An aerial photo of the restoration site. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a field biologist in Everglades National Park, on her way to work. Everglades, Florida 2009Still outside the park, Nancy shows me how intensive agriculture depletes the soil. This is the residue after the tomato harvest. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a field biologist in Everglades National Park, on her way to work. Everglades, Florida 2009Entrance to the park. Everglades, Florida 2009Natural vegetation of the park. Everglades, Florida 2009Soil under natural conditions. Everglades, Florida 2009Natural vegetation of the park. Everglades, Florida 2009Invasive, non-native vegetation that has taken over the "hole". Everglades, Florida 2009Invasive, non-native vegetation that has taken over the "hole". Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a biologist at work in Florida's Everglades National Park. Everglades, Florida 2009A section of the "hole" that is slowly recovering. Everglades, Florida 2009A section of the "hole" where the soil is being stripped to prepare for new growth. Everglades, Florida 2009The debris of non-native plants and a section of the "hole" where the soil has been stripped off to prepare for new growth. Everglades, Florida 2009A section of the "hole" where the soil is being stripped to prepare for new growth. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a biologist in the "Hole in the Doughnut," examines the exposed base on which new vegetation will take root. Everglades, Florida 2009Newly exposed base soil on which native vegetation will take root. Everglades, Florida 2009Initially the "hole" looks more like a construction site than an ecological restoration project. Everglades, Florida 2009Initially the "hole" looks more like a construction site than an ecological restoration project. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a biologist in the "Hole in the Doughnut," consults with one of the heavy equipment operators. Everglades, Florida 2009The border where the "hole" joins the native vegetation of the park. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a biologist in Everglades National Park, studies the naturally occurring plants. Everglades, Florida 2009Nancy, a biologist in Everglades National Park, studies the naturally occurring plants. Everglades, Florida 2009Natural vegetation of the park. Everglades, Florida 2009Scraping of the remaining loose soil from the edge of the "hole". Everglades, Florida 2009Heavy earth moving equipment is needed to scrape the last of the loose soil from the "hole". Everglades, Florida 2009Heavy earth moving equipment is needed to scrape the last of the loose soil from the "hole". Everglades, Florida 2009At the border of the "hole", native vegetation on the left and Brazilian pepper on the right. Everglades, Florida 2009Brazilian pepper, the plant that was introduced by farmers and that now dominates the "hole." Everglades, Florida 2009
