Florida’s Changing Waters: A Beautiful World in Peril

In this captivating illustrated debut, photographer and activist Buchanan chronicles the environmental damage being done to Florida’s waterways, showcasing a devastating plight facing her native state. Buchanan is unapologetic and feels no need to be diplomatic, tersely stating, “In Florida, as in many other parts of the United States, development often trumps maintaining clean-water standards. Florida recently acquired the dubious distinction of having the second-worst drinking water in the nation.” Photographs of untouched waterways are breathtaking, showcasing abundant wildlife and picturesque and mystic underwater realms. Yet these images evoke a sense of both foreboding and tragedy, especially in Buchanan’s images of meager streams, dried up riverbeds, and ugly swaths of toxic algae slowly choking the life out of once vibrant areas. Stirring images of areas like Central Florida’s Johnson Springs capture a fading beauty still visible through the muck and slime, and help reinforce Buchanan’s argument that Florida’s waters are rapidly running out of time. Rounding out the volume are insightful essays by ecologist Robert L. Knight and Stetson University professor Jason M. Evans, the latter noting that with climate change, “it will be impossible to return Florida’s waterways and natural ecosystems to some historical ‘pristine’ state.” Buchanan’s beautifully rendered volume is a must-have for environmentalists and conservationists. Photos. [em](Apr.) [/em]