Florida drained land for a giant subdivision in the 1960s; 2026 restoration reverses it

Restoration work at Picayune Strand is helping restore wetlands across 55,000 acres in Southwest Florida. A major restoration project in Southwest Florida has been completed after years of work to bring the natural flow of water back to 55,000 acres of wetlands.According to officials, the Picayune Strand Restoration Project covers area between Alligator Alley and Tamiami Trail in Southwest Florida. It is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) which aims at restoring the Everglades ecosystem.The history of the site goes back to the early 1960s, when the land was drained in anticipation of what was intended to become the largest residential subdivision in the world.The drainage changed the natural flow of water across the area. The Picayune Strand project was designed to reverse those changes by removing roads, blocking canals and restoring water movement through the wetlands.The restoration involved major changes to the land and its water network. More than 260 miles of roads were removed, almost 50 miles of canals were plugged and more than 60 miles of logging tram roads were removed. Three pump stations were also constructed as part of the project.The aim was...