THE EVERGLADES ARE IN PERIL, MORE THAN HALF OF THE ONCE VAST MILLION ACRE WETLAND IS NOW GONE
BECAUSE OF REDIRECTING WATER TO
COULD DATE AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT.
>> AND A SOUTH FLORIDA HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENT AND PHOTOGRAPHER
IS USING HIS TALENTS AND SOCIAL
MEDIA TO WAKE PEOPLE UP TO THE
NATURAL WOP DER WE STAND TO LOSE
IF WE DON’T ALL STEP UP TO
PROTECT IT.
HIS FIGHT TO SAVE THE EVERGLADES
IS TONIGHT’S DON’T "DON’T TRASH
OUR TREASURE."
>> JUST TRYING TO FIND THE RAIL.
>> Reporter: SLOGGING THROUGH
THE SALUTE ON WHAT WAS A VERY
CHILLY SATURDAY MORNING.
MERE HO P AND -- FOR ME THIS IS
PROBABLY THE MOST SPECIAL SPOT
IN THE EVERGLADES.
>> Reporter: IT’S HERE DEEP IN
THE WILD OF BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL
PARK.
>> HISTORICAL LOOKING.
>> Reporter: THAT I MEET UP WITH
THE AIN’T-YEAR-OLD TRINITY HIGH
SCHOOL SENIOR INSIDE THE PERFECT
AWESOMENESS OF A CYPRESS STONE.
>> I FEEL LIKE AN EAGLE RIGHT
NOW.
>> I CALL IT -- HAS THAT
CATHEDRAL ENTRANCE.
>> Reporter: IT IS IN FACT
HALLOW GROUND FOR LUKA AND WHO’S
BECOME AN OVERNIGHT CHAMPION OF
THE EVERGLADES.
>> I’M COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH
THIS PLACE.
>> Reporter: THIS SUBTROPICAL I
WOULD WILDERNESS CALLED OUT TO
LUKA DURING THE POIPS HAS NOW
SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS
EXPLORING AND DOCUMENTING ONE OF
THE MOST UNIQUE COMPLEX
ECOSYSTEMS OF THE PLANET AND
POSTING HIS WORK ON SOCIAL
MEDIA.
MIVE ♪
>> Reporter: THE TIKTOK AND
INSTAGRAM VIDEOS HAVE MADE LUKA
A VIRAL 17 SITUATION MILLIONS OF
LIKES AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF FOLLOWERS WHO FLOCK TO HIS
PLATFORMS TO EXPERIENCE THE
MAGICAL WONDERS OF A PLACE THAT
REMAINS SO MISUNDERSTOOD BY SO
MANY.
>> I POSTED A VIDEO HERE OF THIS
UNDERAWARE WORLD.
THE CLEAR WATER, ALL OF THESE
PLANTS, AND IT HIT 12 MILLION
VIEWS AND PEOPLE COULDN’T
BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE
EVERGLADES.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS WASN’T
THE EVERGLADES AND THAT I’M
LYING.
>> Reporter: BUT WHAT LUKA IN
AFFECT WAS DOING WAS REVEALING
THE TRUTH OF THE BEAUTY THAT
LIES BENEATH.
THE COMPILATION VIDEO NOW HAS
OVER 25 MILLION VIEWS ON TIKTOK
BUT HE DOESN’T DO IT FOR THE
LIKES.
>> BECAUSE BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL
FACADE, BEYOND ALL OF THIS
BEAUTY, BEYOND MY BEAUTIFUL
VIDEOS LIES THE REALITY THAT
THIS PLACE THAT’S GIVING LIFE IS
DYING.
>> Reporter: INDEED.
FOR 175 YEARS HUMANS HAVE SLICED
AND DICED AND DREMGED AND
DIVERTED THE HISTORICAL NATURAL
FLOW OF THE EVERGLADES WATERSHED
FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE DOWN TO
FLORIDA BAY WITH DEVASTATING
RESULTS.
>> RIGHT NOW ONE QUARTER OF THAT
WATER MAKES IT THE OUT.
SO WE NEED PEOPLE TO CARE.
>> Reporter: HALF OF THE
EVERGLADES ARE GONE.
ITS NATIVE AND HABITATS BOTH
FLORA AND FAUNA, FAST
DISAPPEARING.
AND ENCROACHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
PAVING OVER WHAT REMAINS OF WILD
FLORIDA.
WITH THESE VIDEOS LUKA IS LOUDLY
SOUNDING THE ALARM.
>> I HOPE THAT MY VIDEO GET
PEOPLE TO CARE, GET PEOPLE TO
SEE THAT THIS PLACE IS SO MUCH
MORE THAN A SWAMP.
IT’S A PLACE THAT WE RELY ON.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IT’S THIS PLACE
WORTH TO YOU?
WHAT’S YOUR DRINKING WATER WORTH
TO YOU AS A FLORIDIAN?
THAT’S WHY I DO IT.
>> Reporter: LUKA NOW TAKE HIS
MESSAGE TO SCHOOLS, TALKS TO
KIDS, INSPIRES THEM.
MORE THAT JUST A PHOTOGRAPHER,
LUKA’S A STORYTELLER.
AT 18 YEARS OLD HIS WORK IS NOW
FEATURED ON THE EVERGLADES
FOUNDATION HERITAGE PLATFORM
WHERE HE HOPES TO EVEN GAPING
EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN HIS
MISSION, WITH HIS POWERFUL
IMAGES LUKA BECKONS ALL OF US TO
GIVE THE RIVER OF GRASS A
CHANCE.
>> BECAUSE YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE
WITH THIS WILD THE SAME WAY I
HAVE.
AND THAT’S WHAT IT’S ABOUT ARE
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOVE SOMETHING,
YOU CARE TO PROTECT IT.
IT’S ONLY WHEN YOU LOVE
SOMETHING THAT YOU’LL FIGHT FOR
IT.
WHAT GIVES ME HOPE IS THAT THE
WILD WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING
BACK.
NEVER.
BACK. NEVER. THIS PLACE IS SO RESILIENT,
THAT’S WHAT GIVES ME HOPE.
>> THERE IS HOPE.
LAST MONTH THE SOUTH FLORIDA
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
ANNOUNCED A NEW PROJECT TO
REDIRECT BADLY NEEDED WATER
SOUTH TO A PAMPED FLORIDA BAY BY
RIPPING APART AN AREA INSIDE THE
NATIONAL PARK.
$447 MILLION HAS BEEN EARMARKED
FOR RESTORATION AND IN JANUARY
GOVERNOR DESANTIS COMMITTED TO
SPEND $3.
5 MILLION ON EVERGLADES
RESTORATION OVER THE NEXT FOUR
YEARS.
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ABOUT LUKEKA’S WORK OR GET
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