The new Orvis-produced film Follow the Water literally follows the imperiled course that water takes in Florida. Follow the Water outlines restoration efforts to improve the flow of water starting at Shingle Creek, flowing south through the Everglades, and ultimately into Florida Bay. Orvis, an industry leader in conservation efforts, explains, “When most people think of the Everglades, they picture the sawgrass wetlands and mangroves at the southern tip of Florida. What they don’t realize is that the health of this incredible ecosystem is dependent upon events far to the north. Historically, the Everglades received a steady supply of fresh water from a massive watershed that begins near Orlando, but over the past century—in the name of flood control and agriculture—man has interrupted that flow, most notably at Lake Okeechobee. As a result, the amount of water that reaches Florida Bay, at the southern tip of the state, is less than half of what it should be.”
The goal of Everglades restoration is to send more fresh water south, but this is not as simple as it may sound. Simon and Hannah Perkins—cousins who are part of the third generation of the Perkins family to run Orvis—traveled the length of the Everglades watershed, talking to scientists, conservationists, and fishing guides to see firsthand the work being done and to explore what the future may hold. Follow the Water documents what they discovered. Check out the full-length film and read about the Everglades and this Herculean and critical restoration effort at www.orvis.com/follow-the-water.html.
