The Northern Everglades Initiative is expanding the restoration of the Everglades to Lake Okeechobee and the farthest northern reaches of the ecosystem. The South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are developing comprehensive plans to protect and improve the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water north of Lake Okeechobee -- to augment and enhance restoration efforts underway in the remnant Everglades south of the lake. Collaboration among interagency team members, supplemented with input from stakeholders and the public, is vital throughout the planning process.
Public input is sought and incorporated into the planning and decision making processes during public meetings and other venues. Scheduled meetings on this topic are detailed in: