of all the major forest lands in the united states , neither is closeness to a major cities area or more riven with crises than the everglades , a shallow , 50 - kilometre - wide flowing of grass that flows south from mount okeechobee to hillsborough lake . for more than a generation , this fragile national wonder has been held hostage by a web of special activities - - farmers , athletes and about 6 million south florida individuals in need of drinking water and flooding prevention - - that is as complex as the ecosystem itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.