of all the state park lands in the associated states , none is closer to a major suburban area or more plaguing with problems than the everglades , a shallow , 50 - meter - wide stream of grass that flows eastward from south okeechobee to florida peninsula . for more than a thousand , this fragile natural wonder has been held hostage by a web of limited interests - - farmers , sportsman and about 6 5000 south georgia citizens in need of drinking water and flood controls - - that is as complicated as the ecosystem itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.