of all the national park lands in the united state , none is closer to a major urban district or more beset with concerns than the everglades , a shallow , 50 - mile - wide lake of grass that flow south from lake okeechobee to florida coast . for more than a nation , this fragile natural treasure has been held hostage by a web of local interests - - farmers , sportsmen and about 6 million southwest georgia residents in need of drinking water and flood management - - that is as complex as the park itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.