Community VoicesStet News and Community Voices wade in the water.
Stet News and Community Voices visited Grassy Waters Preserve Feb. 22 to get out of the classroom and into the swamp.
Our recent work covering the city of Riviera Beach’s new water treatment plant sparked interest in exploring a natural area.
During our stroll through the water and muck, our guide shared information about the unique traits of the different plant species, their environment and how the city of West Palm Beach works to conserve the preserve.
Grassy Waters is an important part of the Everglades, the chief source of drinking water for West Palm Beach and supports the aquifers on which many other cities in Palm Beach County rely.
Keep reading for more about our experience wading through the water.
Who wrote this story: This story was reported by Community Voices. Members are Myles Whigham, Mikala Graham, Micaja Etienne, Abigail Guillaume and Kelvin Verhovlyak.
What is CV: Community Voices is a partnership between Stet News and Inlet Grove High School. Stet News is underwriting the pilot to train and pay students to cover Riviera Beach.
Myles: It was a really fun field trip. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it. Being able to go outside for a change and look at nature was a breathtaking experience.
Grassy Waters is so full of life, as I got to learn about various plant species, animals and organisms. We got to see bay leaves, cypress trees and bladderwort.
The size of Grassy Waters especially surprised me, averaging around 11,000 football fields! And since it’s so large, it’s West Palm Beach’s water supply, which is amazing to me. I’m glad I was able to go on this trip with Stet.
Mikala: My time at Grassy Waters Preserve helped me to realize the importance of the ecosystems around us.
At first, I can admit that I was a little skeptical about walking around in the water, but after my visit I realized how valuable it is to our environment. Grassy Waters, a 23-square-mile wetland, functions as the water supply for West Palm Beach.
What makes it different from other wetland ecosystems is that it is fully dependent on rain to keep its system running. This means that the amount of water found in the preserve depends on the consistency of rainfall.
Because of its low nutrient levels, Grassy Waters is home to many native species, including bladderworts, which are carnivorous plants that eat small organisms.
I am very happy to learn more about our environment and believe that it is important that preserves like Grassy Waters are open to the public so that more people can understand the importance of these ecosystems.
Micaja: The trip to Grassy Waters was an amazing experience because I really enjoy nature.
I learned more about where West Palm Beach gets its water supply and why it’s important to preserve it. While walking through, I learned Grassy Waters has many native and invasive plants, including the native carnivorous purple bladderwort and invasive climbing fern.
Grassy Waters is the same size as 11,000 football fields and gives water to over 130,000 residents. The Grassy Waters clean-up crew removes invasive plant species to create a healthier environment for the other native plant species. It’s important to keep our water supply clean and make efforts to do so.
I can’t wait to see where we go next!
Abigail: My field trip to Grassy Waters Preserve was a really interesting experience because I got to walk through the wetland and see the ecosystem up close, instead of just staying on the boardwalk.
I learned that Grassy Waters is a protected area in West Palm Beach that helps provide drinking water for over 130,000 residents and is a part of the Everglades system.
Wetlands are important because they act like a natural filter that cleans water as it moves through the soil and plants. While we were walking, I got to see and learn about many invasive species and plants, how they are affecting the environment.
Lygodium microphyllum is one of the invasive plants that I’ve learned about. This is a fast-growing plant that wraps itself around trees. When this happens, the trees and native plants underneath can die because they don’t get enough light.
Kelvin: The Grassy Waters trip was exciting and adventurous. I got there a bit early and was able to catch beautiful landscape and wildlife photos.
The water was cold, but it felt nice once we adjusted. It was a different experience because of the walking sticks, which saved me from many trips and falls.
I’m a nature and animal guy, so it was refreshing to get out into the wild. The tour guide was insightful and shared a wealth of knowledge about the preserve. I learned a lot about the different plants and how they survive.
I was keen on how they adapted and evolved in this harsh environment, despite nutrient scarcity. What surprised me was that it felt like this landmark was empty, considering how important it is to Florida.
This moment felt special. We physically interacted with Grassy Waters, which made it a lasting memory. Not only that but I get to experience another world of photography, which I really want to do again after I get better gear.
I’m competing in the Grassy Waters photo contest this year, but I’m definitely getting another run next year. I want to thank Stet News for this golden opportunity. I’m definitely going back to take more photos when I’m better equipped.
