes with resilient design and adaptive management
• Safeguard state parks and conservation lands from development to preserve the Everglades ecosystem

“Restoring the Everglades just makes sense, whether you are concerned about water quality, wildlife, sound investment of state funds, or protection of our natural public spaces,” DePaolis said. “America only has one Everglades, so advocacy trips like Everglades Action Day are important to remind our legislators why they all need to continue to be Everglades champions.”

A huge thanks to the SCCF donors who stepped up to ensure that all interested students had the opportunity to join us for Everglades Action Day.

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