MIAMI (CBSMiami) – In honor of Earth Day, CBS4 took a stroll by way of native parks.
Officials at Secret Woods Park in Broward County mentioned they’ve seen the consequences of our altering local weather up shut, and all of us must do our half to maintain our inexperienced areas pristine.
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When you are taking a stroll by way of Secret Woods Park in Dania Beach, you wouldn’t guess you’re nonetheless in the course of an city space.
“If you look at it on a map, it is surrounded by development, so everything we do around it affects it,” mentioned Linda Briggs Thompson, the Environmental Program Manager for Broward County Parks.
Walking throughout a picket bridge, she identified: “When this was constructed, the king tides didn’t get this high.”
Briggs Thompson mentioned they’ve observed a troubling development on their trails.
“Because of sea-level rise, as the oceans rise, the places that did not flood before now are flooding. We’ve seen that firsthand here at Secret Woods. We’ve seen the boardwalk flood, especially in wetter years.”
She mentioned 2020 was a kind of years.
Though the ocean degree rises slowly, they’re seeing the consequences.
“We’re looking at about 8 inches over 100 years,” she explains. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but in Florida where our elevation is low, that has a significant impact.”
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Now, they’re doing what they’ll to maintain the native ecosystem viable.
“As we get sea-level rise, and as wetlands in the east part of the county are becoming saltier wetlands, we need to make sure the plants and animals are as healthy as possible. One of our focuses here would be to remove invasive species.”
Invasive species can compete with native vegetation.
Invasive crops can are available from the rising tide, the wind, and even us.
“This is called Surinam cherry,” Briggs Thompson says as she holds up the plant.
“It’s another invasive species. It’s another that comes from our yards, and, when it comes into the natural areas, it can crowd out some of the native species.”
While Earth Day could assist spotlight the significance, there are issues we are able to study every single day.
“Throughout the year, we can learn more about these parks, learn how to protect them, and just keep them the jewels that they are in our county,” she says.
This weekend, you may volunteer to participate of their Eco Action days.
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