With the Everglades in the news almost daily because of the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center that opened this month, the nonprofit Everglades Foundation has released a report that it said shows an annual economic impact of $31.5 billion from the largest subtropical wetland system in the continental U.S. The report, done in collaboration with the Tacoma, Washington-based nonprofit Earth Economics, estimates the value of ecosystem services provided by the Everglades at more than $1 trillion over the next 50 years. Unveiled in June during the America’s Everglades Summit in Washington, D.C., the economic analysis, titled “Thriving Everglades, Thriving Economy: Nature’s Value in the Everglades,” breaks down the contributions through what it identifies as seven ecosystem services: • Real estate enhancement – $9.2 billion • Recreation – $8.5 billion • Protection from extreme weather events – $8.4 billion • Biodiversity and habitat – $3.3 billion • Carbon sequestration – $781 million • Commercial fishing – $26.7 million • Water supply for millions of people Ecosystem services, the report says, “are the direct and indirect benefits people receive from functional natural systems, providing fresh water, food and clean air, while also supporting quality of life, cultural identity, recreational opportunities and more.” The introduction to the report describes what the two organizations call Florida’s “Clean Water Economy,” an amalgam of industry sectors within the 16-county Everglades watershed “whose very existence depends upon clean water, pristine beaches and healthy fisheries.” Counties in the Everglades watershed are Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk and St. Lucie. Maya Kocian, executive director of Earth Economics, said in announcing the report that the Everglades is an invaluable natural asset, improving the quality of life for residents and visitors to South Florida. “This report lays a foundation for articulating the Everglades’ importance to the region’s economy and the continued need for [Everglades] restoration for resilience,” she said. “An investment in nature is an investment in Floridians and Florida’s economy.” A bipartisan effort to restore the Everglades has seen billions of state and federal taxpayers’ dollars spent under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration plan that was approved by Congress in 2000. Economic health tied to Everglades’ health The report says that the most substantial Everglades ecosystem benefits are “deeply interlinked with South Florida’s largest economic sectors: tourism and real estate.” Paul Hindsley, chief economist at the Miami-Dade County-based Everglades Foundation and co-author of the study, said the report provides evidence on how the health of the Everglades is directly tied to the economic well-being of Florida. He said restoring the Everglades “secures economic prosperity today and safe...