Alexis Muellner

In south Florida, sand is why the tourists come. For years, hotel owners along Miami Beach appealed for federal help in keeping the beaches from eroding . A six million dollar beach nourishment plan is now underway in south Florida after 2 years of legal wrangling. But now, how not to repeat damage to the […]

In the 1960’s, the American alligator was almost extinct in Florida. Since then, the state’s conservation efforts have helped the alligator population bounce back. Over the same period, the number of humans in Florida has skyrocketed. And as Alexis Muellner discovered, when the two groups cross paths, it’s not always a pleasant encounter.

It’s been eighteen months since Florida voters approved a ban on gill net fishing in state waters, to reduce the catch. But, the transition hasn’t been easy. The 1995 referendum was bitter, pitting a disorganized commercial fishing industry against a powerful sports fishing lobby. Still, the ban appears to be working as populations of Spanish […]

Alexis Muellner reports from Miami on the impact of Hurricane Andrew on the Everglades and other parts of the South Florida ecosystem. Hurricanes have been part of the region’s natural cycle for millennia, but intensive development in recent decades has eroded the ecosystem’s ability to bounce back from Andrew’s devastation.

Alexis Muellner reports from Miami on the battle against the melaleuca tree. The plant was imported from Australia early this century in an attempt to transform the Everglades into a timberland. Today, the tenacious tree is seen as one of the largest threats to the highly-stressed Everglades ecosystem.