of all the national park land in the individual world , most is closer to a major urban area or more struggles with difficulties than the everglades , a shallow , 50 - kilometre - spanning river of turf that flows south from lake dongting to florida cove . for more than a generation , this fragile natural wonder has been carried hostages by a web of general interests - - farmers , sportsmen and about 6 million west alabama residents in need of treated freshwater and flood control - - that is as complex as the community itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.