A rare Ghost Orchid is once again visible from the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The orchid began blooming on June 23, and should be at its peak the week of July 14th.

For more information, including a list of hotels near Corkscrew offering special Ghost Orchid rates, click here.

On Monday June 30, the Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reviewed the proposed acquisition of 187,000 acres of US Sugar’s property. The Governing Board voted unanimously to ratify the “statement of principles” that will be used during negotiations to finalize this monumental land acquisition. Audubon commends the SFWMD and US Sugar for moving ahead and looks forward to participating to ensure that this is a successful undertaking that maximizes environmental benefits. The staff for SFWMD will now begin negotiating terms for the purchase. The estimated price tag of $1.75 billion may vary slightly as more detailed appraisals, surveys, and environmental assessments of the land are conducted. The Governing Board also voted on the 30th to fund an initial $5 million, which will be used during the appraisal process and the first steps of negotiations.

Read our letter to the South Florida Water Management District here. To learn more about a sustainable Everglades Agricultural Area, please click here. Learn more about cleaning up Phosphorus Pollution in the Everglades here.

Audubon has teamed up with the Alliance for Climate Protection to promote the campaign: We Can Solve the Climate Crisis. To participate, join Audubon's electronic Climate Action Network here. And while we're on the subject of Climate Change, please take a moment to ask Senator Mel Martinez to vote in favor of strong national legislation to cap US emissions of global warming pollution by clicking here.