( May 2, 2007) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency leading the efforts to restore America’s Everglades, recently held a special event in observance of Earth Day 2007 at the Sawgrass Mills Shopping Center, Sunrise, Fla. The celebration, titled “Name that CERP Sound,” included the Corps’ introduction of a new interactive game featuring animals of the Everglades.

CERP is the acronym for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a 30-year effort designed to save the Everglades through a series of ecological and water improvement systems.More than 500 children and adults participated in the fun-filled event on April 22 from noon to 4 p.m., which included the actual “Name that CERP Sound” game show. Life-size costumed characters of an alligator and frog, two of the more well-known Everglades creatures, were on hand to greet guests.

In addition, more than 1,000 art tiles depicting wildlife of the Everglades, created by school children from Broward and Palm Beach county schools, were on display. These original art tiles remained on display at the Sawgrass Mills Shopping Center through April 30. EARTH DAY 2007 AT SAWGRASS MILLSLt. Col. Paul M. Baker, deputy commander for South Florida and the Antilles, and Sonya Goines, public affairs specialist, both of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, met visitors and talked about Corps environmental restoration programs.The Corps of Engineers also displayed an Everglades restoration kiosk featuring the “Name that CERP Sound” game and other information on the ecosystem for children and adults. “The kiosk is an interactive computer that brings the story of the Everglades and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan to people in a fun and entertaining way,” said Nanciann Regalado, chief of corporate communication for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. “Each year, we observe Earth Day by hosting or participating in area events to raise awareness about the Everglades and to inform people about the plan to restore it.”The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency that specializes in the planning, engineering, construction and management of large infrastructure projects. The Corps’ Jacksonville District serves Florida and the Caribbean. Its missions include flood damage reduction, water resources management, navigation, shore protection and restoration, environmental restoration, hazardous, toxic, and radioactive remediation, military support, and emergency response.The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is in its sixth year.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District are implementing CERP, often referred to as “the largest environmental restoration project in history.” For more information, please log onto www.evergladesplan.org.